Can cats eat ham? An interesting question as most of us love ham! And why not? One taste of that tender, salty goodness keeps us running back for more! If that is our reaction to ham, there is little doubt that our feline friends would also enjoy it. Yes, I am fully confident that they would love eating ham but the question is should they? Just because something is okay for a human does not make it necessarily good for our cats. So let’s look deeper. Is ham actually safe for a cat to eat?
Can Cats Eat Ham? Maybe
Cats are carnivores and it is logical that they would like meat and that they need meat as part of their diet to remain healthy. Notice what Pet WebMD said about this below:
“Cats are meat eaters, plain and simple. They have to have protein from meat for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system. Cooked beef, chicken, turkey, and small amounts of lean deli meats are a great way to give them that. Raw or spoiled meat could make your cat sick. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t give it to your pet.”
So it looks like you can give your cat ham from above quote. However, it mentions giving your cat lean deli meats. Is ham a lean deli meat?
Can Cats Eat Ham? A Word of Caution
As we know, Ham can have a lot of fat in it. Ham is also VERY high in salt. As a result, we humans use caution at times when it comes to eating ham as eating too much could affect our health. It is the same with giving ham to our cats. Notice what Dr. Karen Halligan of Animal Friends Croatia says regarding giving our cats ham below:
“Ham and other salty meats and foods are very dangerous to pets. In addition to being high in fat, they are also very salty which can cause serious stomach ache or pancreatitis.”
Conclusion
Can cats eat ham? Well, of course they can eat but should they eat it? If the ham is salty and fatty, then you should not as this could adversely affect them. This is logical as too much salt and fat can affect us in a negative way. If the ham has little salt or fat, you might be able to give a little to your cat buddy as a treat once in a while. But remember your cat is a lot smaller then you. So what affects you will probably affect them much more.
P.S. If you want to give your cat a healthier treat that was designed with them in mind, we really love Feline Greenies treats, particularly in the catnip flavour. Our Milo boy goes NUTS for these! (We’ve actually found that it helps with his anxiety to have a little catnip goodie – you may very well find the same to be true for your buddies.)
That link to our boy’s favourite treats is an Amazon Associates link. Thanks for using that link – it means we will earn a small commission, without you paying a penny more. We appreciate it.