Canola oil is one of the many oils that is extracted directly from natural plants. The rapeseed plant is processed in such a way that the resultant oil has a completely different composition, chemistry, and behavior as compared to the actual plant. The oil has a unique but neutral taste that can be recognized with a single sip and its smell can also be used as a way of recognition. The color of natural and pure canola oil is somewhat near to light yellow but in a transparent way.
There is no denial that canola oil is used by humans in almost all regions of the world and maybe from the beginning of time. The reason is that canola oil is rich in different kinds of nutrients that reduce the risk of various heart and other fatal diseases in humans but the question is, can cats eat canola oil? Or is canola oil safe for cats? Well, continue reading this article to find out all your answers.
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Can cats have canola oil?
Cats can have canola oil but if you look at the opinions of people and experts around the world, it is widely suggested not to feed canola oil to your cats.
The basic reason behind this claim is that there is not a single study in the whole world that claims canola oil to be 100% safe for cats to eat.
However, there is also no denial that you can feed canola oil to your cats without causing any harm to their health. The only thing is to make sure that you are giving canola oil to cats in moderation.
Do cats like to eat canola oil?
Cats do like canola oil and many people have agreed with this claim after analyzing their cats’ behavior as they eat canola oil. The oil includes different ingredients that are liked by cats and they love eating it.
Apart from this, canola oil is not usually given directly in its original form but is added to different cat foods and diets. There are various cat foods that include canola oil in a small amount in their composition and cats do not show any discomfort eating such foods.
Is canola safe for cats?
Canola oil includes a big bulky amount of fat and it is clear that feeding pure fat to your cats can lead to various health issues and diseases mainly including:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Pancreatitis
Apart from this, experts also claim that canola oil is safe but not 100% safe for cats to eat. If you are feeding canola oil only in small amounts and not adding it to cats’ daily food routine, your cat may never face any kind of health problems specifically because of canola oil.
Is canola oil toxic for cats to eat?
Not at all, canola oil is not even a little bit toxic to cats as long as you are feeding your cats in small amounts and a proper routine. You can easily get an idea from the fact that canola oil is used in plenty of cat food.
The thing which makes it a bit harmful or hurting for cats is the amount and frequency of feeding your cats, the composition of canola oil is not toxic at all.
A vet said himself that most of the cats or pet foods that he made at home include organic canola oil (in small quantities) as it includes high omega-3 and omega-6 content which is beneficial to cats.
Is canola oil healthy for cats?
Canola oil has various health benefits to offer if given in moderation. However, there are also various risks that come with it and this is the reason that feeding too much canola oil or too often is not much appreciated by vets and experts.
Some of the prominent and most common health concerns that can occur because of feeding canola oil include the following:
- Fibrotic heart lesions
- Platelet changes
- Vitamin E deficiency
- Growth retardation
- Lung cancer
Although these concerns are shown by various vets, Dr. Susan Wayn, who is a well-known vet, claims that these concerns are not 100% valid and that feeding canola oil in small amounts will only bring health benefits. The issues only occur if you don’t follow a proper quantity or a well-planned diet.
Can ats have canola oil every day?
There is no denial that canola oil will not possess any harm if given in moderation but you gotta keep this fact in mind, canola oil is nothing but pure fat. You may add a very small amount of oil to cat food but feeding your cat fat every day can cause issues.
The minor things that may occur are vomiting and diarrhea but if a cat already has any of these issues, its health can get affected by feeding canola oil regularly. So, the exact answer to that question will depend on how your cat’s body and health are behaving if you feed canola oil continuously for a couple of times or days.
Can canola oil harm cats?
There are no cases to prove that canola oil can harm cats. As said by vets and experts, canola oil itself has nothing that can cause issues or diseases to the cats but the amount and frequency of feeding canola oil can lead to some harm.
So, as long as you are feeding canola oil to your cats in moderation, you are good to go as it will not cause any issues. However, it is better to get your cats examined every couple of months so that you can be assured that your pet is all right.
How much canola oil is good for cats to eat?
One thing to settle in mind, canola oil may not cause any harm to your cats but it will not bring any major benefits as well. Adding just a small amount of oil to cats’ food is the maximum suitable limit that could be given to your cats.
You can neither feed oil directly, nor it can be consumed in high quantities. We can say that only a few drops of canola oil, mixed in cats’ food, is enough and good for the cats to eat.
What are the nutritional facts of canola oil?
Canola oil has a composition that includes not so many but prominent nutrients. Taking a look at the nutrition facts of canola oil will give you an even clearer idea of whether feeding canola oil to your cats is a good practice or if you need to avoid it.
| Canola Oil (100 grams) | Nutrition Facts |
| Calories | 884 |
| Saturated fat | 7.4g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 63.3g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 28.1g |
| Trans fat | 0.4g |
| Vitamin E | 17.5mg |
| Vitamin K | 71.3μg |
| Choline | 0.2g |
| Alpha Lipoic Acid | 9.1g |
| Omega 3 | 9.1g |
| Omega 6 | 18.6g |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is canola oil cat food?
Canola oil is considered a cat food by many experts as it contains a high amount of essential nutrients and acids. Experts believe that feeding canola oil to cats in moderation can help in reducing the chances of various health issues while providing other benefits such as:
- Lowers cholesterol
- Lowers blood pressure
- Inhibits arrhythmias
- Mitigates body fat
- Improves weight control
What are the best alternatives to canola oil for cats?
As you need to cook cat food in oils, there are some other alternatives that are always suggested by vets and experts if you are not convinced to use canola oil as an ingredient of cat food. The major and common oils used in cats food other than canola oil include:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
The unique literary talents of Dr. A. Barton are well known throughout the veterinary profession. He is a regular contributor to the New York City Veterinarian and his professional articles have also appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal of Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Veterinarian and Philadelphia Medicine. He is the only veterinarian ever to have had an article published in the human medical publication, What’s New.
