Honey is very often recommended for its many medicinal virtues. And for good reason, humans and animals alike can benefit from it on many levels.
But maybe you once asked yourself: “Can cats eat honey?”. Indeed, is honey toxic for cats?
Contrary to some received ideas, honey is not toxic for cats.
Of course, like most foods that are not part of its basic diet, it should not be abused.
Here’s how to use honey to treat and prevent your cat from certain illnesses, both internally and externally.
Can Cats Eat Honey? Yes, Honey Is Good for Cats’ Health
Honey is an absolutely exceptional food with multiple medicinal virtues, however, beware, this does not mean that honey should become a central part of your cat’s diet.
As we will see later on, in order to get the most out of bee honey for cats, it is important to know how often to give it to them and when it is advisable and useful.
Here is how and why honey can improve your cat’s health:
- It is a high-energy food, in fact, it is the most energetic food of all.
- Honey is emollient (softening). It protects the gastrointestinal mucosa and helps to overcome health problems in this area, such as feline gastritis for example.
- It has a strong bactericidal power, which means that when ingested orally, it helps to fight infections naturally.
- Applied locally, it improves the recovery and healing of any wound or dermatological lesion.
What Exactly Is Honey?
Honey is a natural product resulting from the transformation of nectar by bees.
Thanks to its many therapeutic benefits and its delicious taste, it has been part of our diet since the dawn of time.
Indeed, its properties are multiple:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Bactericide
- Immuno-modulator
- Antibiotic
- Etc.
Composed of 80% sugar and 20% water, honey also contains amino acids, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and enzymes.
Indeed, honey contains a very powerful enzyme with antibacterial properties: glucose oxidase.
This is the main reason why honey is used to treat certain intestinal problems, various types of inflammation and dermatological wounds in cats.
The two main sugars contained in honey – fructose and glucose – are very well digested and assimilated by the organism of our favorite felines. Your tomcat can therefore enjoy all its benefits, both orally and through the skin.
But beware, honey is only recommended in very low doses. Not only can it provoke diabetes because of its high sugar content, but also intoxication. Although very rarely, some honeys contain a dangerous bacterium – botulinum toxin – which can cause a paralytic disease called botulism. Also check the dosage.
Ask your veterinarian for advice.
Honey in the Cat’s Diet
Now you know that honey is good for cats, but it is fundamental to learn how to introduce it into your cat’s diet.
A kitten can start eating honey from 5 weeks old, and until it is 8 weeks old, it will be used to make the milk better (this is a cat that cannot be breastfed by its mother).
For an adult cat, you can introduce honey in a complementary way when he is sick since this food is very energetic and stimulates the immune system. It can also be added in an exceptional way to a more gourmet dish than usual.
If your cat seems to be resistant to the taste of honey, add a little brewer’s yeast, which makes the food appetizing and also helps to cure some digestive problems.
If ever your cat doesn’t feel well after eating honey, it’s usually due to an abuse of it. Don’t forget that honey should remain exceptional and be given in small quantities (a small spoon should be enough).
Not all cats will digest honey in the same way – you should observe your feline during digestion, so you’ll know if the doses you’ve given him are right.
What kind of honey to use? The best option remains high quality organic honey.
Honey: By Oral or Dermal Route
Oral Honey
Take advantage of the benefits of honey to heal your cat of certain infections and inflammations. On top of that, he’ll probably like its sweet taste and creamy texture!
Honey is excellent for protecting the gastrointestinal mucosa of cats and preventing certain stomach problems such as gastritis, for example.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects, honey can also treat different types of inflammation: respiratory, oral, intestinal, etc.
In addition, its antibacterial properties can help relieve your cat of certain allergies, such as those related to pollen, for example – it’s a real treat, isn’t it?
Without having to cure anything, honey is also a nutrient that boosts the immune system and helps regain energy. So it’s a good way to prevent certain diseases and give your cat back some energy.
Honey through the Skin
Honey is also an excellent healing agent for skin lesions and can be applied directly to your tomcat’s wounds. But not only that! Honey also helps to fade odors, clean wounds, reduce pain, and most importantly, prevent the proliferation of fungi and bacteria, even some antibiotic-resistant bacteria. You can use it for wounds, burns and infected wounds.
Before applying it to your cat, ask your veterinarian for advice. Some doctors do not prescribe dietary honey for external wounds: medicinal honey is provided for this purpose. You can apply honey to your feline’s skin once a day and be careful not to lick it. You can then complete the treatment with grapefruit seed extract, for example.
Buy Honey to Fight Against the Extinction of Bees
Unfortunately, bees are nowadays on the verge of extinction. The mortality rate is very high and alarming: we are facing a mass extinction, which endangers the balance of the ecosystem of the entire planet.
Indeed, bees contribute to 80% of the reproduction of wild flowering plants.
The causes of this worrying mortality are mainly pesticides and other chemical substances as well as monoculture.
In order to help responsible beekeepers to preserve our environment, it is good to buy honey regularly, from organic farming, cold pressed, without additives or preservatives.
In addition, there are different varieties of honey (forest honey, spring honey, mountain honey, causse honey, garrigue honey, etc.), full of different flowers!
In order not to lose its benefits, it is not recommended to heat it – heated honey would indeed lose most of its properties. Always keep your jars in a cool place, and if possible, away from light.
We hope this article has answered the question “Can cats eat honey?”. But what about you? Have you ever fed honey to your cat? How did it react? Tell us about your experience!
I recently read an article. What is your opinion? http://favoritebestpet.com/can-cats-eat-honey/
Great article, even if we are competing on this one!