can cats eat chicken bones?

Cats are carnivores and descended from large ferocious cats that make everyone tremble with their roar.

But they are also tender creatures that seem to know our emotions and give us company and affection when we need it most.

Large predatory cats such as lions and leopards will continue to be playful, we see them very entertained with things like boxes and toys in the same way your kitten does.

There may come a time when you think about feeding your cat a diet closer to what they would eat in the wild, in fact, sometimes we would like to know how they would behave if they had to rely on hunting for food.

If cats would normally eat whole animals, including chickens, can they eat their bones?

The answer to this may not be as clear as you think, but let’s address this frequently asked question that is very important to answer firmly:

Can my cat eat chicken bones?

Yes, cats can eat chicken bones, but it is very important to remember that they can only eat raw bones, and should only be fed those relatively small bones to ensure that it does not block their digestive system. As a rule, you should never feed a cat-cooked chicken bones, as this can cause death.

Chicken bones should be given as a treat to your cat and should never make up a substantial part of their diet (primarily based on protein-rich foods) even if you choose to give your cat a raw meat diet.

It can be said that a wild cat if it manages to capture a hen or chicken, will naturally devour the bones, but under your control and care, your felines should be fed more cautiously.

As obligate carnivores, cats generally get a lot of nutrients from those raw bones and in fact, they can also be helpful for their dental health as well.

Benefits of Eating Chicken Bones for Domesticated Cats

The correct thing is that the cats that live with us are risk-free, which means that they do not need to ingest bones in the same way as wild cats, who do not have the advantage of not needing to hunt for food. Learn about cats and nut allergies in our article. We discuss the potential allergic reactions and sensitivities that cats may have to nuts, helping you ensure your feline friend’s health and safety.

Let’s see then what are the benefits that we have found in our research and to be fair, let’s list the risks that eating chicken bones also entails for our kitten at home. In theory, raw chicken bones can be a nutritious treat for your cat, as long as they remain completely raw. In fact, we could list the large amount of nutrients you will find, but we will limit ourselves to revealing their benefits.

Chicken bones are relatively small, which minimizes the risk that they could cause a blockage in your pet’s digestive system, and they are also nice for your cat to chew and gnaw on. Think of it as an all-natural teeth cleaning. Chicken bones are a good source of minerals and vitamins that all cats can benefit from as an addition to their food.

Of course, they are going to be a good source of calcium, but they also contain high amounts of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, etc.

The high calcium content also helps your cat’s body absorb other nutrients more easily, such as zinc, copper, and vitamins A, D, and E. These are all important nutrients for your cat, so chicken bone Occasional Raw is a fabulous treat. Delve into the art of feeding sardines to cats. Discover the best practices, potential health benefits, and considerations when introducing sardines into your cat’s diet.

In addition to this, raw bones are hard and good for gnawing.

While cats don’t need to constantly chew their food in the same way that rodents do (who usually have unlimited teeth growth), chewing on chicken bones can improve your cat’s dental health.

I like to think that cats sharpen their teeth strategically and because they are so clean and enjoy their elegant instincts, chewing raw chicken bones allows them to have better teeth naturally. It has also been shown that raw chicken bones can help strengthen teeth and tooth enamel. Nature gives felines this superpower and allows them to have natural repairs.

This just goes to show that, under the right circumstances, raw chicken bones can be wonderful for your cat. You just have to be aware of the quality of the raw bone you are feeding the cat and make sure there is no risk of it eating something splintered.

My cat ate cooked or roasted chicken bones. Is there any risk?

First, take a good look at your cat and evaluate yourself if there is any obvious damage.

The risk is great and we must evaluate if there is any wound in his mouth or even consider taking him to a veterinarian as an emergency. Another thing is that this type of accident is quite common at home and there is no reason to panic, in the end, cats are very skilled animals and for some reason, it is believed that they have 7 lives.

But the recommendations we make here are quite strict because we have gone through tragic episodes with our own pets and we want you to avoid them yourself. At Cancomer we recommend that you keep the source of your lunch leftovers away from cats.

But sometimes it is inevitable that our felines climb the table in search of some treasure and chicken or hen tastes fantastic to them too, we are not surprised that they are going to snatch some chicken with a little bone from someone’s plate.

The risk is imminent, since (cooked) chicken bones are easy to splinter and easy to become a deadly weapon, but cats have a natural instinct that allows them to be cautious, except when they are very spoiled cats and lose those memories. collective.

You may think you are doing well by cooking the chicken bones, or you may want to give the chicken bones to your cat after a large dinner at home; However, these are the worst ways to give your cat a treat.

Cooked chicken bones not only have drastically fewer nutrients than raw variants, but they are much more prone to splintering and breaking.

As anyone who has eaten a chipped bone will tell you, bones are sharp and look like razor blades or needles when broken.

