Is It Safe to Give Olive Oil to Cats?

porshow

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Is it safe to give olive oil to cats?
 

tnyc

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Yes. Olive oil is one of nature's best things, and in moderation should be good for kitty :)
 

catspaw66

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Is it safe to give olive oil to cats?
Yes, but no more than a tablespoon a day. Any more and the cat is likely to have diarrhea.  If you are using it long term, cut the amount per day back to 1 teaspoon.  From vetinfo.com

Personally, I would use an extra-virgin olive oil. They have a lower acidity than just plain olive oil.
 

tabbysia

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A lot of foods, including the one that I feed, have canola oil? Does that have the same effect?
 

catspaw66

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A lot of foods, including the one that I feed, have canola oil? Does that have the same effect?
Read this and draw your own conclusions.     vetnutrition.blogspot.com/2012/10/canola-oil-safety.html    As you will see, it was written by a holistic vet.
 

goholistic

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Olive oil is okay if used only short-term for acute cases of constipation, but I wouldn't use it long term. According to FelineConstipation.org:
Olive oil – Technically a cholagogue (see Glossary), not a lubricant laxative, olive oil has mild laxative properties when a larger dose is given. A larger dose for a cat is a small amount! For a mild bout of constipation, a quarter teaspoonful of olive oil can be given for acute treatment but cats require animal fat sources, not plant oils, so olive oil is not suitable for ongoing care. Olive oil contains terpenic acids and phenolic compounds which a cat's liver is not able to properly detoxify. Some pharmacies carry small bottles of pharmaceutical-grade olive oil. Do not force any oil into the mouth of a cat.
 

goholistic

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I really don't think there is a whole lot of nutritional value of olive oil for cats like there is for humans. Olive oil a type of vegetable oil that is very high in fat and does not contain enough of the essential fatty acids (like omega-3) that cats need. They should get this through small fish oil (sardines, etc.) or krill oil.

Cats are way different than humans in how their bodies work and process, so what is safe and appropriate for us isn't necessarily safe and appropriate for them.

I think a little bit of olive oil in the short-term can help with acute constipation, but again, I wouldn't offer it long-term.
 

magick-cat

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Olive oil and coconut oil are good-ish for cats, when I wash my cat( I do so by giving him a rag bath) about very two months I run my fingers through his hair with a little bit of olive oil let it sit for about a minute and then rinse it off then I let it sit for about an hour and then I wash it off again. They will try to lick it off but that is not dangerous for them. It is pretty good for their skin, fur, and there is some nutritional value but they should definitely not eat it by tablespoons or a lot in there food.
P.s for the canola oil guy no canola oil is not good for cats at all in their fur and their food in you by tablespoons they should not even be smelling it it's not good for humans and the flower that canola oil come from is not caught a canola I can't remember what it is but it is poisonous so don't give it to your cat.
 

ray-saulis

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Please don't listen to people who are not vets! Olives are HIGHLY poisonous to cats. Pleas do NOT give your cat olives or olive oils.
 
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ray-saulis

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Olive oil builds up in the liver because the cat cannot process plant oil and eventually it will cause liver failure.
 

ray-saulis

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This is very bad for your cat. Your cat receives up to 20% of its oxygen through its skin. Their skin is highly absorbent and when you get oil on them it doesn't ever really wash completely away. This can permanantly lower their oxygen rate. Before people just go and do something like this with their pets, PLEASE as a vet if it's safe for them so that you don't ignorantly do damage.
 

mservant

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@Ray-Saulis   Do you have a source for your information on olive oil?   Use of olive oil seems to be mentionned regularly, including in on line veterinary feeding guidelines for cats, which seems strange given the strength of concern you are expressing.
 

StefanZ

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nooo! canola oil is terrible! for people and cats!
Why are you thinking this?   I know for sure, coldpressed canola oil (=rapeseed oil) is one of the very best oils. Lotsa of vitamine E, quite a lot of omega 3 and 6, and also, neutral in taste, thus even better than olive oil.   This for humans, and I have no reason to think different for cats.   Even if I perhaps wouldnt recommend added oils as their every day basic food. But occasional supplement? Sure.

If you can find organic coldpressed rapeseed oil, its even better.   :)

coldpressed = extra virgin.

As I underestand it, both coldpressed olive and coldpresse rapeseed / canola oils are equivalent and healthy at least as occasional supplement. Use organic if you can get it.  There are fancy costly brands, but there are also good  not so costly brands for one third of the fancy price, at least in Sweden.

Of the two oils, rapeseed = canola is more netral in taste, so this will be my first pic. But Olive comes immediately after.

I suppose coldpressed coconut oil is good too, but I have no own experience there, nor other expertise.

But warmpressed cheap oil isnt that great, that may be true.
 
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StefanZ

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