Cats can eat popsicles, yes. However, only feed these cold treats as long as it’s homemade, sugar-free, and milk-free popsicle. Like us, our pet cats will also enjoy a cold treat, especially in hot seasons. Unlike us, cats don’t need sugar, and can even be in danger by consuming milk.
Popsicles are a good treat for us, especially for kids during the hot weather. Thus, it’s no wonder why it’s tempting to give cats the same.
However, unlike us humans, felines cannot tolerate some ingredients in common popsicles.
Now, what are these ingredients, and how are they harmful to our feline pets?
Let’s get into it.
Contents
Commercial or Branded Popsicles
Popsicles available in the market can be a sure treat for us humans, but not for our pet cats.
For starters, you should know that they don’t have a sweet tongue. Felines cannot taste any sweetness in any food it eats, and there’s a reason for this.
Commercial or branded popsicles may contain both sugar and milk. Both contents are of no nutritional value and can even pose a danger for your pet.
The original Double Pops Popsicle contains these ingredients:
- Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar (big no for cats)
- Guar Gum
- Malic Acid
- Citric Acid
- and many more
As you can see, even in the most classic commercial popsicles, you can find sugar, which isn’t suitable for your cat, as Veterinary Sciences study mentions.
Thus, if you wish to give your feline friend a popsicle, provide it with something you made.
Create a popsicle made of cat food. A cold treat made from food your pet enjoys is better compared to the popsicles we want.
Related – What about chocolate milk? Can cats eat chocolate milk?
Sugar in Popsicles
The sugar content in most popsicles may be tolerable to our digestive system. But, for cats, it has no nutritional value and can even cause an upset stomach.
Felines, as I said above, don’t taste the sweetness in any food. The main reason is that they don’t need sugar in their diet.
They are obligate carnivores. While they can eat vegetables and fruits from time, too much sugar in popsicles can be bad for them.
Thus, if you wish to give your kitty some popsicle treat, you can always do so. But, make sure it doesn’t contain any sugar.
A fruit popsicle is a sure treat for our kitties. If you made a fruit popsicle containing only the fruit and water, it’s safe.
Milk in Popsicles
While not all, most popsicles contain whole milk or cow’s milk. Some popsicles even have milk as its base.
The milk makes a popsicle more yummy and delectable, but it’s not a good thing for our pets, according to the ResearchGate study.
Whole milk, together with other dairy products, can be harmful to felines.
Now, you might think that they drink milk when they are still kittens, why can’t they drink now?
Indeed, kittens drink milk from their mother. As infant mammals, kittens also need milk.
However, as they grow, they change their diet into eating solid food and meat. Eventually, they become full-fledged carnivores.
Thus, they stop producing digestive agents that help in dealing with milk.
The main problem with milk for felines is the lactose, which is the kind of sugar in it.
Cats, as they grow older, become lactose intolerant. Thus, taking in milk-based popsicles may cause diarrhea.
Consider any popsicle you’ll give your kitty and make sure that it contains no milk in it.
Now, since you can give your pet popsicles, a cold treat, you may wonder if it likes frozen treats.
Do cats like frozen treats?
Cats are curious animals, and their preference usually varies from every cat. Still, they wouldn’t say no to a frozen treat.
The coldness arouses their curiosity, especially if they’re not familiar with it.
If you don’t think you can make popsicles for your feline pets, you can always give them other frozen treats. Your kitty will surely enjoy frozen treats such as:
Frozen tuna snacks
While you can serve tuna to your kitty simply, you can take it up a notch by freezing it.
Create some mounds of tuna and place it on a parchment paper before freezing. It will give your pet a cold treat filled with the nutrition it needs.
Frozen cat food
Cat food isn’t only good for regular eating. It can also be in the form of a cold treat.
Mix cat food with water and divide it into bite-size pieces. If you have one available, you can use ice cube molds.
Don’t serve it in big sizes, as your feline pet may bring it elsewhere and mess.
Cat ice cream
Ice creams usually have milk in it. However, there is ice-cream for felines, which are lactose-free.
You can give it to your kitty friend as a treat from time to time. Just make sure it’s sugar-free and approved by your vet.
Related – Do cats eat ducks?
Can cats have ice lollies?
Ice lollies and popsicles are the same cold treats.
Thus, the same principle applies. Cats can have ice lollies, as long as these treats are homemade, sugar-free, and milk-free.
There are ice-lollies made, especially for felines, and these are usually homemade.
Give your pet ice lollies if you want as long as you make it on your own. By making your own, you will know it’s contents and void, giving your kitty something harmful to them.
Further, with ingredients that your feline friend loves, it will be a cold treat your feline pet will enjoy and won’t ignore.
I know it’s tempting to give them something sweet, but remember, Kitties don’t taste anything sweet.
Can cats have strawberry popsicles?
Yes, cats can have strawberry popsicles, as long as it’s pure strawberry.
Strawberries make a popsicle colorful and healthy. It has a certain sweetness in it but not too sweet. Further, strawberries contain great flavor that’s great on its own.
If you’re making a strawberry popsicle with no other ingredients, it’s OK to share it with your pet as well.
Do you want to know if cats eat vegetable or cockroaches? Check it out!
Can kittens eat ice?
Yes, kittens can eat ice. Like grown cats, kittens can have ice, and it can even encourage them to take the water they need.
Cats and kittens need water to survive, but it can be quite challenging to make them drink.
Unlike any other pet, felines hate water the most, and they rarely drink water as well, even though they need it.
Giving ice as treats to both kitties and kittens may tempt them to drink the water they need and stay hydrated.
Make sure, though, that your kitty will have ice made from fresh and clean water.
As a general rule of thumb, whatever you won’t feed your feline pet in liquid form, don’t provide it in frozen form.
That means you shouldn’t put anything in the water, such as flavors or alcohol.
In Summary
Popsicles remind us of amazing days under the heat of the sun. Thus, it can be tempting to relive those memories by sharing our treats with our cats.
Still, food like popsicles can harm cats instead of giving them treats.
The best way is to give them something specially made for them. This way, it will be a real treat, because you made it for them.
A simple effort like making treats instead of buying comes a long way, not only for your pet but also for you.
Resources
Veterinary Sciences study about cats and sugar
ResearchGate study about milk for cats
Image credits – Photos by Brian Wangenheim and Lindsay Moe on Unsplash