A cat’s digestive system will not be able to handle such a sharp object moving through it, leading to possible cuts, lacerations, and punctures to its digestive system, this can also be said for fried shrimp tails or cooked

If a part of the bone breaks, it can easily obstruct parts of your cat’s body. It could cause a blockage in the digestive system, which may require surgery to fix (which is not cheap in the least), and can also cause suffocation. If you are not careful, these situations can easily lead to an early death for your cat.

If you plan to feed bones to your cat, make sure they are completely raw, as this is the safest way to help your cat benefit from this type of treatment.

You should only feed your catbird bones, as they are the appropriate size. The largest bird the bones should come from is a turkey. Delve into the world of cooking for your cat with our guide on preparing chicken livers. We provide insights and techniques to make cat-friendly liver snacks that are both safe and savory.

Dangerous bacteria in chicken bones

One of the risks of feeding chicken bones to cats is that they may contain dangerous bacteria. Organisms dangerous to us and our cats can be found in raw foods, including chicken bones. So, if you’re not sure you’ll give chicken bones to your cat right away, leave them in the freezer for a few hours. You should take them out for a short period of time to prevent bacteria from growing.

How to safely allow your cat to eat chicken bones

If you have decided to give your cat raw chicken bones, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your pet can benefit from this in the safest way possible. You will first want to make sure that your veterinarian is aware and okay with the fact that you are giving your cat bones.

Your veterinarian knows your cat’s health best and can give you more personalized instructions for safe feeding. You will also need to be sure to supervise your cat when he is eating bones, even if he has been eating bones regularly, due to the choking risk that all bones pose.

When feeding your cat, you should try to start when your cat is a young kitten. This will give your kitten more time to develop safe chewing techniques and learn what works best for him or her and what is most comfortable. You should also choose to discard the bird’s tiniest bones to further minimize the chances of damage and obstruction.

These include the ribs, neck, and wings of the bird.

Can Cats Eat Bone Broth?

If you want your cat to get these benefits from bones, but are understandably concerned about the risk bones pose, opt for homemade bone broth. Keep in mind that the broth does not contain onions, garlic, or too much salt, as these are harmful to cats.

Also, consider having some beef bone broth ready, this is ideal if kept frozen and we can give it to our cats as an occasional treat. It should only be the bones to ensure that it is purely healthy for your cat, if you have broth with spices, reserve it for human consumption.

This is a completely safe way for your cat to get the nutrients from chicken bones without the risk of choking and blockages, and if your cat is really desperate to chew something, there are many flavored dental chews made for cats on the market.

Is it okay for cats to eat cooked chicken?

The short answer is only the meat and when it is given in a way that ensures that there are no cooked chicken bones. As we already mentioned, these are brittle and dangerous and can crumble into smaller sharp pieces that can hurt your cat or cause them to choke.

These characteristics mean that these bones pose a danger to your health, so you should stay away from them. Cooked chicken meat in small quantities is perfectly safe for your kitten. Feral cats eat birds as part of their normal diet, and chicken has generally considered a healthy meat due to its low fat content. These vitamins and minerals are found in various types of beef, pork, turkey, or chicken.

Chicken in particular can be good for cats, as it helps cats who are overweight or suffer from some diseases such as kidney disease or diabetes. Knowing how to cook chicken for cats correctly means knowing how to incorporate it into a healthy diet.

The rule for them to eat cooked meat is no onion, no garlic, no spices, and no salt.

What happens if a cat eats a chicken leg?

In the case of intestinal blockage or internal bleeding, emergency surgery is usually required. Your cat may recover, but it’s best not to leave it to chance.

Are There Any Downsides to Giving My Cat Bones?

Unfortunately, there are some downsides to letting your cat eat bones, which is why there are so many people who disagree about whether it’s a good idea to do so or not.

Bones can be a safety hazard, especially for cats because they can be a choking hazard. That’s why it’s so important to get the right bone size. Additionally, bones that are too small could get stuck in the roof of your cat’s mouth, which is very uncomfortable for them and can cause trauma to the oral cavity.

We mentioned earlier that you should never feed your furry friend’s cooked bones because the bones could splinter and cause blockages or internal damage. While the risk is much, much lower with raw bones, the risk of splintering is still there. Definitely keep this in mind if you give your cat bones.

Conclusions

Can cats eat chicken bones or are they dangerous? This question helped us display the pros and cons in this article, but please, we only recommend, the final word lies with YOUR VETERINARIAN. In short, fresh raw chicken bones are safe for cats and can be a healthy part of their balanced diet.

They are fried, roasted, or cooked bones that we will avoid at all costs. Even raw bones in excess can cause dental problems and, due to the high marrow content, weight gain, and risk of bacterial poisoning, but consider only giving raw chicken bones as an occasional treat.

The bottom line: don’t play with cooked bones. If you’ve enjoyed a turkey leg or chicken wings for your own dinner, be sure to dispose of the bones properly.