Sharing is caring and when you’ve got a delicious scramble in front of you, then your kitty is sure to remind you of that. Can cats eat scrambled eggs or is your kitty just asking because you have them?
Cats can eat scrambled eggs, but it’s not something that should be regular. Eggs have good protein content to them, which is good for your cat, but they are also high in calories and a large part of those calories is fat content! This makes eggs a risky food that could quickly lead to feline obesity if unchecked.
As this is a subject we get asked about a lot from our readers, like you, we thought we’d take a deep-dive into the subject so that you’ll have the facts that you need when decided if you should share your scramble with your pets. Without further ado, let’s talk about scrambled eggs and their potential pitfalls!
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Are scrambled eggs bad for cats?
Scrambled eggs are high in protein, which is nice, but they are also high in fat. A large egg is in the neighborhood of 78 calories to begin with, which isn’t good for you cat as they need about 200 to 330 daily calories TOTAL.
Worse, about 2/3 of those egg calories are from the fat content – meaning that the healthiest way to eat a farm-fresh egg would be waiting for it to hatch! You could still give your cat some eggs, but a teaspoon full at a time is recommended, and even then, it’s best to only give them twice a week.
Consider eggs a treat and follow the 10% rule for best results – treats should only make up 10% of your cat’s daily caloric intake. Stick with that, and everything should be fine, otherwise your cat might be on the fast track to feline obesity and you definitely don’t want that!
Can my cat have scrambled eggs every day?
This is not recommended. If your cat absolutely insists, you could give them a very tiny piece, but a single egg a day is definitely not a good idea. With that one egg, depending on it’s calories (which can vary a little with large eggs, 78 to 90 calories on average), your cat is basically eating 1/3 of their daily calories.
That would be like you eating 10 to 15 eggs a day! As such, it’s really not recommended to allow your cat to have scrambled eggs every day, especially if they are an adult or a senior.
With a kitten, you might get away with a little more, since they need extra calories, but with 2/3 of that egg being fat content we really can’t recommend it.
Aren’t scrambled eggs just protein?
No, scrambled eggs definitely aren’t just protein, you’ve also got a lot of fat in there that would have been used for energy by a developing chick. You also need to consider that eggs are normally scrambled in oil, which isn’t good for your kitty either.
When preparing them for your cat, the ideal way is to scramble one egg in water, with no spices or oils, and then to chop it up and stick it in the fridge since you can’t serve your cat a whole egg in good conscience.
With all of the extra fat, it’s really better to simply give your cat some fish or chicken as this is a good source of protein that will be much healthier for them in the long run.
As a bonus, they can definitely eat more meat than they can eggs, so your cat might grumble a little until they notice how much more they get to eat!
Are other types of eggs bad for my cat?
Fried eggs are the worst, despite how yummy they are and how much your cat might want to have them. Typically fried up in vegetable oil, your cat ends up eating a lot of fat and ingesting said oil, which isn’t really very good for them at all.
As far as the safest way to consume them, boiled eggs won’t add any oils or spices and you could reduce the fat content by just feeding them the whites, but it’s still not really the best option. Your cat is much better equipped for digesting and using lean meats, rather than eggs.
That’s not to say that your cat can’t ever have them. You just want to keep the portions very small so that your cat isn’t getting too many calories and all that extra fat in one go. As with everything, moderation is well and truly the key here.
Should I mix milk in my cats scrambled eggs?
Since your kitty won’t be allowed to have a lot of eggs, you can certainly mix a little milk into your kitty’s scramble if you like so that their limited portions are still super-tasty. Just keep in mind that every cat has a unique digestive system and not all cats deal with that extra dairy the same.
That said, if you are sticking to small portions, this usually won’t be a worry, but if your cat behaves a little oddly after eating the milk-scrambled eggs then you might want to stick to the milk-free variety as they are likely having trouble digesting the dairy.
In conclusion: Cats can eat SOME scrambled eggs – in moderation
While eggs aren’t really the best food for your kitty, they can certainly have small amounts up to twice a week if you like or if your kitty insists (which is more often the case!). As with anything, moderation is going to be important, especially since those eggs are high in calories and fat.
Provided that you stick to teaspoon-sized portions, however, your cat can certainly share a scramble with you and that’s a fine way to start your day. Just make sure when you prepare it that you leave out the salt and other spices and cook it in water – not oil – so that the eggs are as healthy as possible before serving.
If you stick to this and the 10% rule regarding kitty treats, then consider scrambled eggs officially approved as ‘on the menu’!
My name is Ken and I’m one of the staff writers at Petloverguy.com. I’ve cared for pets most of my life starting with hamsters, turtles, and snakes. Then moving up to parakeets, guinea pigs, and even ducks.
I currently live with two yorkies and a chihuahua mix.