Cats can eat Takis, yes. But it’s not advisable. While Takis and most other baked snacks aren’t toxic for cats, they’re not great either from a nutritional standpoint. Mostly because of the salt and onion and garlic powder in them.
Takis is one of the most favored snacks, and it is famous for the spicy kick it brings.
For this reason, it didn’t come to me as a surprise if you’d like to share some with your pet.
Of course, a few bits and pieces here and there may be a treat for your kitty. You may even find it amusing to see how your feline pet will react.
Still, it’s for the best that you should know some risks that come along with it.
Let’s see what’s inside a bag of Takis.
Contents
What’s in Takis? (a look at the ingredients)
Takis has a wide variety of flavors. These flavors will vary in their exact ingredient listing (Fuego Hot Chili Pepper & Lime are my favorite).
However, generally speaking, the core ingredients will include:
- Maltodextrin
- Salt (Toxic)
- Citric Acid (Big no for cats)
- Spices
- Corn Starch
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Artificial Flavors & Colors
- Natural Flavors
- Onion & Garlic Powder (Huge red flag)
- Dextrose
- Sesame Oil
- Chicken Fat
- Sodium Citrate
As you can see from the above list, some ingredients will give your kitty an upset stomach at best. At worst, studies have shown compounds like sodium can cause some severe health issues.
Related – Can cats eat hot cheetos?
How bad is Takis for cats?
As I pointed out above, Takis – like most other baked snacks – aren’t toxic or dangerous in small amounts.
If your feline pet has had a nibble on them before, there’s no need to panic. It’s a habit you need to put to a stop to, though, as you don’t want your pet getting a taste for this snack.
The salt, along with the garlic and onion powder, is the main offending ingredients.
Salt causes an increased thirst in the short term (no surprises there). Further, garlic and onion are the usual causes of red blood cell damage, anemia, and worse.
Thus, even in small amounts, these ingredients put your cat at significant risk.
Related – Can cats eat spicy chips?
Can cats taste spicy foods? (like Takis)
Cats can taste spicy foods such as Takis, which famous for the kick it gives out. However, they cannot tolerate much spice, so don’t give them too much.
Felines have far fewer taste buds than us. In fact, they only have around 470 compared to our 9000.
The primary reason why they don’t have much taste buds is that they cannot taste the sweetness in food.
It’s a logical thing since they are carnivores. Sugar in food (such as carbohydrates) doesn’t have any value for them.
Now, the fewer taste buds don’t mean they are insensitive to spice in food such as Takis.
According to a study, both cats and humans are both sensitive to capsaicin in food. Capsaicin is the critical component that gives that heat and kicks, and it’s almost present to all spices.
While it is true that cats can taste spice in food, it doesn’t mean it’s good for them.
The same with salt, too much spice can cause digestive issues to your cat.
Your cat may come to like the spicy aspect of food, but that’s primarily due to the heat it will provide.
If given a chance, they would nibble on anything that will give out heat.
Thus, once they taste spicy food, they may either stay away from it or keep on nibbling it.
Whatever your cat’s response is, the ideal answer is not to let them have much more than a few bites and tastes.
Too much spicy food can risk your cat from digestive issues such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Do you want to know if cats can eat Pringles? Learn more here.
Some foods that are actually toxic for cats:
Spicy food such as Takis may not bring issues to your cat in small amounts. However, there is some food that, even in small quantities, can be toxic to them.
Take note of the following and avoid feeding this food to your cat as much as possible:
Onions and Garlic
As I said earlier, onions and garlic can lead to issues concerning the cat’s red blood cells. A small intake can lead to anemia and other related problems.
Raw Eggs, Raw Meat & Bones
Raw meat intake can cause poisoning to cats, the same as with humans.
Raw egg intake can lead to skin and coat problems.
Raw bones can also lead to choking, digestive tract injuries, and even teeth damage.
Chocolate and Caffeinated Drinks
All kinds of chocolate and caffeine are poisonous to cats. Even a few amounts can be toxic for cats and must be brought to the vet immediately if such an incident occurs.
Alcohol and raw dough
Alcohol and the raw dough can lead to ingestion, causing an ample amount of problems.
Milk and Dairy Products
Milk and other dairy products contain lactose, which is hard for cats to digest.
As much as possible, avoid giving milk and dairy products to prevent digestive issues.
Grapes and raisins
Both grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure for your cat.
Even a small amount of either of these two can put your cat at risk. Thus, avoid feeding your cat this food as much as possible.
Can cats eat tortilla chips and salt and vinegar chips? Check it out.
In Summary
Again, don’t panic if your cat has the munchies for Takis. A little here and there shouldn’t cause any issues.
You do need to cut out the human snacks, though. There is plenty of cats treats specially formulated for cats.
These types of snacks should be much better for them. I like to stick to those, and I recommend that you should as well.
Resources
NIH study about effect of salt intake on renal function
Image credits – Photos by Loan and Cong H on Unsplash
