This blog will answer the major question, “Can hamsters eat cat food?” we will also discuss the major threats of consuming cat food for your hamster, whether hamsters can eat cat food in an emergency, and what foods you can offer instead of cat food to your hamsters.
Can hamsters eat cat food?
Yes, hamsters can eat food but it is not recommended to give hamsters. It is because hamsters have different nutritional requirements than cats. Consuming cat food for a longer period of time can lead to obesity, stomach upset, and diabetes in your hamster.
You can give a small amount of cat food in an emergency to your hamster if there is nothing to eat.
What are the major threats of consuming cat food for your hamster?
Following are the major threats of consuming cat food for your hamster:
Stomach upset in hamsters
Cats are obligate carnivore animals, so they can eat animal products or food derived from animal products.
On the other hand, hamsters are omnivores and they can eat both plant and animal products. They have very less tendency to digest cat food because of the fats and protein content in it. This can lead to digestive problems in your cat.
Following are the major clinical signs of stomach upset in your hamster:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
It is better to offer a small amount of cat food to your hamster so that your hamster doesn’t have to eat large amounts of fat and protein content.
Cat food can cause obesity in hamsters
The next problem is obesity in your hamster. Obesity can be due to the excess amount of fat content in the body. Hamsters do not need a high amount of fat content therefore, you just need to lower the fat in the food.
Consuming high amounts of fat content can lead to obesity which can further create problems for your hamster. Obesity can lead to heart problems in your hamster.
Obesity can also cause chronic joint problems as the body is heavy and the joints are not able to lift the weight of the body.
Pancreatitis is lethal in hamsters
The next problem is pancreatitis in your hamster. The pancreas is the major organ of the body which produces digestive enzymes and helps in the digestion process in the proximal duodenum. If there is a high-fat content in the duodenum the pancreas will not be able to digest it leading to pancreatitis in your hamster.
Following are the major clinical signs of pancreatitis in your hamster:
- Preying position during an episode of pancreatic pain
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
Malnutrition can badly affect hamsters
The next problem is malnutrition. This is because cat food is not designed to be eaten by your hamster. Hamsters need a specialized diet consisting of plant and animal products while cat needs a diet that is high in fat and protein content.
If your hamster continues to eat cat food it will lead to problems that can affect the reproduction of the hamster very badly.
Can a hamster eat cat food in an emergency?
Yes, hamsters can eat cat food in an emergency. It is safe to give a small amount of cat food to your hamster for a short period of time.
Cat food has high protein content which can fulfill the requirements of the body for a short period so you can give cat food to your hamster if there is nothing to eat in the house.
What other foods can you give your hamster instead of cat food?
Following are the other foods you can give instead of cat food:
Fruits are good for hamsters
You can give fresh fruits to your hamster. In the wild hamsters feed on fruits because it is abundantly available on the trees and on the ground. It is better to keep the amount of the fruit low as the sugar content of the fruits can cause diabetes and other problems in your cat.
Vegetables are healthy for hamsters
The next thing you can give your hamster is the vegetables that are available in the wild. Vegetables can add to the health of the hamster in the form of minerals and fiber in it. Fiber is important for the health of the digestive system.
The protein content is essential for hamsters
If you want to give extra protein content to your hamster, it is better to give boiled or scrambled eggs in low amounts. This will help in fulfilling the needs.
Conclusion
In this blog, we answered the main question, “Can hamsters eat cat food?” we also discussed the major threats of consuming cat food for your hamster, whether hamsters can eat cat food in an emergency, and what foods you can offer instead of cat food to your hamsters.
References
https://www.onlinehamstercare.com/can-hamsters-eat-dry-cat-food/
https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/cat-nutrition-what-makes-nutritional-cat-food
