Everybody who has a kitten knows how adorable they can be. These kittens aren’t just your pets, they are a member of your family and you want to spoil and love them as much as you can. You give them gifts and special treats, but sometimes you wonder what your kittens can and cannot consume.
One of the things people wonder about is, can kittens eat egg yolks? The answer is yes, but there’s more to it than that. With everything, there is always an underlying concern. Here are a few helpful tips and facts to help you know just what you need to do.
The Benefits of Eggs:
Eggs are high in lots of proteins and minerals which is great for cats. Not only that but cats are natural carnivores.
The benefits of kittens eating egg yolks is that egg yolk is essentially a superfood for your cat.
Not only are they loaded with protein but they also contain amino acids which help to keep your super cute kitten strong and healthy.
The benefits of your kitten eating egg yolks are the protein and amino acids.
This brings us to whether or not kittens should eat egg whites.
Egg whites aren’t bad for kittens but egg whites essentially have next to nothing when it comes to nutrition.
For cats, egg whites are just empty calories that your cat doesn’t need.
This is why when you are giving your cats eggs as a treat you should try to make sure that you are only giving them the egg yolk and not the egg whites.
Your cat doesn’t need empty calories from egg whites because the empty calories can lead to animal obesity.
If you ever decide to do egg whites you can but just keep in mind that they are empty calories and won’t do your cat any good.
Are Egg Yolks Safe for Kittens?
Now you know that egg yolks are a superfood for your cat I’m sure you know that they are completely safe for your kitten. Everything needs to be in moderation though.
Anything that is overdone can be dangerous. Like any special treat for your kitten, it is important not to overdo it.
A good piece of advice when it comes to giving your kitten egg yolks is to do it every few days.
This way they get a yummy treat every few days. While still getting some extra protein and amino acids without overdoing and risking health problems.
Some health problems you could run into are obesity and health problems related to obesity. These health problems could be joint problems, heart problems, or anything along the same lines.
You don’t have to worry about that with egg yolks as long as you aren’t overdoing it and giving your kitten to much.
Can Kittens Eat Raw Eggs?
I would recommend you not letting your kitten eat raw eggs. Although raw eggs have more nutritional value than cooked eggs do you run the risk of diseases.
A couple of these diseases are salmonella and e.coli which can be fatal if your kitten were to catch them.
It is better not to take your chances and only feed your cat cooked egg yolks.
Egg whites are mostly water and don’t have hardly any nutritional value to them. That means it is preferred that cooked egg yolks are the snack of choice for your kitten.
Cooked egg yolks have the most nutritional value and the least chance of having a disease like salmonella or e.coli.
You will hear from some people that it is okay for your kittens to eat raw egg yolks but most veterinarians you consult will agree that it isn’t worth the risk to give your kitten raw egg yolks.
Your best bet is to stick with cooked egg yolk because you never want to put your kittens’ life at risk.
How Much Egg Can a Kitten Eat?
How much egg a kitten can eat depends entirely on the calories. There are approximately 55 calories in a medium-sized egg yolk.
It sounds like it’s a small amount but full-grown cats only need 24 to 35 calories per pound they weigh.
For a full-sized cat, an extra 55 calories a day is a lot and can easily cause a cat to become overweight.
For a kitten, they need fewer calories a day because they weigh less than full-sized cats do.
This is why it is so important that egg yolks be treated as a special treat for your kitten and not an everyday thing.
Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is important for their life span and their quality of life.
So even though egg yolks are good for them and they have lots of protein and amino acids for your kittens’ health everything needs to be in moderation.
When you cook up the egg yolk check and make sure that it says the egg was medium.
After making sure it wasn’t a large egg if you are still uncomfortable with the number of calories that you would be giving your kitten you can always break it up into half of the portion or even a third of the portion.
This way you won’t run the risk of obesity with your kitten and they will still be getting the nutrition from the protein and the amino acids.
How to Prepare Eggs for Kittens:
The best way to prepare egg yolks for your kitten is to make sure that they are simple and plain.
Although we like seasoning and cheese in our scrambled eggs it isn’t necessarily the best thing for your kitten.
Always keep it plain and keep it easy. Your kitten doesn’t need salt, pepper, or even cheese.
The first thing to start with is separating the egg yolk from the egg white.
You can do this best gently cracking open the egg in half without losing or breaking the egg yolk.
The next thing you do is move the yolk back and forth between the eggshells while all of the egg whites fall into the bowl beneath the egg.
After you feel you are comfortable with the number of egg whites you got out you just simply pour the egg yolk into the frying pan.
After you pour the egg yolk into the frying pan all you have to do is treat it like a when you make scrambled eggs.
It will be a little bit different without the egg whites. This will make it a little bit dryer and it will take far less time to cook.
Keep a close eye on it and as you are cooking it try and break it up into smaller pieces so that your kitten has an easier time eating the egg yolk.
Finally, all you have to do is serve the egg up and watch your sweet little kitten chow down on their special little treat.
A Quick Recap:
It is no secret that cats are absolutely adorable little animals.
It is also no secret that I am sure you would do anything for your furry little pets that also count as a member of your family.
That’s why you wanted to know if your sweet kitten could have egg yolks. I am sure that reading the answer is yes is a relief to you.
Egg yolks are perfectly fine for your cat as long as they are cooked.
Always remember that feeding your kitten uncooked egg yolks runs the risk for your kittens catching diseases.
Diseases like salmonella and e.coli that could potentially be fatal if your kitten ever caught them.
Another thing to remember is that cooked egg yolks are still high in protein and amino acids that help keep your kitten strong, healthy, and fit.
Although raw egg yolks have a higher amount of nutrition, cooked egg yolks are better in the long run.
Make sure it is the yolk because egg whites don’t have near enough nutrition and are essentially the equivalent of empty calories for your cat.
Always portion and limit the number of cooked egg yolks that you give your kitten to eat because too many extra calories run the risk for your cat being overweight.
Animals being overweight causes a lot of health issues including:
- a shorter life span
- joint problems
- muscle problems
- heart problems
- and anything that is associated with animals and obesity.
Finally, always make sure that your kitten is healthy and happy.
Their well-being is the top priority.
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