Hen’s egg is one of the most common foods in the human diet, for its health benefits and also for its versatility in the kitchen, which allows the creation of many sweet and savory recipes. It is a very inexpensive source of pure protein, which does not contain significant levels of carbohydrates and sugars, and is also an excellent ally for those who want to lose weight in a healthy way.
Although science makes many myths debut about eggs and demonstrates their benefits, many keepers still wonder if a cat can eat an egg or whether eating this food is dangerous to feline health. Therefore, in Animal Expert we will tell you if the egg can be a beneficial food for cats and we will show you the precautions to take if you decide to incorporate this food into the diet of your kittens.
- Before explaining whether a cat can eat an egg or not.
- It is important that you know the nutritional composition of the hen’s egg so that you can understand the possible nutritional benefits for your kittens.
- As well as the precautions to take when introducing them.
- Feline food.
- According to the USDA (U.
- S.
- Department of Agriculture) database.
- 100 grams of whole.
- Raw and fresh hen eggs contain the following nutrients:.
As we have already seen in the nutritional composition above, the egg is an excellent source of lean and pure protein, since it contains almost no amount of carbohydrates and total sugars, with a moderate amount of fat. Almost all egg proteins are found in the white, while lipid molecules are concentrated in the yolk. It is precisely these macronutrients that must be the energy pillars of your feline’s nutrition, knowing that they are strictly carnivorous animals (not omnivores), like us).
In this sense, it is important to note that egg proteins are mainly made up of essential amino acids, i.e. amino acids that the cat does not naturally synthesize in its body, and must be obtained from external sources through food. Regarding the old bad reputation of eggs, linked to the excessive amount of cholesterol, we should clarify that the moderate consumption of this food is safe for your cat and will not increase its cholesterol, nor increase weight.
In addition, we should note that the egg also contains interesting amounts of essential minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium, as well as vitamins A, D, E and B complex. This means that in addition to contributing to the formation and strengthening of your feline’s muscles and bones, the egg will also help you maintain a healthy immune system, which is essential to prevent all kinds of diseases.
In addition to offering all these health benefits to your feline, eggs are also inexpensive and easy to find.
One of the biggest concerns of tutors when it comes to incorporating the egg into their cat’s diet is whether to offer it raw or cooked. Although many experts and scholars of the DIET for cats BARF highlight the benefits of offering felines raw foods, thus preserving all their enzymes and nutritional properties, it is necessary to be very sure of the origin of the eggs you purchased to incorporate them raw into the diet. your kitten.
Raw eggs can contain a bacterium that is very dangerous to the health of kittens, salmonella. If you get organic eggs from birds with a controlled and also organic diet, the risk of contamination is greatly reduced. However, you should always wash eggs well with running water before breaking their shell.
But be careful! You should only wash the eggs when you use them, just before you break them. Since the egg shell is a porous surface, if you wash it well in advance and let it rest, it can favor bacteria from the egg shell into the inside, contaminating the white and yolk.
They can, in fact, if you can’t get organic eggs or if you’re not sure the origin of the eggs you bought, it’s best to offer them cooked to the kittens. Cooking at high temperatures can eliminate most possible pathogens in this food. This way, you can make sure that egg consumption is safe for your feline friend.
On the other hand, it is also important to note that raw eggs contain a protein called avidine. Although not a toxic substance for cats, this protein acts as an antinutrient, preventing your body from properly absorbing biotin (also called vitamin H).
Although to cause a biotin deficiency in the cat’s body, it is necessary to consume large amounts of raw eggs (which is not recommended), this unnecessary risk can be eliminated simply by cooking the eggs before adding them to the cat’s diet. Cooking distorts avidine, which inhibits its action as an antinutrient. In other words, the cat will be able to absorb all the nutrients from the cooked egg to the shell more easily and safely.
Moderate egg consumption can be very beneficial for kittens, but a safe dose and frequency should be followed so that this food is not harmful to health. As the popular scholar already says, is it all a pity?
In general, it is recommended that cats should only be offered eggs once or twice a week, in combination with other foods that are beneficial to the cat’s health. However, there is no predetermined single dose for all cats, as the safe amount of eggs should be adapted to the size, weight, age and health of each cat, also taking into account the purpose of ingesting this food.
It should also be noted that the egg, although it offers lean and beneficial proteins, should not replace meat in the feline diet. As mentioned above, cats are strictly carnivorous animals, so meat should be the main food and source of proteins, fats and other nutrients.
Therefore, it is essential to consult a veterinarian to determine the food most appropriate to the nutritional needs of your kitten. The professional will guide you in the introduction of the egg and other foods in the cat’s diet, always advising you on the best and most suitable amounts to achieve a positive impact on the health of your feline.
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