Can Cats Eat Canned Sardines – Here’s The Facts!

When you’re wandering down the canned food aisle, you might stop in front of the canned seafood. You know that cats love seafood, and the canned seafood is much cheaper than fresh seafood near the meat and cold food. Before you pick up that can, you should ask yourself, can cats eat canned sardines? 

Yes, cats can eat canned sardines. Cats can also eat canned sardines in oil and water. You should avoid canned sardines high in sodium, polyunsaturated fats, or that contain soy and corn products.

Sardines, canned or fresh, are a great source of fatty acids, but there are a few downsides to canned seafood. Don’t worry; we’ll discuss those in this article. Just keep on reading to learn more about canned sardines! 

Can Cats Eat Sardines

Cats can eat sardines that are both fresh or canned in oil or water.

The best reason you should give your cat sardines as a treat is that they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

You might have heard about omega-3 fatty acids before but not know what they do. 

Well, those fatty acids give a boost to your cat’s immune system and can even prevent heart disease. 

Just remember that too much of a good thing can be bad as well.

Sardines should only be a treat for your cat. Your cat needs other acids and nutrients to stay happy, strong, and healthy. 

Can I Give Canned Fish To My Cat

Yes, you can give canned fish to your cat.

For most people, canned seafood is the easiest and most affordable form of seafood that you can buy.

If you are looking to purchase seafood for your cat as a special treat, you may not want to pay the extra few dollars for canned seafood.

Canned seafood is not the healthiest option for your cat, but there is no reason why your cat cannot eat it.

In addition to sardines, try some of this other canned seafood:

• Tuna
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Anchovies 

Can Cats Eat Canned Sardines In Oil

Cats can eat sardines in oil, but your cat runs the risk of getting a stomachache. 

Sardines in oil are not toxic to cats. This means that sardines packed in oil will kill your cat. 

There is nothing in sardines in oil that is guaranteed to make your cat sick, either.

That being said, your cat may still end up with a stomachache, vomiting, or diarrhea from eating sardines in oil.

Oil is not something that cats eat every day (or they shouldn’t be eating every day), so their sensitive digestive system may not process the oil.

The best way to serve sardines in oil to your cat is to remove them from the tin and set them on a dry paper towel to drain. You can also rinse them off in the sink, but this may make the sardine more difficult for your cat to eat. 

Can Cats Eat Canned Sardines In Water

If you are set on giving your cat canned sardines, sardines packed in water are the best option for your cat.

Sardines in water will not be any less salty than sardines packed in oil; in fact, there may be even more salt to preserve the sardines.

Sardines in water do not have oil, at least. 

You will not run the risk of your cat getting sick from the oil since there is none. 

It may be more difficult to find in your local grocery store, but there may be reduced-sodium sardines packed in water. If this is an option, I would highly recommend purchasing this kind of sardine. 

How To Cook Fish To Feed A Cat

The best way to feed a cat any seafood is to cook fresh seafood thoroughly and properly before feeding it to your cat. 

Cats can eat raw seafood, but cooking seafood is easy enough for your cat. 

Step 1: Choose the seafood you want to feed your cat. You can never go wrong with tuna, haddock, or sardines.

Step 2: Cook thoroughly without seasonings, including salt. Leave out any oils. Cooking time will vary with each kind of seafood. The best rule of thumb is this: if it’s not cooked enough for you to eat, then it’s not cooked enough for your cat.

Step 3: Allow to cool.

Step 4: Serve shredded or sliced into small chunks. You can give it to your cat as a treat or as part of his meal.

Cooking seafood takes more time than simply popping the top of a can open, but it is the second quickest, healthiest way to prepare seafood for your cat. 

Can I Feed With My Cat Sardines Every Day

Since we’ve talked about some of the benefits of sardines, you may be tempted to feed your cat seafood every day.

I would advise against this, though.

Sardines may be suitable for your cat, but there are other essential nutrients that your cat needs. Sardines alone cannot provide enough for your cat. 

If you decide to give your cat sardines every day, limit how much you give your cat. Do not give your cat more than one sardine.

Cats are creatures of habit, so they may expect you to give them more and more sardines when they get used to eating them. 

Reasons Why You Should Feed Your Cat Sardines 

If you need more reasons to give your cat sardines, here are six more to think about:

• Omega-3 fatty acids will give your cat healthier skin and fur. 
• Calcium in sardines can help your cat’s bones stay healthy and strong.
• In addition to keeping your pet’s heart healthy, sardines can keep your cat’s cognitive functions in tip-top shape. 
• Sardines are full of protein. 
• Sardines, fresh or canned, are cheap and can be purchased in large quantities.
• Sardines can be a new, fun treat that is different from the usual tuna or salmon.

Thankfully, there are multiple reasons why you should feed your cat sardines and very few reasons why you should skip the sardines.