Is there any food more closely associated with cats than fish?
It’s known worldwide that cats just love the taste of fish, especially oily fish like salmon. Don’t believe us? Just wave a juicy bit of salmon in your cat’s face and see what they do.
But can Bengal cats eat salmon safely?
In this article we are going to find out.
Read on to discover whether or not salmon is a good choice for your Bengal.
Is Salmon Safe For Bengal Cats?
The first step is to determine whether or not salmon is actually safe for your Bengal.
If salmon is unsafe and a risk to the health of your cat, then you obviously don’t want to feed it to them.
The good news is that salmon is definitely safe for your cat. You don’t need to worry about feeding it to your cat as an occasional treat.
There is nothing in salmon that is going to cause health problems (apart from a few caveats, which we mention shortly).
Is Salmon Good For My Bengal Cat?
Now that we’ve determined that salmon is safe for your Bengal cat, we need to work out if it’s a good option in terms of a treat (NB you cannot feed your cat salmon as its only food source – it isn’t a complete food for cats).
The good news is that salmon is a bit of a “super food” – rich in essential nutrients and fatty acids such as Omega 3 that will benefit the health of your cat.
Salmon can be beneficial for eye, brain and heart health of your Bengal … not bad for a humble bit of fish!
Provided you are not allowing your cat to consume excessive quantities (as it is rather calorie dense and isn’t a complete food) then it really is a good option for them.
Can My Bengal Cat Eat Raw Salmon?
We’ve established that in small quantities, salmon is a great treat for your Bengal. But what about raw salmon?
Much like whether or not your Bengal can eat raw meat (read our article on this very topic here) there is a lot of contention about whether or not your cat eat raw fish, including salmon.
Raw fish is known to be more risky than raw meat in terms of risk of food poisoning and also parasites. We would advise against feeding your Bengal cat raw salmon. If they have consumed a small amount for some reason, it probably won’t be an issue – but we don’t think it’s something you should be in the habit of feeding.
One other thing to note is that raw salmon contains thiaminase. This enzyme “breaks in half” thiamine molecules, rendering them useless. Thiamine is essential for good health, so pet food manufacturers add it back in to regular food. Thiaminase is neutralised by cooking fish, so this adds strength to the argument that you are simply better off feeding your Bengal cat cooked salmon as opposed to raw salmon.
Things To Consider
- Be wary of bones – Depending on how the salmon is prepared, it may contain bones. Your cat will probably be fine with these, but it is a definite risk and you should go for boneless salmon wherever possible. It isn’t worth the risk.
- Addiction risk – One other thing to be wary of is that some Bengal cats have been known to basically become addicted to salmon. They love the taste so much and just can’t get enough of it that they won’t eat any other types of food. This is a small risk, but something to note.
- Be wary of sodium – Tinned/canned salmon, as well as smoked salmon, are much higher in sodium than fresh (cooked or raw). As we have covered in other articles, excessive sodium consumption is not good for your pet, so be wary of feeding too much canned or smoked salmon.
Conclusion
To conclude, your Bengal cat can safely eat salmon.
We don’t recommend feeding too much all the time (if only because it will become very expensive, very quickly) but as an occasional treat it is a good option.
Your Bengal will love eating it, and love you all the more for giving them such a tasty treat.
