Can Cats Eat Biscuits – Things To Consider & Know!

Some cats demand that you share whatever you are eating with them. For instance, you may be snacking on a biscuit, and your cat all but demands a bite of your food. However, you don’t know if biscuits are suitable for cats, so you ask: can cats eat biscuits?

Generally, cats can eat biscuits in moderation without any negative health concerns. However, biscuits are not good for cats and should not be a part of their regular diet. Biscuits contain salt, milk, and butter; all ingredients that can adversely affect your cat.

There are many things that cats can eat without a problem once in a while, but you should not make these foods part of your cat’s diet. The food may not hurt your cat, but if there are no nutrients that your cat needs, your cat is simply eating empty calories. Continue reading to learn more.

What Ingredients Are In Biscuits 

First, let’s talk about everything biscuits.

Most biscuits have the same ingredients, but store-bought biscuits may have more preservatives than those you can make at home. 

Since it is difficult to think about all the different store-bought biscuits, we’ll focus on those you can make at home.

Flour

The main ingredient in biscuits is flour. Most recipes call for about two cups of flour. 

Flour is not necessarily bad for cats, but flour is generally in products that are not good for cats. Flour usually equals carbs, which cats do not need in their diets. 

Diets are empty calories, and cats are not able to break down carbs into useful energy.

In order for biscuits to work for cats, the amount of flour would need to be significantly less, or your cat would only be able to eat a small piece without harming the rest of their diet.

Sugar

Sugar is another main ingredient in biscuits, and you will see about a half cup of sugar in the batter for biscuits. 

Cats should not eat sugar. Besides, cats cannot taste sugar even thought hey may show some interest in it. Excess sugar consumption will lead to increased weight gain in your cat. 

In this regard, a biscuit is no different than a cookie; another food cats should not eat.

Extra weight on your cat can lead to severe issues, such as heart disease, trouble breathing, diabetes, pancreatitis, and even urinary problems. Does a biscuit sound worth it? Nope! 

Salt

Salt is often an ingredient in bread that you make at home, including biscuits.

There is a minimal amount of salt in biscuits overall – about a teaspoon – but it is important to note that salt is not good for cats.

Cats should not have excess salt in their diets. Since cats are smaller than humans, cats need even less salt than you and I.

You can learn more about cats and salt poisoning here.

Milk

Biscuits have between a half cup or a full cup of milk. The type of milk depends on the kind you like, but most people will use whole milk or 2% milk.

Although you might think that cats like milk, cats are actually lactose intolerant and should not drink milk.

Even a tiny amount of milk can upset a cat’s stomach. It is better not to tempt your cat’s digestive system, especially if your cat does not usually drink milk.

Butter

Biscuits usually have a small amount of butter to make them fluffy. 

Butter is also not suitable for cats because it is an oil. Cats should not eat oils either because it can give them a stomachache. 

Oils, like butter, can also lead to diarrhea and even vomiting. 

Can I Give Human Biscuits To Cats

Cats can eat human biscuits without concern, but you should not make a habit of feeding your cat human biscuits.

Cats can eat biscuits because they are not toxic. This means that biscuits will not poison your cat, so they can safely consume them.

As we’ve already covered, however, the ingredients in biscuits are not good for your cat to be eating.

In other words, you can share your biscuit with your cat if you want, but it should only be a small piece. You should also not give your cat a piece of your biscuit often. 

When Can Cats Eat Biscuits

Cats can eat biscuits when you know that the ingredients in biscuits will not hurt your cat. 

Biscuits do not have a long list of ingredients, but there are ingredients in the biscuits that can potentially give your cat a stomachache. 

Combined, these ingredients could mean disease for your cat’s stomach. 

On the other hand, maybe you know that your cat can handle milk and butter. Your cat has never gotten sick from the small amount of milk or butter you’ve given to them in the past.

Since you know that those ingredients do not make your cat sick, then you can give your cat small pieces of your biscuits. 

Health Concerns

Several health concerns can arise when your cat eats biscuits.

• Some of the ingredients in your biscuits could give your cat a stomachache. The stomachache may not be severe or last long, but it can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Your cat may also become more lethargic until he feels better.
• If you constantly give your cat biscuits, it can lead to weight gain. Your cat is eating empty calories.
• Since your cat is gaining more weight than is necessary or healthy, your cat will become overweight. This can lead to heart problems and diabetes. 
• Biscuits alone are not enough to cause your cat to die, but the health concerns that come from it can eventually lead to heart failure. 

Alternatives To Biscuits

There are alternatives to biscuits that you can give your cat. 

If your cat is used to sharing your baking with you, you can give your cat a cat treat when he is waiting for you to share. Your cat will think that you are giving him what you are eating, but you are giving something made for him. 

You can make biscuits that are made especially for cats. These recipes leave out ingredients that are potentially harmful to your cat. You can browse recipes online to find something that you think your cat will enjoy. 

One thing to remember is that you should not start habits with your cat. If you do not give your cats biscuits, to begin with, then you do not have to worry about breaking the habit and finding alternatives for these human treats.