Cats can’t drink Lemonade or any other citrus-based beverage.
They make beautiful works of art, however, and learning about their intolerance will help you keep your pet and your family safe from harm. You can consult a veterinarian if you suspect that your cat is trying to drink something that would harm it.
So, can cats drink lemonade? A cat owner once asked a Veterinarian this question; the cat owner wanted to know whether her cat could drink lemonade or not.
The Veterinarian told her that cats cannot drink lemonade or any other citrus based beverage because it contains citric acid that is toxic for cats. Cats get citric acid from eating citrus peels of limes, lemons and oranges.
Cats get citric acid in their system when they eat foods that contain lemons, limes or oranges. Any amount of citric acid that is ingested by cats is toxic to them and can cause severe damages to their gastrointestinal tract.
Can Cats Drink Lemonade?
Lemonade should not contain citric acid.
This is because it contains a lot of sodium benzoate and sodium citrate, which are chemicals that could harm the cat.
For cats and kittens in small amounts, lemonade is not harmful.
If they just lick a drop or two, they should be fine.
What Is Lemonade?
Before we look at the potential health risks of serving your kitty this iced cold treat, here’s a quick refresher on what lemonade actually is.
This section will look at what lemonade is and clarify why cats and dogs should not be given this sugary, fruity beverage.
Even though there’s a high chance you already know what this beverage is, it’s quite surprising how much misinformation is circulating about what this drink is actually made of and how it can be used.
Lemonade is a drink made by mixing lemon juice with water and sugar syrup to form a mixture of tart and sweet tastes.
Although, unsweetened variations of this drink do exist, most lemonades sold in stores and restaurants are sweetened with sugar syrups.
Commercial
Lemonade available in stores is usually sweetened with sugar syrups.
However, it has a lemon taste, despite the fact that it contains no lemon in its composition.
Homemade
The handmade versions often contain some lemon juice.
This is because it may be mixed with the leftover pulp from juicing several lemons to make the drink.
On the other hand, it may just have a lemon flavor added into it.
What Happens If My Cat Ingests Something with Lemon?
Due to the strong acidity of lemons, even a small amount of this fruit can cause your cat to vomit.
And if they consume a much, your furry friend is likely to suffer from diarrhea or even experience problems with their digestive system.
Lemon poisoning symptoms vary depending mostly on the volume and the type of lemon consumed.
Death, rashes, diarrhea, tremors, drooling, vomiting and seizures are just some of the most common signs that your furry friend has ingested something with lemon in it.
The Health Risks of Lemonade For Cats
As Lemonade is not recommended for cats, and as cats cannot differentiate whether or not something is safe to eat or not, it is best if you never give this drink to your pets.
Acid Reflex
In every situation, the acidity of the food you eat will have an impact on the pH of your stomach.
However, if you have acid reflux, stay food will exacerbate the problem and cause acid to build up in your body.
If you have these frequent acid reflux symptoms then you should visit your doctor to determine the cause of the problem.
Decay of The Tooth
Because you are feeding your cat a large source of carbohydrates in the form of sugar from the lemonade, it will lead to a rapid increase in the production of bacteria in the mouth and thus cause tooth decay.
If the problem does not appear in the early days of your cat’s life then you should visit the dentist within the next few days to have your cat’s teeth checked.
However, if you give your cat and kitten too much lemonade it could cause them to start having diarrhea.
Sugar Content
Lemonade contains a lot of sugar which will not help the diet of your pet.
Sugar isn’t poisonous to your cat, but large amounts of it can lead to health problems including obesity.
Skin Irritation Excessive consumption of sugar can lead to skin problems such as acne and pimples.
The sugar in your drink causes a spike in the blood sugar level of your pet. This excess sugar then turns into fat which causes acne and pimples to form on the skin of your cat and kitten.
These pimples can be quite painful and can cause your cat to scratch and bite at himself as well.
Aside from the fact that cats’ digestive systems aren’t as efficient as of the human’s, this excess sugar can also lead to the formation of kidney stones in your cat’s body.
In addition to digestive difficulties such as constipation and diarrhea, the excess sugar can also have a severe impact on the kidneys of your pet.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Lemon Juice?
Conclusion
Cats are mammals and can drink milk from their mother when they are very small kittens but as they grow up, they become lactose intolerant and cannot digest lactose that is naturally present in milk.
This means that they cannot drink milk or eat dairy products such as cheese or yogurt from humans as they cannot digest lactose.
However, some cats can digest lactose in small quantities and can get some benefits from drinking milk from humans or drinking dairy-based beverages such as chocolate milk and banana smoothie from humans.
Moreover, this drink is extremely acidic and can cause acid reflux in animals with sensitive stomachs. Therefore, it is best if you avoid giving this beverage to your pets.
The best drinks to give to your furry friend is water as it has zero calories and is refreshing and it also keeps them hydrated. If you are sick or feeling down, it might be a good idea to make yourself a sugar-free lemonade drink.
However, you must understand that this will not help your pet in any way and can just worsen their condition.
