Cats can have some very odd eating habits. One of the commonest is to beg for — and sometimes steal — food intended for human. This is sometimes a problem because what’s edible for us may actually be very bad for cats. I’ve known cats who go wild for foods like yeast pate, cheese, melon and even frozen peas. It’s fine to give your cat the occasional treat but I avoid feeding my cats from my plate. It’s better to set a clear boundary between food for cats and “people food”, including ice cream.
Can cats eat ice cream? No. While the occasional lick won’t harm them, ice cream is very unhealthy for cats. It contains no nutrients they actually need and many things that are very unhealthy. Your cat will probably be fine if she consumes a lick or two but if she eats a lot of ice cream you should get her checked out by your vet.
You’ve arrived on this page because you have questions about safe treats for your cat.
- Can cats safely consume ice cream?
- Is ice cream bad for cats?
- Is there such a thing as a cat ice cream brain freeze?
- Are cats lactose intolerant?
- Is vanilla ice cream safer than chocolate?
- Why does my cat like “people food” so much?
- Can cats eat dairy-free ice cream?
- Should a cat who eats ice cream see a vet?
- Why does my cat like ice cream?
- Why does my cat like sweets?
Read on to find out more about all these questions.
Vanilla? Chocolate? Can cats eat ice cream at all?
You should never let your cat eat ice cream. It’s extremely unhealthy for them and may even be dangerous. Cats absolutely do not require anything found in ice cream — it has nothing of nutritional value that can’t be found in greater abundance elsewhere. There are a number of reasons why a cat might want to steal ice cream but you should refrain from letting her have any.
First of all, most ice creams are a dairy product. As we’ll discuss later in the article, adult cats are lactose intolerant and should not have dairy. Next, ice cream is stacked with carbohydrates in the form of sugar and other sweet ingredients. Cats do not need and should not have processed carbohydrates. They’re obligate carnivores, adapted for a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet; carbs tend to make them fat and can contribute to other health issues. Ice cream is also bad for your cat’s teeth and can cause tooth decay just as it does in humans.
There may also be other ingredients in ice cream that are very bad for cats. Some frozen desserts are made with alcohol, something that no cat should ever be allowed to drink. Even though the amounts are small, your cat’s tiny body cannot tolerate even these quantities of alcohol and they could make her very sick. More commonly, ice cream and similar desserts contain artificial sweeteners such as xylitol. These sweeteners are extremely toxic to some animals. In cats, it can cause severe sickness and even death. There are many ingredients in human food that can be harmful to cats but xylitol is particularly nasty. It initially affects the animal by causing a rush of insulin to her system, which leads to dangerously low blood sugar. Symptoms start with lethargy, disorientation, poor coordination and dizziness. The cat may stumble, lose her footing and even collapse. If she’s consumed a lot of xylitol, she may fall into a coma. At best, xylitol consumption can make your cat very sickly and miserable until the toxin is out of her system. At worst, it can cause death through liver failure.
Other ingredients that you might find in ice cream that may be harmful to cats include grapes and raisins, coconut flesh or coconut oil, chocolate, coffee and caffeine. Salty flavours such as salted caramel may contain dangerous amounts of salt. Ice cream may also contain tree nuts which can deliver a lot of oils and fats; too much fat may cause stomach upsets in cats and is generally unhealthy for them.
Chocolate ice cream is particularly bad for cats. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, compounds that we can break down and metabolise but which pets can’t. According to the website for the ASPCA: “When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and [diarrhoea], panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death.”
Although the amount of chocolate in ice cream may be relatively small, it can still contribute enough methylxanthines to cause illness in your pet. Even if the effects aren’t serious, the animal is still suffering needlessly. It’s very unpleasant to be anxious, thirsty, nauseous and shaky when you’re a human being; for a cat, who can’t understand what’s happening, it’s far more terrifying. Note that some types of chocolate ice cream may be especially dangerous. White or mild milk chocolate flavours are not much more dangerous than plain vanilla ice cream (although you should still avoid letting your cats eat them). Dark chocolate ice cream is particularly dangerous.
If your cat gets more than a lick or two of ice cream, keep an eye on her. If she shows any unusual symptoms, particularly nausea or neurological issues, consult your vet.
Are cats lactose intolerant?
Lactose is a form of sugar found in milk. As kittens, cats have an enzyme in their digestive systems that allows them to process lactose. This enzyme, lactase, breaks down the sugar and allows the kitten’s body to turn it into glucose. As they get older, however, cats don’t need this enzyme anymore. Their systems stop producing it and by the time they’re a few months old it has usually gone completely. Some cats remain able to tolerate lactose in small quantities. The norm, though, is lactose intolerance.
We’ve all seen those romantic images of kittens and cats enjoying a nice saucer of milk by the fire. In fact, giving your cat milk or dairy products like ice cream is a bad idea. Their lactose intolerance means that even a little milk or cream can cause problems.
For most cats, the results of consuming lactose are little more than a nuisance. They may experience abdominal discomfort and become irritable and fussy. They may cry a lot and not want to engage in their usual activities. Some cats may become nauseous and vomit. They may also experience bouts of diarrhoea. All of this is unpleasant for the cat (and for the human who has to clean up after her) but it’s not terrible and will generally pass fairly quickly.
More serious problems can arise if the cat eats a lot of some food containing lactose. In this situation, cats can develop very severe vomiting and diarrhoea which may lead to dehydration. Things can also get more serious if your cat is in poor health, is underweight or is a senior kitty; these pets are more vulnerable to stomach upsets and are hit harder by dehydration. In the worst cases, the loss of fluid might be severe enough to kill the animal.
Some dairy products are lower in lactose than others. While it’s true that ice cream may have less lactose than pure cream, it is still a lactose-containing food and poses a risk. There are other dairy products that may be safely given to most cats in very small quantities. Plain yoghurt and unprocessed hard cheese may have little or no lactose, as it is consumed by the bacteria involved in the food’s production. I admit to giving some of my own cats a very occasional dollop of yoghurt or sliver of hard cheese as a special treat. This is a much safer option than ice cream.
Why does my cat like ice cream and sweets?
Why does my cat like sweets? This is a very good question. Why would an obligate carnivore, one with no receptors for sweet flavours, want to eat sweet foods? Why would an animal with no ability to process lactose insist on trying to put her furry face in your dish of ice cream?