Can Cats Eat Beef Jerky? [2022 Cat Expert Guide]

Suppose you are enjoying eating delicious Beef Jerky. Suddenly you notice your cat being frequently trying to get your attention. You then somehow get it that your lovely pet wants to share a bite of your delicious Beef Jerky too.

Since we all have a lot of questions about several human foods that we want our cats to try. This leads to the question- can cats eat Beef Jerky? Well, of course, you can feed it to your cat.

As it’s already known that cats are pure carnivores by their nature. They basically meant to eat meat. Beef Jerky is basically dried meat that can provide your cat with many amino acids, minerals, and vitamins.

So cats can take most of their fundamental nutritional elements from it to stay healthy. But you must give your cat a small piece of beef jerky occasionally.

Although beef jerky is good for your cat yet it may include preservatives or added ingredients too. So don’t let it become a habit for them.

As Bruce Dyer, (Researching Cat Behaviour) stated—”Beef jerky is mostly dried meat which cats can eat.  But avoid spiced beef jerky and jerky full of chemicals and harmful ingredients. Most beef jerky contains onion or garlic powder, which is always toxic to your cats.”

Can Cats Eat Teriyaki Beef Jerky?

This question may also pop up in your head too. Can my cat eat Teriyaki Beef Jerky? Is it even safe to share with them? The answer is no, you shouldn’t feed it to your cat. Although making teriyaki beef jerky is easy and delicious, which is why the cat loves to taste it.  But teriyaki includes a lot of salt and additional ingredients like soy sauce, onion, sugar, chives, roots, and garlic or ginger. These ingredients aren’t good for your cat.

Moreover, these are considered highly toxic to cats. Eating teriyaki beef jerky can destroy the red blood cells in your cat’s body causing a life-threatening condition called Heinz Body Anemia.

Your cat can also face an electrolyte imbalance and can even have a bad effect on blood pressure in large volumes.

So, no matter how much they bother you or stare at you, don’t let them eat teriyaki beef jerky. I have written a lot more about foods your cat can and can’t eat, you can read by clicking here!

Does Beef Jerky Make Your Cat Dehydrate?

Salty snacks like beef jerky contain a high amount of salt. High salt means too much sodium which makes cats dehydrated. Thus, your cat will probably have extreme thirst.

Although the high amounts of salt in beef jerky make it so delicious. Cats will probably annoy you to share it with them.

But cats don’t have nearly the tolerance level for salt that we humans do. So be aware not to give them too much to eat.

Letting them eat too much beef jerky will cause salt poisoning or hypernatremia or can lead to permanent kidney damage.

Even if you want your cat to try some beef jerky then make sure they have plenty of water available. You must also know that beef is one of the most well-known allergens in cats.

If your cat faces any allergic reaction to beef then you shouldn’t give them any amount of beef jerky.

Eating too much beef jerky can lead the cat to dehydration thus the cat will show some symptoms like:

• Diarrhoea
• Fluid build-up in the legs
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Dark urine
• Stumbling
• Clumsiness
• Discoloured skin, lips, and gums
• Low energy
• Tremors or seizures.

Raw or Boiled Beef Meat? What Does the Cat Like to Eat?

Most cats love to eat meat. But you may get in so much confusion about whether should you treat your cat with raw beef meat or boiled beef meat. Which one will the cat like to eat? The answer could vary for different cat types.

Some cats may like to eat raw meat and some may not. Cats are indeed intelligent enough to smell the presence of protein in the food. So they will always go for food that contains protein.

Your cat’s diet list should include high-quality balanced food that is appropriate for its health status. We see cats tend to like eating fresh raw beef meat.

Providing them with raw meat may help them maintain a healthy urinary tract and also provide essential protein for their body. But in some cases, feeding raw food to your cat will also come with some risks too.

Raw food or meat may include pathogens like Salmonella and E.coli. It can lead your cat to serious life-threatening infections. Cooking meat can help to remove most of these pathogens.

Though the cats’ digestive systems are better than humans while coming to the fact of eating raw meat. Many cats can easily pass pathogens without causing any issues.

But you must be aware of those cats with health concerns like low immunity problems that may need cooked meat.

It’s also noticeable that some cats or older ones with deformed jaws or dental diseases can have difficulty chewing on raw bones. You should first talk to the cat veteran about the types of raw meat that are good for your cat.

However, it’s better to boil boneless meat or fish for your cat. You can mix this boiled meat with rice too. Though some of them may hate rice and eat only boiled meat only.

Raw Diet for Your Cat- Guide 

It’s vital to find an expert veterinarian to help you create a truly complete beneficial and balanced diet for your cat. You may also get recommendations on special supplements from your veterinarian to ensure your cat gets the nutrients to stay healthy. Ingredients used in a raw food diet may include the following:

• Raw meat from muscles and organs (good sources include poultry, cow, rabbit, and fish)
• Raw bones of chicken for fish
• Eggs

I would suggest you, add 10% vegetables like celery to your cat diet. Vegetables and beef together can provide enough nutrition for your cat to stay healthy.

You will likely need the following equipment and supplies to prepare the raw diet:

• A large cutting board that can go in the dishwasher
• Meat grinder
• Poultry shears
• Stainless steel or glass mixing bowls
• Disposable gloves (latex or nitrile)
• Storage containers (some people use ice cube trays or small freezer-safe containers)
• Freezer and refrigerator space

Final Thought

It’s quite safe for your cat to eat beef jerky as long as you take proper precautions. We advise you to give your cat an unflavoured version of beef jerky containing as low sodium or other harmful ingredients as possible.

Never make it a habit for your cat to eat beef jerky in high amounts. Even though your cats are carnivores. Try to give beef jerky to your cat in moderation, not as a whole meal or substitute. Always keep close monitoring of your cats’ foods, behaviours, and symptoms.