Does your cat like to eat jalapenos? This perfectly-sized, easy-to-chew food may be one that your feline friend enjoys.
The cayenne pepper found in jalapenos is harmful if swallowed, so attempt to keep your cat away from jalapenos for this reason.
Cats shouldn’t be forced to eat food that they find unappealing.
If your cat appears to enjoy the flavor or texture of jalapenos, you may consider offering them the peppers occasionally to see if they enjoy them.
Can cats eat jalapenos?
Jalapenos should not normally be included in your cat’s diet.
Capsaicin, found in jalapenos, is an oil that can produce an extremely unpleasant burning sensation in cats.
Small doses might not present a problem, but if your cat experiences too much pain, he might scratch or bite himself repeatedly. This can cause infection of the wounds and lead to other health problems.
The chemical interacts with a pain receptor in the tongue and other parts of the mouth to generate the burning sensation.
Cats don’t have tear ducts, and their taste buds are four times less sensitive than those of humans.
When cats consume a spicy food, the capsaicin oil might cause them pain or discomfort because of these two characteristics.
When a cat consumes jalapenos, you should immediately call your veterinarian to determine the best course of action.
Cats have a four-fold lower sensitivity to capsaicin, which means it’s much less likely for them to react to spicy foods with pain.
Because of these two causes, cats have a hard time handling the pepper.
If your cat consumes jalapenos, you should give them chew toys to help soothe their pain.
If your cat develops any signs of discomfort, such as difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea, then you should seek immediate medical attention.
Can Jalapenos Kill Cats?
The answer is yes, and in extreme cases, they can lead to death.
The symptoms that occur depend on how much of the pepper your cat has eaten. Symptoms of this type of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, and a fever.
If the pepper has got into your cat’s mouth and eyes, he can suffer damage there as well. If your cat has eaten the pepper in the form of a chip or can with the lid on, he may suffer from vocal cord paralysis.
Capsaicin poisoning frequently causes inflammation of the bowel, vomiting and diarrhea.
Jalapenos may trigger an allergic response in cats, leading to inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea, and hyperactivity.
Take your cat to the veterinarian right way.
Are Jalapenos Good For Cats?
The consumption of capsaicin-containing foods, such as jalapenos and cayenne peppers, can have dire consequences for cats.
Capsaicin is the chemical responsible for the spiciness of peppers. Cats have a highly-evolved organ in their mouth called their tongue that can help with touch and taste – if used properly.
However, since cats have sensitive teeth and tongues, consuming food that is too hot can burn them. The burning feeling is called trismus, and it is very painful.
Cats can also have difficulty breathing , bark, and defecate if they ate too much hot pepper.
You may prevent your cat from eating spicy foods by confining her to a place which doesn’t have easy access to these ingredients.
If you use these sprays on only one or two occasions, she will only associate them with negative emotions like fear.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Candy Corn?
What should You feed your cat instead of jalapenos?
Cats need a diet that’s high in protein content.
This helps them stay healthy and builds up their muscle mass. If you’re concerned about your cat eating spicy foods, the vet can recommend some alternatives.
If your cat is accustomed to eating spicy or spicy dishes, then it’s important that you keep this habit in mind.
Others enjoy shredded meat or fish, but they would prefer it in its raw form.
Cheese is also a common option. You can crush some peppers and sprinkle them on your cat food, but you shouldn’t leave any raw jalapeno pepper pieces inside your cat’s bowl.
Cats are very sensitive to spicy foods, so you’ll need to be very careful when using hot peppers, especially if you’re feeding your cat a raw diet.
Conclusion
Cats don’t seem to enjoy spicy foods as much as humans do, but they do like them from time to time.
Even though they’re not as sensitive to the capsaicin that makes spicy foods spicy, cats can experience some amount of discomfort if they consume large amounts of hot peppers.
If your cat does consume hot peppers, you should immediately call your veterinarian to determine the best course of action.
Make sure your cat is getting plenty of water while drinking the jalapenos.
