Welcome to Authentic Bengal Cats, the website where we aim to answer all of your questions about Bengal cat ownership.
One of the most popular topics/categories of article on this site is information about the types of “human food” (and drink) that are safe (or not) for your Bengal.
In today’s article, we answer the following question:
“Can Bengal cats eat cheese?”
While cheese may be a staple of many human diets (we are certainly big fans!) what about if your Bengal gets their paws on cheese.
Is it bad for their health?
Is cheese dangerous for Bengal cats?
Let’s find out!
Is Cheese Safe For Bengal Cats?
The first thing to note is that cheese is not really safe for your Bengal cat.
While some cheese isn’t going to cause harm in the same way that caffeine might, cheese is still not a good option for your cat.
The reason for this is that cheese usually contains lactose, and cats are lactose intolerant.
If you’ve read our article on whether not Bengal cats can drink milk, well basically the same applies here.
Your Bengal lacks the digestive capabilities to properly break down the lactose in cheese (and other dairy products).
The outcome of this can be gastrointestinal upset, and problems such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
Therefore, you should avoid feeding cheese to your Bengal.
Cheese Is Full Of Fat And Calories
Another important consideration is that cheese is full of calories, with many of those calories coming from fat.
This is especially true for richer, creamier cheeses (as opposed to lower fat options).
Remember that your cat is not as big as you, and doesn’t need as many calories.
What might be a relatively small portion of cheese for you as a human could simply be far too much for your Bengal!
What Should I Do If My Bengal Cat Has Eaten Cheese?
So your Bengal cat has managed to get their paws on some cheese and eat it?
What should you do in this situation?
Do you need to call the vet? Is your Bengal cat going to be seriously ill?
The good news is that your Bengal is probably going to be fine. A bit of cheese is not going to do your cat any great harm.
It is extremely unlikely that your cat would even choose to eat enough cheese (in one sitting) to cause serious illness.
The biggest issue you will probably face – as we outlined above – is your cat having a very sore tummy, and a nasty mess for you to clean up in the litter box.
Conclusion
Can Bengal cats eat cheese?
While a small amount of cheese is unlikely to be too harmful to your Bengal, it is really not a good idea to allow your cat any.
This is because cats are generally lactose intolerant, so cheese may cause stomach problems (and result in a nasty mess for you to clean up in the litter box – on a side note, check out our guide here to the best litter boxes for Bengal cats).
Furthermore, cheese is high in calories with a lot of that coming from fat, which also makes it unsuitable for cats as it could promote weight gain.
For these reasons, you should avoid feeding your Bengal cat cheese.
A tiny little morsel from time to time is not going to do too much harm, but try to avoid feeding your Bengal cat cheese and allowing them to acquire a taste for it.
