Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: sarasara on November 03, 2009, 16:18:42 PM

Title: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: sarasara on November 03, 2009, 16:18:42 PM
Miss Sophie has suddenly developed an appetite for my wholemeal bread which she used not to be interested in unless it had some marge on it, though I rarely gave her any and even then only a bite.  I know in the countryside it has been traditional for hundreds of years to feed outdoor cats a mixture of milk and bread (I never give her milk) but then she is a very well fed indoor cat.

Is wholemeal bread ok?
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Christine (Blip) on November 03, 2009, 16:24:29 PM
I'd discourage that, sarasara.  If you consider what a cat's natural diet would be, processed wheat wouldn't come into it.  The cat's digestive system is that of an obligate carnivore so bread won't do Miss Sophie any good in the long run.
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: clarenmax on November 03, 2009, 16:28:09 PM
I'd say an occasional tiny titbit is OK, but on a regular basis, probably not.

Poot likes bread as well, especially if it has marmite on it  :Crazy:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Gillian Harvey on November 03, 2009, 17:05:35 PM
Yep, agree its not really suitable - but that doesnt stop 'em  liking it LOL!


Poot likes bread as well, especially if it has marmite on it  :Crazy:

LOL! mine all like their marmite fix too   :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: sarasara on November 03, 2009, 20:14:22 PM
Marmite was the original source of the problem but it's high salt content means I would not give even a small amount now just as I would never give the cats anything sweet beause they never wash their teeth.

I am wondering if she needs some sort of vitamin that is making her so hungry?

The problem is that the more you feed the more distended the belly gets and the hungrier they get. So while it is emotionally very hard to refuse her I have to when I can see by her tummy that she is a little bit more fed than usual.

One thing that makes a cat ravenously hungry is if they eat a mouse or a bird, it seems to have the effect that drinking juice when you are thirsty; the more you drink the thirstier you get.

So I will just give her a few tiny bits of bread 2 square inches in a day, but only if she is really demanding it. I don't give them marge on it because I hear that they cannot digest it. But I womnder if she needs a vitamin that is in wholemeal?

Cats! What a worry ;)
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Mark on November 03, 2009, 20:15:17 PM
Willow loves toast crumbs. A local shop sells hot sausagemeat encroutes and we had them for lunch on Saturday. Willow was sniffing round so a gave her a bit of sausagemeat. She ignored it and started licking the pastry crumbs off my plate  :Crazy:

Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on November 04, 2009, 11:08:24 AM
I'm always really embarrassed when I throw bread out for the birds as the boys home in on it and start to eat it, I bet the neighbours think I don't feed them properly  :-[

Riley has also munched his way through a banana loaf that was foolishly left out on the side!  :innocent:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: sarasara on November 04, 2009, 11:42:47 AM
I'm always really embarrassed when I throw bread out for the birds as the boys home in on it and start to eat it, I bet the neighbours think I don't feed them properly  :-[

Riley has also munched his way through a banana loaf that was foolishly left out on the side!  :innocent:
Particularly as the little dears :evillaugh: :censored: :wow: ;) have already been very well fed and you don't want them to get overweight. I have exactly the same thing here in the winter, the poor little birds are hungry and all sitting up in the trees while Sophie  :wow: sits in their bread and clicks her teeth looking at them. I intend to build a bird house this year out of bits of wood and nail it to the top of the clothesline.
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Janeyk on November 04, 2009, 12:18:44 PM
I'm always really embarrassed when I throw bread out for the birds as the boys home in on it and start to eat it, I bet the neighbours think I don't feed them properly  :-[


Our Penny always did that  :innocent:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Leanne on November 04, 2009, 15:26:45 PM
Milo only likes naan bread  :Crazy: :Crazy:
To the point where we can't leave it unattended anymore as he pulls the bread basket to him to get at it.
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: clarenmax on November 04, 2009, 15:54:15 PM
Ahhh, Milo has very refined tastes it seems  :evillaugh:  :Luv:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Kirst on November 04, 2009, 16:33:27 PM
Fred-cat always used to eat the bread we put out for the birds when he was a stray  - it never seemed to do him any harm. Would think its Ok as a treat , not as a main meal!
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Millys Mum on November 04, 2009, 19:27:26 PM
Quote
I don't give them marge on it because I hear that they cannot digest it.
Same can be said for the bread!

Farm cats never had the luxury of meals let alone bread and milk, nor did many people come to think about it :(
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: sarasara on November 04, 2009, 20:11:20 PM
Quote
I don't give them marge on it because I hear that they cannot digest it.
Same can be said for the bread!

Farm cats never had the luxury of meals let alone bread and milk, nor did many people come to think about it :(
In Ireland and the North of Ireland it is an old tradition going back hundreds of years to give ferral cats milk and bread. But house cats these days are very well fed.
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Janeyk on November 04, 2009, 20:17:37 PM
Food can be out for feral cat Little Blackie but he'll go eat the bird's bread  :tired:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: spud on November 07, 2009, 16:27:43 PM
Food can be out for feral cat Little Blackie but he'll go eat the bird's bread  :tired:

Just explain to him that it isn't suitable for his digestive tract  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Is Bread Ok For Pussies?
Post by: Janeyk on November 07, 2009, 20:29:17 PM
Food can be out for feral cat Little Blackie but he'll go eat the bird's bread  :tired:

Just explain to him that it isn't suitable for his digestive tract  :evillaugh:

oh, I've had many a conversation with him but it doesn't sink in  :evillaugh: actually he hasn't been for a while he was up at Sylvia's when we passed today (maybe she has better bread  :evillaugh:) he is a very complicated character and never quite fitted in with the other ferals and partly why I adore him  :Luv2: