Are you a cat owner looking to share a snack with your feline BFF? Your cat might enjoy a snack box of Takis, but what about those chips that have some spice in them?
Takis are made using artificial and natural flavorings and colorings, as well as salt and a variety of spices.
This makes it harder for cats to detect the flavor of the chip itself.
What is Takis made of?
There are no receptors in cats that can taste the saltiness in Takis.
Another ingredient in Takis is onion powder that it is used in flavoring and coloring.
Too much thiosulphate may disrupt the normal functioning of cells and cause permanent damage to your cat’s organs.
That means that whatever bag you opened probably contained quite a bit of salt.
Cats are sensitive to the capsaicin in peppers as well. Capsaicin is the compound that makes cayenne peppers hot.
Capsaicin is toxic to cats when ingested in relatively large amounts and may cause symptoms like labored breathing and foaming at the mouth amongst other things. Too much capsaicin can cause seizures in cats.
Cats can’t easily break down certain spices and herbs like onions and and garlic.
Various elements, including salt, oils, spices, and sugar are known to cause urinary tract diseases in cats and dogs.
The onions in the karithaki taki will probably cause an upset stomach and may cause some mouth discomfort.
Garlic can be quite toxic to cats as well in large doses and may cause allergic reactions such as excessive drooling and vomiting in some cats.
Because your furry friend does not have the ability to taste these different ingredients in karithaki (or tsaki), she can not predict how it is going to affect her and will probably not stop eating it after one taste.
Using salt in your cat’s food isn’t recommended for that reason alone; however, excess salt in food isn’t the only risk.
Salt is also a common binder in taquitos and other fried foods. Onion powder is a common ingredient in most taquitos.
The onion powder that is used in taquitos is already cooked and caramelized so it doesn’t pose any risk of toxicity to cats.
Cats are known to get dehydrated easily from vomiting and diarrhea caused by excessive salt consumption.
Since Takis are highly spiced and contain salt and other harmful ingredients for cats, the bags themselves should be avoided as well.
Keeping your cat away from any spicy products would be your best course of action to prevent her from ingesting any potentially harmful chemicals.
Diarrhea, vomiting, and increased thirst and urination are symptoms of salt poisoning in cats that can be overcome by providing electrolytes through oral or intravenous supplementation.
Wiping your cat’s tongue with a wet paper towel or gauze will help neutralize the spiciness as well and is worth a try before rushing to the vet! Cats and spicy food do not mix!
When your cat eats something spicy or contains a lot of salt, he may experience a burning sensation in his mouth which can last from 1-24 hours.
Cats may suffer unconsciousness, convulsions, or even death from salt toxicity.
How bad is Takis for cats?
Takis, like other baked goods, aren’t a healthy food for cats.
They shouldn’t be fed to cats in moderation or in controlled amounts either. Cats aren’t great fans of sweets in general, so a 10lb bag isn’t going to be a good way for them to get the necessary nutrients they need.
If their appetites are triggered by a lack of nutrients in their diets or they’re bored out of their skulls at home all day and looking to snack on something sweet or crunchy to alleviate their boredom, then these ingredients could spell disaster for your cat.
You need to break the habit if you don’t want your kitty to become deficient or develop anemia.
The biggest culprits are garlic (allium) and onion (Allium) which are very pungent and contain sulfoxides that destroy red blood cells and cause anemia as a side effect.
An increase in thirst is the natural response from a cat if it’s been consuming too much salt or garlic/onion compounds (the two things that Takis is made of).
Another common cause of blood cell destruction is hemolytic anemia which is caused by either bacterial infection or parasites (such as worms).
Small levels of these substances over a long period of time may be harder to detect than if you touch the stuff and immediately get a headache or feel nauseous.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Chips?
Can cats get sick from eating Takis?
Takis may make cats ill if they become addicted to them. Review the list of human foods toxic to dogs for more information on what to feed pets.
Takis has several spices that cats should avoid including cinnamon, allspice, and chili peppers.
Cats have sensitive stomachs so while consuming a little won’t hurt them too much; feeding them an entire can of Takis can be fatal. If your cat eats too many Takis drink some water and call your vet right away.
If your cat has eaten large amounts of Takis call your vet immediately!
Maltodextrin, silica, natural beef flavoring, and artificial tastes are toxic to dogs as well.
Cats don’t usually survive ingesting large amounts of MSG (in meat products) and in other forms it’s even worse. Cats are also poisoned by onions and garlic that many ingredients in Takis include.
Conclusion
Your cat may be attracted to humans food but should you indulge her cravings.
There should be no problem whatsoever with giving your cat a few snacks every now and again. Also remember, that cats love to get treats when they are something good for them.
Human treats, on the hand, aren’t exactly healthy for our little friends. You might want to look into this a little before you make any drastic moves.
There are a plethora of treats that you can make at home as well.
Snacks like this should be lot healthier for them.
In my opinion, these treats are much healthier for cats than human snacks of that type.
