Can Cats Eat Doritos?

Pet parents sometimes can't help but share whatever it is they're eating with their furry friends. Especially when they look at you with those big eyes. But is this a good practice? What about if you're snacking on your favorite Doritos chips? Can cats even eat them? We asked our pet experts and here's what we found out.

Doritos are junk food that offers no nutritional value to your pet cat. They even have ingredients that can be toxic to felines that could induce vomiting, seizures, or coma. Eating too much of these chips can also cause obesity among our pets. That's why it's best not to let them eat these flavored tortilla chips.

Hang on there because we'll tell you more about why our beloved pets aren't supposed to eat Doritos and what happens to them when they eat chips. We'll also answer your burning questions such as if Doritos are toxic for felines and why your pet seems to like eating these flavored chips. In the end, we have some suggestions for healthy snacks that you can give to your cats.

Is it OK for cats to eat Doritos?

The average Joe loves his chips and Doritos is high up on the list when it comes to everyone's favorite tortilla chips.

Since many pet parents may be eating Doritos, it's inevitable that their cats would get curious about these snacks and want to try them out. If you just want to satisfy their curiosity, it's okay to give your pet a little of this tasty treat. There's no harm in that.

But when you allow your cats to always have access to a bag of these tortilla chips, then it becomes a problem. Doritos contain preservatives, additives, and other unhealthy components. They are junk food so your cats won't get any nutritional value out of them.

Some of the ingredients in making Doritos can make your pet ill when they've consumed a significant amount of them. That's why it's best not to let your felines get used to these tortilla chips. It's for their own good.

Are Doritos toxic to cats?

As we said earlier, a little amount of Doritos won't necessarily cause your pet to become ill right away. You can give them just one or two chips occasionally as a treat just to pacify them.

However, don't make it a habit to give Doritos as a treat to your pet. These all-time favorite snacks contain ingredients that are considered toxic to cats.

Doritos use salt and different kinds of cheese and milk ingredients to make these tortilla chips very tasty. There are varieties of Doritos that are covered in onion and garlic powder. They also use additives that present a high risk upon over-exposure.

According to pet experts, the above-mentioned ingredients can be harmful to your felines. They can induce vomiting, excessive thirst, seizures, or comas, among other things.

When your cat manifests any of these signs or seems to behave differently after consuming a pack of Doritos, take her to your vet right away so that she will be given the proper treatment.

But even if your pet doesn't seem to have any adverse reaction when eating these chips, remember that eating too many Doritos can lead to obesity and other diseases later on. Of course, we don't want this to happen to our pets that's why we should limit their intake of this kind of treats if not avoid it altogether.

Why do cats like Doritos?

You might be wondering why your cat seems to enjoy eating her nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips just as much as you do. A veterinarian on a popular Q&A website offered 2 possible reasons behind it.

One is that she sees you eating them. She gets curious about it. And since you're her favorite human, she likes to share this snack with you. It is a great bonding moment as you spend quality time eating your favorite chips.

The other reason is that cats could be attracted to the salty taste of Doritos chips. Felines have fewer taste buds than canines and humans and they don't have the taste receptors for sweet flavors. But they have the ability to detect salty flavor and this must be what makes Doritos irresistible to your pets.

Just a word of caution, though. Make sure you limit your cat's intake of these chips. As we have been saying, too many of these treats are harmful to your pet.

What happens if a cat eats chips?

Sometimes cats are able to get ahold of some chips that have fallen on the floor or our leftovers from the trash. Don't panic when this happens. As mentioned above, if your cat was able to consume just a small amount of chips, it won't do her any harm.

But of course, it's part of responsible pet parenting to not give them easy access to these snacks. No matter how tasty and delicious they are, potato and tortilla chips are still considered junk foods. And junk foods are just that, junk.

Chips don't provide any added nutritional value to your feline's diet. They also contain a dangerously high amount of salt, fat, and additives that may be bad for your cat's health.

When your pet has eaten too much of these chips, they might have an upset stomach because these treats contain certain ingredients that are considered toxic to cats. Just so you know, salt, cheese, milk, onion, and garlic are harmful to felines.

You might observe that your cat suddenly has diarrhea, feels very thirsty, or her movements may be uncoordinated. This might be due to food poisoning and you should take your pet to the emergency vet when this happens.

Chips won't do your cat any good. Period. That's why it's best not to feed your pets with potato and tortilla crisps.

What snacks can I give my cat?

Cats are obligate carnivores that thrive on a meat-based diet. They need amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to keep them in the best of health. They most certainly won't be able to obtain them from Doritos or other chips in the market.

Even the treats that we give our pets should be healthy so that we can help them to achieve optimum health. Here are some human foods that you can share with your furry friends:

• Strawberries and blueberries
• Honeydew, cantaloupe, and seedless watermelon
• White rice
• Cooked carrots
• Pureed pumpkin
• Spinach
• Oatmeal
• Boiled eggs

Opt for these healthy snacks instead so that you can be sure that your feline is getting added nutritional value from what she's eating. But if you're having a hard time feeding your cat, as felines can be really picky eaters, it's best to consult with your vet for the right diet and treats for your furbaby.

Final Thoughts

It's really simple. Junk foods are bad for us as well as our beloved pets. We should refrain from feeding them Doritos or any other chips as they won't do anything good for our cats. There are lots of healthy snacks out there that we can give to them as treats that would contribute to their good health. That's a part of being a responsible pet parent.