Can Cats Eat French Fries?

But are French fries dangerous for cats? Can a cat die from French fries? The answer isn’t as straightforward as one would think.

French fry safety for cats depends on the type of potato used, cooking method, and add-ons such as spices, herbs, oil, toppings, and sauces.

As a rule, avoid feeding your cat anything from your plate. But if your cat is a food thief and nibbles on your fries while you don’t see it, evaluate the ingredients to determine the case severity.

Is Potato Safe for Cats?

Perhaps, you’ve never heard of someone dying from eating potatoes. They aren’t dangerous for humans and are a rare allergen. But food safe for humans isn’t always equally safe for pets.

Cooked potato is generally safe for cats, whether boiled, mashed, fried, or baked. However, potato isn’t a natural part of the feline diet. Potato is high in carbs, which cats cannot digest properly.

If a cat snacks on potatoes regularly, it can become obese and develop heart problems. Still, a single French fry without add-ons won’t harm your cat unless it is raw.

Raw potatoes contain chemical solanine that breaks down during cooking. Scientists don’t yet completely understand the mechanism of potato toxicity in cats, but the crop can cause gastroenteritis and neurological symptoms.

Raw potatoes have moderate toxicity for cats, but poisoning can be fatal if left untreated. Raw potatoes are also difficult for cats to digest and can lead to gastroenteric obstruction.

Cats should never eat uncooked French fries. Fortunately, most cats aren’t interested in uncooked potatoes. Note that boiled potato can also contain some solanine while frying should remove the chemical from the crop.

Sweet potatoes don’t contain solanine, so they aren’t toxic to cats. Sweet potato French fries are generally safer for cats than regular fries, but moderation is crucial.

Like regular fries, sweet potato fries contain a lot of carbs and can lead to obesity in the long term.

What About the Add-Ons?

Potato isn’t even the primary offender for cats in French fries. Even if French fries are thoroughly cooked and don’t contain solanine, they might contain other ingredients dangerous to felines.

French fries are typically cooked with salt. Sometimes, the amount of salt is too high even for humans. Cats need moderate amounts of salt in their diet to maintain the proper function of their metabolism.

However, the amount of salt cats need is so tiny that they don’t need any extra. They already receive the sodium they need from cat food. Amounts of over 41 milligrams of salt per day are poisonous to cats.

Salt overdose symptoms in cats include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of coordination, and increased thirst. Homemade French fries with a bit of salt might not harm your cat, but your pet shouldn’t eat fries from fast food restaurants.

Safflower oil typically used for French fries isn’t toxic to cats but can cause digestion problems if consumed in large amounts. Oil is also very calorific and can lead to obesity in the long term.

French Fries are sometimes made with black pepper or chili flakes for a spicy flavor.

Chili flakes and other hot spices contain capsaicin, which is toxic to cats if ingested in large amounts. Spicy food can also cause gastroenteric upset, even in small amounts.

Black pepper doesn’t contain capsaicin, but it can affect your cat’s digestion and make your cat sneeze. Fortunately, most cats are repulsed by the smell of black pepper.

Whether French fries with herbs are safe for cats depends on the herb type. Basil, cilantro, dill, rosemary, and thyme are non-toxic to cats, so they won’t harm your pet, but be mindful of the salt content in the fries.

Never let your cat eat French fries with garlic or chives because all plants from the Allium family are extremely toxic to felines. They can lead to death if ingested, even in tiny amounts.

Other herbal irritants include oregano and tarragon. Although they won’t lead to death, they can cause severe gastroenteric upset.

French fries with cheese and bacon are safe for cats in small amounts. However, many adult cats are lactose-intolerant, so the cheese can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and bacon is too high in salt and fat.

While sweet potato fries are generally safer for cats, they are often cooked with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, which are dangerous for felines.

Cats shouldn’t eat French fries with ketchup, mayo, and other sauces because they are usually high in salt. Commercially produced sauces are also high in artificial flavorings and preservatives.

Adverse Effects of French Fries for Cats

If your cat ate French fries with a little salt and no other add-ons, it should be alright, provided the fries were cooked. In the worst-case scenario, your cat might experience a mild gastroenteric upset.

The symptoms of stomach upset may include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and bloating. They usually resolve on their own. The cat’s vomit and stool shouldn’t contain blood.

If your cat doesn’t leave you alone while you’re cooking homemade French fries, you can boil or fry one without oil or salt and give it to your pet. However, don’t share your McDonald’s or Burger King snack.

If your cat ate French fries with large amounts of salt, watch out for its reaction. Call your vet if you notice weakness, lethargy, loss of coordination, diarrhea, vomiting, head tremors, seizures, or labored breathing.

Salt poisoning in cats is typically treated with intravenous fluids to dilute the sodium in the blood. Similar symptoms may occur if your cat ate French fries with garlic, chives, or oregano because they are toxic.

Some cats may be allergic to French fry ingredients, whether potato, salt, herbs, or other add-ons.

Allergy in cats can manifest with gastroenteric, topical, or respiratory symptoms, so it can be difficult to distinguish from stomach upset.

A cat that eats French fries frequently, particularly fries loaded with bacon and cheese, may become overweight and develop heart or kidney problems. Some cats eating too many carbs get diabetes.

Why Does My Cat Eat French Fries

Cats are carnivores, so a cat craving French fries isn’t a common occurrence. And yet, some felines have odd food preferences that boggle the minds of their owners. If your cat wants French fries, rest assured there’s nothing wrong with your pet’s health.

Most likely, your cat simply likes salty flavors. Cats have fewer taste buds than humans or dogs, so they cannot sense some flavors. For example, cats cannot sense sugars. However, they can detect and enjoy salt.

Some felines like the texture, smell, or look of particular foods, similar to how people like the fluffy texture of donuts or the smell of coffee.

Each cat is unique, so your cat might enjoy the crunchy texture of French fries or the smell of herbs.

Your cat might not be interested in the potato but in some add-ons, like cheese or cream. Then, some cats want to try all human food out of curiosity.

Lastly, some cats crave salty foods like French fries because they don’t get enough sodium from their food.

However, don’t incorporate more salt into your cat’s diet without consulting a vet first because excessive sodium consumption can cause poisoning.

What to Do If a Cat Ate French Fries

What to do if a cat ate French fries depends on how the fries were cooked. If your cat ate a raw potato, call your vet immediately because the more you wait, the more toxin absorbs into your pet’s bloodstream.

Your course of action should be the same if your cat ate French fries with garlic, chives, oregano, and other ingredients toxic to felines. Timely veterinary intervention is the only way to save a poisoned cat.

Many cats will show no symptoms if they ingest toxins in small amounts, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Sometimes, cats need only a tiny bit of the toxin to experience severe poisoning. For example, even one gram of garlic is toxic to cats.

Garlic or solanine poisoning is usually treated by inducing vomiting with a hydrogen peroxide solution. However, some cats might need intravenous fluids, oxygen therapy, or blood transfusion because toxins attack red blood cells.

Don’t stress if the French fries were boiled or fried with minimal salt and oil. However, watch your cat’s reaction. Your cat might have diarrhea or vomit after eating the fries.

If gastroenteric upset doesn’t resolve on its own after eight hours, call your vet. The vet might recommend administering your cat intravenous fluids to compensate for the fluid loss.

Some cats may have constipation the day after eating French fries. If your cat appears constipated, ensure it drinks much water. If your cat doesn’t poop for two days, call the vet.

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