Is Butter Bad for Cats ?

[muffy]

I had a co-worker that had 25 Maine Coons. Once a month she would throw a stick of butter on the kitchen floor for the cats to help control their hair balls. She said they loved butter.

I used to have 8 cats and they showed no interest butter. I rarely ate it.

Muffy

 

[catmom203]

Assuming butter is made out of cream, and cream contains lactose, and cats are lactose intolerant, I would guess that butter isn't good for cats.

That said, my two love it. We have quite a job keeping them out of the butter if its out on the counter.

Considering that cats are meant to be carnivores by nature, we just stick to meat based balanced diet, either raw or canned grain free food.

Butter contains no carbohydrates, so it does not contain any lactose which is the sugar found in milk (and sugar is a carbohydrate).

Butter.jpg

• petra harris
• Apr 30, 2016

Cream only contains 3% of lactose (carbs), which is 3 g of lactose in 100 g of cream :

cream.jpg

• petra harris
• Apr 30, 2016

That is a good observation. Don't write off butter if your cat is lactose intolerant because butter has little in it unlike milk. Fortunately my cat is not lactose intolerant. He has pancreatitis and while people and dogs need to limit fat cats are not affected by some fat in the diet.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

What is the recipe for homemade cat food for kidney disease with butter? My cat needs more fat in his diet and is not lactose intolerant.

Remember, I posted that back in 2013, so not sure if the product is even still available that is referenced in the recipe, but here it is...Recipe B: http://tcfeline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/TCfeline-SPECIAL-FORMULA-brochure.pdf

 

[catmom203]

Remember, I posted that back in 2013, so not sure if the product is even still available that is referenced in the recipe, but here it is...Recipe B: http://tcfeline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/TCfeline-SPECIAL-FORMULA-brochure.pdf

Thank you. Yes the TCfeline special formula is still available. My fur son was diagnosed with CKD two years ago. He was 1.9 creatinine in March 2015 and the vet said go to wet food. I was already transitioning him to wet. In July he was 2.4 creatinine and I looked into stem cell therapy Thank God. By the beginning of September he was in the 4's on creatinine and he had the stem cell therapy. That dropped his creatinine back into the 3's and gradually his kidney values improved. Last weeks blood test his SDMA was 17. His creatinine is low 2s but because of acute pancreatitis and rapid weight loss I wouldn't put as much stock in creatinine right now. The SDMA is more accurate and we didn't have that two years ago.

 

[vince]

Funny you should mention this. I took a long day trip today, and fed my two real well before leaving, figuring they'd only eat twice. When I got home at 9 p.m. I fed them well once more, but noticed they weren't crying maniacs and making figure-eights around my legs like I'd expected. Then I notice those two piglets had gotten the lid off the butter dish and had eaten over 1/4 pound of butter!

Well, they won't have hairballs.

 

[laura mae]

I have two cats that are butter fiends. I have had cats that recoil at the smell.

 

[anni7]

FOO....the bottomless pit, LOVES butter. He has broken 2 butter dishes to get to it. I went and bought one of the fancy french butter keepers.....he figured out how to get into it. I have to keep the butter in the microwave if I want soft butter. He won't just chew on it a little...he will eat half a stick.

It’s been 5 years sorry reply now my cat fights for butter and eats big chunks when he gets into it. It’s not even pure butter but a spread with vegetable oil in it.

 

[solomonar]

Old thread, but I think is better to revive this one than to start another one about the (pretty) same thing.

My cat loves butter. He also likes olive oil!

From what I read, fats are needed to trigger thirst reflex (I read some scientific studies, but sadly I did not save them).

The "common" internet sources claim that butter is bad for the cats, while most people says that a very small amount of butter now and then may not harm. What does it mean "small" and "now and then" - I dont know, but I feed may tomcat some 1 peanut size butter once a week. He also licks the olive oil whenever he could - but this is about few drops a week.

Question is: is somebody aware about a more scientific source of info about butter (fats in general) metabolism in the cat's body?

Thank you!

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I give my cats a lick of butter off my fingers once a week as a treat. I have a stick of butter just for the cats in my mini usb fridge. I also give them 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin puree (not pie filling) once a day to help with hairballs and other health issues. Shaman has to have hers mixed in her food but the others like it just off the spoon (or my finger). Cooper would eat a whole can if I let him (which I won't) so I have to portion it out for each one while inside. Also once in a blue moon I'll buy those little freshpet treats at my grocery store. I wash and save those to mix their treats in before going outside.