Skittles are the most popular candy around the world. Therefore people enjoy it as a candy treat. They are small and available in various fruity flavors and different colors. These circle-shaped skittles are very delicious.
However, there’s a question that many pet owners frequently ask: Can cats eat skittles?
No, cats should not eat Skittles because it’s a sweet candy, and sweet products are unsafe for cats.
However, there’s no benefit to sharing skittles with your feline friend because cats can’t taste sweetness.
Furthermore, we will discuss facts and reasons why cats should not eat skittles, their toxicity, safe treats for cats, and so on. So, grab some snacks because this article will be fascinating and informative.
Do Cats Like Skittles Candy?
Cats cannot taste sweetness because their taste buds don’t recognize sugar and sweetness. So, we can say that cats can’t get the taste of Skittles and other candies, which means they won’t enjoy eating sweets.
In addition, your cat won’t enjoy eating Skittles because they can’t taste them, but sometimes you will notice your cat is interested in Skittles because of the fats and unique shape. All in all, Skittles are unsafe for cats.
Therefore, Skittles and other candies have adverse effects on cats because the primary ingredient of every candy is sugar, and it’s harmful to cats.
What Happens if My Cat Eats Sugar?
Meanwhile, sugar isn’t toxic, but it’s unsafe for cats. However, if your cat consumes the sugar in a small amount, then it’s not harmful, but if your cat eats sugar in excessive amounts, then it can cause several health issues in cats.
Moreover, sugar can have the following effects on your cat:
- Upset Stomach
- Digestive Issues
- Diarrhea
- Diabetes (In the long term)
- Discomfort
- Oral Problems
- Obesity
Furthermore, the amount of sugar your cat has eaten decides the symptoms. If your cat has eaten sugar in excessive amounts, then it can be extremely harmful to your furry friend.
Do Skittles Contain Toxic Ingredients?
Not all ingredients of skittles are toxic to cats, but some of the elements are toxic to cats.
Meanwhile, sugar isn’t toxic to cats, but it’s harmful, and it has adverse effects on cats. However, artificial flavors like xylitol are toxic to cats.
Moreover, chocolate is also toxic to cats because it has caffeine and theobromine, both toxic to cats.
Furthermore, Skittles Don’t have chocolate and artificial sweeteners, but they have other unsafe and harmful ingredients for cats.
Ingredients of Skittles and their Safety level for Cats
| Ingredients of Skittles | Safety level for Cats |
|---|---|
| Hydrogenated palm kernel oil | Safe |
| Sugar | Not Safe |
| Titanium Dioxide | Not Recommended |
| Citric Acid | Toxic |
| Corn Syrup | Not Recommended |
| Modified Starch | Not Safe |
Skittles uses Food Dyes
In the process of making skittles, a variety of food dyes are used to color the candies. Such food dyes, like Red 40, are not suitable for cats having food intolerances, and it has harmful effects on your cat.
Additionally, food dyes can have the following effects on your cat:
- Skin redness
- Itching
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive gas
- Sneezing
- Anorexia
- Hives
What’s a Better Treat Than Candy for Cats?
Whenever we are happy and want to eat treats, we use candies, ice cream, etc. On the other hand, when it comes to cats, they should not eat human candies, donuts, Oreos, etc.
Therefore, as I told you before, Cats can’t taste sweetness, so it’s meaningless to feed candy treats to your cat. You can give other savory treats to your cat.
Additionally, you can make small cooked pieces of chicken without spices for your cat. Also, you can give catnip, cat grass, etc. Although you can have some cat treats from any pet store, always remember that cats have sensitive stomachs, so don’t feed them in excessive amounts.
How Can I Keep My Cat Safe from My Human Treats?
You should keep away from human treats, including skittles. Significantly, one or two pieces of skittles may not hurt your cat, but if your cat eats more than two pieces, then it will harm your cat, and it can cause several health issues. So, you should always keep your cat away from human treats.
Therefore, if you put a bowl of skittles on the dining table or the kitchen table then obviously, your cat will come and start eating it, and as a result, she will be ill.
4 Ways To Stop Cats From Eating Skittles and Other Candies
The following are some tips to keep your cat away from human treats
- The easiest solution is to keep your snacks and candies inside the cupboards; hence your cat will not have access to them.
- Stop using open trash cans because your cat can easily access them and start eating harmful products. Although, cats don’t get afraid of going inside the long trash cans to find something yummy. Hence, it would be best if used to use cat-proof trash cans.
- However, if you don’t want to put snacks and candies inside the cupboards, use some tightly sealed containers or jars.
- Moreover, teach your children not to share sweet products, skittles, and candies with your furry friend.
What Should I Do If My Cat Ate Skittles?
First, we always recommend keeping your feline friends away from sugary products. Secondly, if your cat has one or two Skittles, then there’s nothing to worry about, but more than two Skittles candies will harm your cat.
Therefore, if your cat ate Skittles, you should contact your vet immediately, and in this situation, you should check whether your cat has eaten only the skittles or also eaten the wrapper of it.
Additionally, prepare yourself to get information like how much skittles your cat has eaten, current symptoms your cat is showing, and expiry date and see if you found the wrapper or your cat has also eaten it.
Related Questions
What happens if a cat eats candy?
Therefore, if a cat eats candy she might suffer from vomiting, diarrhea discomfort, upset stomach, increase in heart rate. However, if your cat eats candy regularly then she can have several health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and oral problems etc.
What candy can cats eat?
Cats should not eat any candies and human treats as candies have extra sugars and mostly its ingredients are harmful to cats. Therefore, it has no nutritional value for cats. So, you should always keep your cat away from candy. Additionally, you can give some cooked chicken or other cat treats available in pet stores to your cat.
Do cats like Skittles?
Similarly humans love to eat skittles and you will notice your cat also having interest in eating skittles because of its unique shape which means your cats like to eat skittles but as a cat parent you should not allow your cat to eat skittles because it has harmful ingredients for cats such as sugar and artificial sweeteners which is also banned in several countries.
Summary
However, one or two Skittles won’t hurt your cat, but more than that will adversely affect your cat. So, you should keep Skittles away from your cats.
In summary, skittles, oreos, donuts, ice cream, and cookies are not safe for cats. These are human food treats that are unsafe for cats.
All in all, skittles are harmful to cats, and they can have digestive Issues, upset stomachs, diarrhea, and other health issues in cats. Hence, it would be best not to share skittles with your cat. You can give cat treats to your furry friend.
