While a small lick of plain vanilla ice cream is unlikely to harm most healthy cats, ice cream is not recommended as a regular treat.
Most adult cats are lactose intolerant, meaning they have difficulty digesting milk products. Eating ice cream may lead to digestive upset, including stomach discomfort, gas, or diarrhea.
Ice cream is also high in sugar, which offers no nutritional benefits for cats. Don’t feed your cat sugar-free ice cream either as this often contains xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs and may be unsafe for cats, too.
Some ice cream flavors should be avoided for your cat’s safety as well. Chocolate, coffee, raisins, alcohol and macadamia nuts are harmful to cats, so avoid types of ice cream containing any of these.
TIP: Freeze Catit Creamy to create a cool, tasty treat designed especially for cats.
While removing the lactose solves one of the main problems, lactose-free ice cream can still contain:
- Sugar or sweeteners that cats don’t need
- High amounts of fat, which may cause stomach upset
- Artificial flavors and additives
- Potentially harmful ingredients such as chocolate, coffee, raisins, alcohol, or certain nuts, depending on the flavor
Whipped cream is often seen as a “cat-friendly” treat, thanks to movies and social media. In reality, it should only be offered occasionally and in small amounts. Like ice cream, whipped cream contains dairy and fat. A few licks are generally safe for most cats, but larger amounts may cause digestive issues.
Instead of ice cream or whipped cream, consider cat-safe treats such as:
- Catit Creamy. Pop in the freezer to create cat ice pops
- Small pieces of cooked chicken or fish, with extra water for hydration
- Cat-friendly yogurt treats made specifically for pets
A tiny lick of ice cream or whipped cream is usually not a cause for concern, but neither should be a regular part of your cat’s diet. If you want to spoil your feline friend, choosing treats made specifically for cats is the safer and healthier option.
