When it comes to meat, like chicken, fish, or beef, cats run onto them to eat. It is because they need and want animal protein. In the same way, we see them licking chicken bones which compels us to think, can cats eat chicken bones?
Well, it depends on what type of chicken bone you are feeding. If it is raw, fresh, clean, and small, the answer is yes. But if the bone is huge, cooked, or not cleaned, the answer is no.
Learning more about the advantages and disadvantages of eating chicken bones can help us keep our cars safe.
Do Cats Like Chicken Bones?
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Cats being obligate carnivores, seek animal protein. Meanwhile, chicken bones are meaty and can attract any cat. Their texture and taste are also flavorful which no cats can resist. Whether it is cooked chicken bones or raw chicken bones, all cats will be baffled by them.
Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?
Raw chicken bones are safe for cats as they are not as sharp and brittle as cooked chicken bones. That’s why many cats find choking hazards after eating cooked chicken bones. However, you can feed raw chicken bones to your cat. They can serve ample nutrients that a cat needs.
Benefits Of Eating Chicken Bones For Cats
Chicken bones will indeed benefit your cat if taken properly. You must feed clean and raw chicken bone to her if you want to benefit from it.
Firstly, chewing chicken bones can improve your cat’s dental health. How? Well, the shards of bones remove the plaque build-ups that result in tooth resorption. Also, the calcium found in chicken bones helps in building muscle and maintaining nerve function.
The ample amount of collagen in chicken bones improves a cat’s overall health. You will see your cat’s skin and fur have become better than before after eating them.
Risks Of Eating Chicken Bones For Cats
Eating chicken bones is not always safe for cats. Sometimes they can pose a threat to a cat’s health. As said earlier, cooked chicken bones can lead to choking hazards for cats. Unfortunately, there are more risks associated with chicken bones to a cat’s health.
As cats have delicate body organs, they may not be able to cope with the hard, brittle chicken bones. Also, they are hard, so even if a cat chews a bone and gulps it, she can’t digest it easily. In short, your cat will have a gastrointestinal blockage. This symptom is mostly visible when cats eat cooked chicken bones, not raw chicken bones.
Let’s say you feed raw chicken bones to your cat, not cooked chicken. Yet, you can’t escape the side effects because raw chicken bones are prone to bacteria. This can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach pain in your furry friend. That’s why we recommend washing the raw bones properly before feeding them to your cat.
How To Feed Chicken Bones To Cats?
Raw and cleaned chicken bones do not stop side effects completely. There is more to consider.
Cats have a delicate digestive tract. It means whatever they eat should digest faster. Chicken bones can hardly support their GI tract. That’s why you should always opt for a smaller, thinner, and softer chicken bone for your cat.
Don’t assume that raw chicken bones are safe for cats just because your cats haven’t shown any symptoms immediately. They may have issues after some days of eating chicken bones. So you must keep a check on your cat for a few days after feeding them.
When Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?
Cats can eat raw chicken bones, but not all cats. Besides, the fragile digestive system of cats may not withstand chicken bones every time.
For example, your cat is suffering from an upset stomach or any other health issues. In such times, it is better to avoid chicken bones and feed them broth. Again the bacteria called Salmonella present in raw chicken bones can make your cat’s health condition worse.
We recommend giving raw, clean, and small chicken bones to cats when they are completely healthy.
What Happens When Cats Eat Cooked Chicken Bones?
Don’t think eating chicken bones is always going to be harmful or safe for your cat. In many cases, we see that cats, after eating chicken bones, get irritation in their mouth and throat. Again, some cats can’t handle the shards of chicken bones, both raw and cooked.
If your cat eats a raw chicken bone that is properly cleaned, you may not see any side effects. But if you feed her cooked chicken bone, be ready for the choking hazard that she will have.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?
Which bones are safe for cats?
Bones that are soft, fine, and small are safe for cats. For instance, the bones of quails and fishes are small and thin. Cats can eat them easily. Besides, chicken bones are also safe if they are not sharp, i.e., raw chicken bones.
Can cats eat cooked bones?
No guardian shall feed cooked bones to cats, whether it is chicken’s or fish’s. Cooked bones are sharp and can splinter which can cause choking hazards to cats.
Can cats eat chicken bones and skin?
It is better to offer chicken to cats without bones and skin. Well, raw chicken bones are not very sharp which is compromisable for cats to eat. But cats shouldn’t eat chicken’s skin anyway.
Do cats enjoy bones?
The barbed tongue in cats helps them to strip the meat from bones. Besides, cats are attracted to animal protein which is inevitable in meat and bones. Hence a cat would enjoy eating bones.
Final Verdict
After learning about the potential risks, you may wonder, Can cats eat chicken bones? You can feed chicken bones to your cat. Just make sure it is raw and fresh because they are less sharp.
By accident, if your cat eats cooked chicken, look for signs that turn off his health. Also, keep all other meat bones away from her and ask your vet for advice.
Once your cat improperly eats chicken bones, feed her bland and soft foods, like broth and soup for the rest of the month.
