When you’re eyeing up a piece of pie or maybe an ice cream sundae, whipped cream may be an obvious addition to your dessert. If you’re in the kitchen, your cat may not be far off either, and you may be tempted to share. Before you do, you should ask yourself, can cats eat whipped cream?
Cats can eat whipped cream in moderation. Whipped cream is not deadly or toxic to cats. However due to cats being lactose intolerant, the dairy, sugar, and high-fat content in whipped cream can cause stomach aches and other digestive issues.
One of the main ingredients in whipped cream is milk, and when it comes to your cat, he shouldn’t be drinking or eating anything with milk. Whipped cream isn’t unsafe for cats, but it can lead to an upset stomach and even some vomiting. To learn more about why you should probably skip the whipped cream when it comes to your cat, keep reading!
Is Whipped Cream Safe For Cats
Whipped cream is safe for cats, but it shouldn’t become a part of your cat’s normal diet.
Nothing in whipped cream is deemed poisonous or toxic to cats. Toxic ingredients mean that they are poisonous and will kill your cat.
Thankfully there are no worries when it comes to that!
Therefore, whipped cream is safe for cats – it just isn’t healthy for cats.
Milk, sugar, and salt aren’t foods that should be in your cat’s diet. Again, they’re not deadly to cats, but they could lead to long-lasting health issues if your cat overeats of them.
You can rest easy knowing that it is okay to share whipped cream with your cat in very small amounts, but it shouldn’t be part of what your cat consumes every day.
What Is Whipped Cream Made Of
Before giving your cat or any other pet whipped cream, it’s essential to know exactly what’s in it. Generally, whipped cream is made of only a few ingredients.
Ingredients In Whipped Cream |
---|
Whipped Cream |
Milk |
Butter |
Powdered Sugar (or granulated sugar) |
Vanilla Extract |
As you can see from the table above, the three main ingredients in whipped cream are milk, butter, and powdered sugar. Some recipes may also call for a small amount of salt and vanilla extract.
Some people make whipped cream with only heavy cream. Extra ingredients like powdered sugar or vanilla (like that first kind of whipped cream) give it more flavor.
You can also add coffee, orange zest, or chocolate to any whipped cream recipe to give it a different, more complex flavor.
Whipped cream is beaten together with a whisk or, even better, a mixer to make it light. The extra air in the whipped cream gives it that fluffy texture that we can all recognize.
Taking a look at the ingredients above, your cat shouldn’t consume a majority of them even in the least bit. Vanilla extract, while being the smallest addition to whipped cream is likely one of the most dangerous. That’s because some vanilla extracts contain ethyl alcohol which makes up a large percentage of each drop. Too much of that can poison your cat.
Of course, sugar in any form whether it be powdered or granulated is not good for cats. Cats can’t taste sweetness, to begin with. Although there are some sugars in pet food are necessary; additional sugar you’d find in whipped cream would be considered excessive.
Can Cats Have Non-Dairy Whipped Cream
Non-dairy whipped cream is a better option for your cat since there is no milk or lactose in the whipped cream.
Non-diary whipped cream is made with different kinds of milk or milk-like ingredients, such as coconut milk, soy milk, or even almond milk. With all the different options on the market these days, there may even be other ingredients too.
The whipped cream doesn’t have dairy. And since cats shouldn’t have dairy in their diets, then the non-dairy whipped cream is a great option.
Keep in mind that the non-dairy whipped cream isn’t suddenly healthy. There can still be salt, sugar, and vanilla added to the whipped cream, making it less healthy.
Is It OK For Cats To Eat Whipped Cream
The main concern when it comes to whipped cream is the dairy content in it.
You’ve already learned that cats are lactose intolerant.
Popular media likes to show us pictures of cats drinking from a big bowl of milk, but cats can have stomachaches, get diarrhea, or throw up after drinking milk.
Milk hurts your cat’s stomach.
Now, your cat is eating only a small amount of whipped cream, so it may be so little that the milk will not bother your cat’s stomach.
A cat with a sensitive stomach could easily be affected by a small amount of milk.
In order to be safe, you should skip giving your cat whipped cream.
Why Do Cats Like Whipped Cream
Cats like whipped cream because of the light and fluffy texture. Plus, you’re the one eating it!
We already talked about how whipped cream is light and fluffy. When your cat sees something like that, it may look like a lot of fun to eat.
Whipped cream can get stuck to your cat’s nose and melt in their mouth when they eat it. It’s something new and exciting for your cat, even if they don’t know what it is.
Even if your cat doesn’t like whipped cream because of the game, he may like that you’re eating it. If you’re eating it, then it must be something good, right?
Some cats are used to you sharing with them, and that may not stop at whipped cream.
Can Cats Have Reddi Wip
Reddi Wip is a branded type of whipped cream, but your cat shouldn’t be eating this.
Ready Wip has a lot of the ingredients that we’ve already discussed in this article. Reddi Wip, however, is made to last, which means that there are additional ingredients that are even less healthy than homemade whipped cream.
Reddi Wip also has corn syrup, which is not healthy for neither humans nor cats. Plus, there are a lot of other ingredients that most of us would probably struggle to pronounce.
If your cat sneaks a small lick of Redd Wip that you’re adding to something you’re eating, don’t be too concerned.
Reddi Wip isn’t deadly to your cat, but that doesn’t mean it won’t end in a little stomachache for your cat.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, whether you give whipped cream to your cat is up to you. However, it is advisable to not give them whipped cream in any form. If you do give your cat whipped cream, it’ll need to be a non-dairy alternative. You’ll want to probably make it yourself, and make it something, not cream-based in any way.
Cut down on the sugar content, and avoid any kind of extracts that contain unsafe alcohols that can adversely help your cat.
If your cat does get a hold of a bit of whipped cream, they aren’t in any imminent danger. They’ll be just fine, but do monitor them for any odd behaviors. Of course, keep an eye on any weird bathroom patterns, diarrhea, stomach aches and vomiting that will likely result from them having a bad reaction to too much whipped cream.
My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!
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