Can Cats Eat Donuts – Healthy Treat Or Not Safe?

When people think of breakfast treats, donuts are often some of the first things to mind. Cats should be able to be included in one of the best morning breakfasts, too, right? While your heart may be in the right place wanting to share your donut with your cat, you do need to ask yourself: Can cats eat donuts?

Cats can eat donuts, however, they should avoid them because of high sugar, fat, carbohydrates, and other preservatives. Donuts do not provide nutritional value to cats. Donuts can cause cats to experience diarrhea, sickness, and choking if consumed in large amounts.

Few people would say that donuts are a healthy breakfast for humans, and they are certainly not the choice snack for cats either. Donuts are full of carbs, sugar, and other potentially harmful ingredients. Keep on reading if you want to learn more about why your cat should steer clear of donuts.

Why Do Cats Like Donuts

Cats like donuts because of the flavor. Sugars are attractive to cats senses and they may also be inspired to like them because they see you eating them.

Some people may say that cats are entirely different from dogs, but some behaviors are true for dogs and cats.

One of those behaviors is your cat’s curiosity about what you are eating. If you’re eating a donut in your kitchen, then it’s likely that your cat will watch you with interest because he wants to know what you’re eating. 

Giving your cat a piece of what you are eating will make your cat think that he is simply getting a treat. He does not know that donuts are not suitable for him, so he will eat them anyway because the piece of donut is from you. 

It is up to you to protect your cat from foods that are not good for him. 

Are Donuts Safe For Cats

Generally speaking, donuts are not safe for cats to eat. They lack significant health benefits.

On the spectrum of what is and what isn’t toxic to cats, donuts are not toxic to cats. If your cat eats a donut, your cat will not be poisoned or become seriously ill to the point of death. Thankfully, that is one of the positives of donuts.

However, just because something is safe to eat does not mean that your cat should eat it. Donuts also fall into this category.

Donuts are empty calories for cats. Donuts are full of carbs, sugar, and, depending on the type of donut you get, even preservatives. Cats do not need carbs or sugar in their diet, so your cat may be filling up by eating a donut, but your cat is not getting the nutrients he needs. 

Do not think that just because donuts are safe, that means that your cat suddenly has a great new snack to munch on. 

Are Donuts Bad For Cats

Donuts are bad for cats. Because of the high sugar and fat content, donuts can have an adverse impact on your cat’s overall health.

Donuts that contain ingredients such as chocolate frosting, powder, and fillings are particularly dangerous for cats to consume.

What Happens If A Cat Eats A Donut

If your cat manages to eat an entire donut, then your cat will be dealing with some stomach issues.

Picture this: You treat yourself to a few donuts for breakfast one day. You carefully choose your donut and leave the box open on the counter while you enjoy your high-calorie breakfast. You don’t think about the possibility of your cat jumping up to eat an entire donut. 

While the sugar is an issue, you’re going to have to think of the immediate effects of a cat eating so much food: stomachaches, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Your cat won’t be sick enough to rush them to the vet for an expensive visit, but your cat will be feeling lethargic for a while until his body works off the donut. It’s best to let your cat relax until he feels better, in this case. 

Can Cats Eat Powdered Donuts

Cats should not eat powdered donuts.

Powdered donuts are usually covered in powdered sugar, which means that it is not an excellent choice to feed your cat.

Powdered sugar is, of course, made of sugar, which is not something that your cat should be eating to stay healthy.

Aside from that, powdered donuts are also a choking hazard for cats. Cats are not used to the texture of powdered sugar or what it is. If your cat inhales through his nose or mouth and some of the powdered sugar goes in, then your cat could end up choking and start wheezing. The choking and wheezing would stop once your cat’s saliva mixes with the powdered sugar, but it is still a scary experience. 

Can Cats Eat Krispy Kreme

Your cat should not eat Krispy Kreme donuts.

We all have our favorite donut places, and yours may be Krispy Kreme, but that does not mean your cat should be eating Krispy Kreme too.

One of the most popular donuts at Krispy Kreme is the glazed donut. The glaze on the donut is most entirely sugar, so you should not allow your cat to eat this. This is even more sugar than a plain donut.

Can Cats Have Chocolate Donuts

Cats cannot have chocolate donuts because cats should not eat chocolate.

You often hear that chocolate is bad for dogs, but did you know that chocolate is also bad for cats? Real chocolate usually isn’t used in donuts – it’s usually cocoa powder – but you should not give your cat chocolate.

Even a little bit of chocolate can make your cat sick, and chocolate in larger quantities can be deadly in cats. You don’t want to risk these severe consequences by sharing your donut with your cat.

The killer culprit in chocolate is often the caffeine found in the chocolate. 

Can Cats Eat Cinnamon Donuts

Cats should not eat cinnamon donuts because certain levels of cinnamon can become toxic to cats.

If you did not already know, cinnamon could become toxic to cats if too much is eaten. The amount your cat needs to eat is more than what is generally used in your average recipe. Even so, it is best to avoid giving your cat cinnamon. Low amounts of cinnamon are non-toxic to cats, but that still does not mean that your cat should be munching on cinnamon donuts.

A tiny bite of your cinnamon donut will not harm your cat, but you still do not want to get into the habit of sharing with your cat. 

Things To Consider     

If you’re one of those people who can’t help but share everything you eat with your cat, let’s talk about some ways that you can safely give your cat donuts. The best option is to avoid giving your cat a piece of your donut, but sometimes you want to!

1. Give your cat only a tiny bite. It might not seem like a very good sharing experience, but the smaller the piece, the better.
2. Make your donuts at home. If you make your donuts at home, then you’ll have complete control over what ingredients go into the donut. You can remove any harmful ingredients.
3. Choose a proper filling. Many people like flavored donuts, but you should avoid chocolate, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. Try to get a donut with berries in it that are good for cats. That way, you don’t have to worry. 
4. Keep it a treat. Your cat does not need to taste your donut every day. A small piece every once in a while will not hurt your cat unless your cat is extremely sensitive. 

If you find yourself eating a donut but still don’t feel comfortable sharing, you can give your cat a cat treat instead. Your cat won’t know the difference and will be happy that you shared with him, even if you played a bit of a trick on him to do it!