Can Cats Eat Cinnamon?
When my mouth is craving for some salt and sugar, my mind is presenting a different yet healthier alternative – spices. The world over, many people use spices to add flavour to their desserts, dips, pastas, baked goods, spreads, raw and fresh fruit. Yes, a lot of people all over the world do this, not just Indians (though they do take spice usage to a whole new level).
There are different types of spices that feature different tastes and cater to the different taste preferences of different people. If you are in a festive mood and would like to indulge your cravings, then cinnamon will do the trick. Over the years cinnamon has transformed into one of the most popular ingredients in most recipes. Countless tasty dishes feature cinnamon.
Since it is used in a lot of recipes, in everything from smoothies pasties, popcorns and meatballs, humans are used to it. They reap the health benefits that the spice has to offer.
Now, if you love cinnamon, you probably use it in most if not all of your recipes. This is great but that is not why you are reading this. Since you also are a pet owner, you are looking to know if cats can at cinnamon. Can cats eat cinnamon without developing some serious health effects?
Well, to answer this question, below is an in depth look at everything you need to know about cinnamon and cats.
General Overview
Can cats eat cinnamon? The answer is a resounding yes. However, like it is the case with most plant products, you should feed it to your cat in moderation. Cinnamon is not toxic to cats. So when you find your cat has gobbled up some food with cinnamon in it, you should not be so quick to rush it to hospital. But even while that is the case, do not overlook the recommendation of being moderate in your feeding. If your cat ends up eating or even inhaling too much cinnamon, they may start to experience some health problems.
Cinnamon Health Benefits
In all honesty, I haven’t come across many studies conducted on the effects of cinnamon to the health of our furry friends. Most of the studies I have come across were on other animals as well as humans. But based on some logical biological deductions, we can extrapolate some of these results to cats.
High Amount of Antioxidants
One of the reason most people love using cinnamon in their foods is the fact that it contains a high amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to reduce the risk of cancer development and are also believed to have anti-aging properties. They do this by destroying the free radicals which are harmful to the body. The free radicals cause cell damage and are responsible for most of the health problems.
The free radicals have been implicated in everything from heart disease to cancer, mental as well as mental decline. When you feed your cat cinnamon of foods with cinnamon, you are increasing their antioxidants levels and in the process, lowering the amount of free radicals in its body which in turn reduces cell damage.
Resistance to Diabetes
Cinnamon is known for its resistance to diabetes. It works to improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin. As people (as well as some cats) gradually become resistant to insulin and its effects in the body, cinnamon is their saviour. Insulin is a hormone responsible for processing energy obtained from food consumed. With the sensitivity boost, your diabetic cat can maintain a healthier blood sugar level and combat, with great effectiveness, diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome. For this reason, cinnamon becomes all the more important to overweight cats that are predisposed to develop insulin resistance.
Reduce Blood Pressure
The benefits of cinnamon for overweight and obese cats surpass that of diabetes prevention and control. Cinnamon is also known to reduce the blood pressure levels as well as lower the risks of heart disease. Several studies conducted on animals reveal this. Cinnamon can also work to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol and in turn increase good cholesterol which will protect your cat’s heart health in the long run.
Several Points to Bear in Mind
There are some studies that reveal cinnamon as a spice with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. But this property can quickly transform into its undoing. At chronic levels, the inflammatory response can increase the risk of contracting a host of diseases. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancers.
If you feed your cat cinnamon on a regular basis, the recommended amount, your cat might eventually be free from diseases like arthritis. The pain that is associated with arthritis will reduce drastically.
How Cats are Exposed to Cinnamon
Eating food made with cinnamon is not the only way your cat ca ingest cinnamon. Cats are resourceful. My cat for instance, at one point found cinnamon in my cabinet. Up to date, I am in awe of how it got so high up as there aren’t surfaces around that it could have used to springboard itself to the top cabinet. In addition, your cat can also ingest it by chewing on a tree most people have in their homes for decorative purposes.
While your cat may be fine after consuming a small amount of cinnamon, it is important to ensure that you keep your cinnamon powder away from your cat. This will avoid toxication, a situation in which you will be forced to rush your cat to the vet.
In humans, overindulging cinnamon can cause a bloody nose, some light headedness, pain and some difficulty in breathing. In cats, however, an overdose may cause a sudden fall in its sugar levels, development of liver disease, diarrhoea, vomiting and variation in heart rate.
Cinnamon can be very hard on your cat’s lungs. As such, your cat may cough, choke and experience some bronchospasm. Going with these symptoms, it is easy to notice if anything is wrong with your cat.
With cinnamon oil, you should not use it close to your cat. Cinnamon oil burns the skin and works to damage the membrane around the eyes and the mouth.
In the event your cat has too much cinnamon, you should take her to a vet immediately. If possible you can call in a vet instead. The situation may not be life threatening, but all the same, you never know just how much your cat has consumed.
Can you use Cinnamon as a Remedy?
Yes you can. However, you should bear in mind that this is only true when monitoring the amount of cinnamon you consume. If you want your furry friend to benefit from the cinnamon you feed it, you should limit the feeding amount to a little of it. You could mi it in your cat’s food or drink. Always remember to avoid going overboard with the ‘dosage’.
And before you do this, always make sure that you speak to your vet for advice. You can do some research (like you already are.
To Conclude
Can cats eat cinnamon? Yes, they can. Cinnamon is generally safe for cats to consume. But as pointed out numerous times before in this piece, the feeding should always be in moderation.
Cinnamon is nontoxic, low in calories and fat but rich in antioxidants which will help in protecting your cat’s health in the long term. If you decide to feed your cat some cinnamon, you can try and get creative with it. You could add the cinnamon to its food or even water. However, you should not use brown sugar in any of these instances.
