Cats can eat salt and vinegar chips, yes but it has to be a small amount. The problem with these crisps is that they are relatively high in salt and are not nutritionally suitable for cats. If your cat wants some crispy snacks, there are many better alternatives you can give to your feline friend.
Salt and vinegar chips are among the popular flavors of chips, and most of these are potato chips. Although it’s safe for cats to eat potatoes, there are ingredients that pose many health risks.
Further, the distinct combination of saltiness and sourness can be quite satisfying. Thus, it’s no wonder why salt and vinegar chips are almost always present in most pantries.
If you wonder what are the toxic ingredients of salt and vinegar chips to cats, here’s some of them:
Contents
What is in salt and vinegar chips? (ingredients)
As one of the leading potato chips makers, Lays offers a salt and vinegar flavored potato chips. Here’s the list of its ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil – Sunflower, Corn or Canola Oil
- Salt and Vinegar Seasoning (Huge Red Flag)
- Maltodextrin -Made From Corn
- Natural Flavors
- Salt (A big NO)
- Malic Acid (Toxic as well)
- Vinegar (Another toxic component)
Most salt and vinegar chips are potato chips. Although potatoes aren’t bad, the two main seasonings are toxic.
We’ll get on with both salt and vinegar later, and learn how each one affects our feline pets.
Related – What about Pringles? Can cats eat Pringles?
Are salt and vinegar chips bad for cats?
In a nutshell, salt and vinegar chips are bad for cats. It’s not the chips that are bad. Instead, it’s the salt and vinegar that go along with it.
Most chips, especially potato chips, don’t harm cats. Potatoes are one of the safe human food for our feline pets.
Aside from the fact that it’s easy to digest, it has vitamins that can be beneficial in small amounts.
Further, any other chips would cause no issues, so long as they’re unseasoned.
What makes chips bad is the salt and vinegar, and the other seasoning goes with different flavors.
The usual chips in the market contain too much salt, and that’s not something you will want to feed your pet.
Add in some vinegar, and you’ll give some acid that can turn its stomach around.
Your kitty may love the crispness of chips, but in the end, such human snacks won’t serve them well.
As obligate carnivores, they can survive without any plant-based food. Thus, chips might be safe, but it has no nutritional value for them.
Related – Can cats eat tortilla chips?
Can cats eat salty chips?
As I said earlier, the usual chips come with too much salt that can be harmful. Even the ones labeled with minimal sodium content still pose salt poisoning risks.
Thus, felines cannot eat salty chips, and I don’t recommend feeding them scraps in large amounts.
Sure, a piece or two would probably cause no harm. But, going far more than that could place your feline pet in danger of salt poisoning.
Help prevent such incidents by forcing them to stay away from salty chips and food.
The same goes for vinegar.
Can cats eat vinegar?
Vinegar, in our taste perspective, balances the saltiness of food. Thus, in chips, salt and vinegar make the right combination.
Nevertheless, it’s not the same thing for cats. Instead of balancing the flavor, vinegar only adds up to the toxicity of chips.
Vinegar is typically acidic, and most of the vinegar solutions may serve as an irritant.
Thus, ingesting concentrated vinegar can already cause vomiting, diarrhea, oral irritation, and pain.
When vinegar infuses itself with the salty chips, it will only create more toxic food.
There is, however, a type of vinegar that can be safe, that is, the apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar can be a useful healing tool, promoting healthy digestion. Further, it can repel parasites in felines and break up bladder crystals if such exists.
Since the vinegar in chips is usually the toxic ones, the salt and vinegar chips remain toxic.
Do you want to know if cats eat spicy chips or Takis? Check it out!
Is salt good for cats?
Cats, like any other animals, need a specific amount of salt. Thus, in a way, salt is suitable for cats.
Still, if taken in large amounts, salt can be bad for our feline pets. Too much salt can cause salt poisoning, and it can be lethal.
Salt poisoning induces digestive issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, and an upset stomach. This poisoning also comes with symptoms such as excessive drinking and urination.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials recommends sodium content of 0.2% in dry cat foods.
Such amount is already enough to maintain and support normal growth development. Going more than the recommended amount would be harmful.
Some salt and vinegar chips have sodium taking up 9% of its weight. Thus, they are toxic like all other chips.
Can your cat eat Hot Cheetos? Learn more.
Summary
The chips which come from potatoes aren’t bad for cats. What makes the chips harmful is the seasoning – both the salt and the vinegar.
For us, the combination of both to the crispiness of chips creates a beautiful snack.
For felines, the combination of both salt and vinegar is toxic or lethal.
Thus, avoid giving your cats salt and vinegar chips as much as possible. If your cat begs for some, give it a couple of pieces, but don’t go too much.
As much as it’s a treat, it can be harmful to them.
Resources
Lays salt and vinegar chips ingredients
AAFCO study about recommended sodium content in cat food
Image credits – Photos by Ramiz Dedaković and Mayu Yamamura on Unsplash
