Everyone loves jello! In the United States alone, it’s estimated that over one million boxes are purchased per day – crazy, right? With that in mind, you may have wondered… “Can I share some of this tasty snack with my favorite feline friend?” So, can cats eat jello?
Can cats eat jello?
The answer to this question can be quite complicated. Jello can be offered to cats, as long as it does not contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners like xylitol.
The traditional jello is made primarily of sugar or artificial sweeteners and gelatin. Gelatin is a protein produced from collagen that is extracted by boiling bones, connective tissue, and other animal by-products.
So, generally speaking: for gelatin, it’s a yes; for jello with sugar or any sweeteners, it’s certainly a no.
What are the health benefits of gelatin?
Plain meat-based gelatin is ok for cats to eat, and guess what? It can actually be beneficial for them. The amino acids present in the meat-based gelatin can support your cat’s health. They help to restore joint health, improve skin, fur and teeth health, too.
On the other hand, jello with sugar or artificial sweeteners can be toxic for felines, and may cause a lot of digestive issues.
Plant-based gelatin, such as vegan gelatin, should also be avoided as it doesn’t contain the amino acids that can benefit your cat.
What should I be aware of when offering gelatin to my cat?
If you want to offer some gelatin to your feline friend, you should be absolutely certain that it does not contain anything more than meat-based gelatin. Any artificial sweeteners or sugar are totally prohibited.
The safest option is to make your own gelatin, as then you’ll know exactly what’s in it. You can make homemade gelatin treats with beef or bone broth and gelatin.
As for quantities, you shouldn’t add more than 1/2 of a teaspoon of gelatin to your cat’s daily diet. You can sprinkle it in their wet cat food or mix it into their homemade meals.
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The question I was looking to get answered is how to make treats for cats that contain gelatin and this came up. I don’t see a snack recipe here but it mentions meat gelatin. I understood that to mean there’s a gelatin made from meat which sounds super disgusting or maybe the story meant add meat in my jello.. Idk but it didn’t explain. I’d like to make a firm gelatin cat treat somehow made with albacore, egg and gelatin and I’d like to make them in a silicon sheet with shapes that look like little fish. I want to do this project with my grandson and I’d really appreciate and recipes to follow. I wouldn’t mind having a baked recipe too as long as I’m able to keep all thy treats a uniform size
This is a bit late, but in case anyone else has a similar question:
Standard gelatin is meat based (comes from bones). That is what they mean. You can get unflavored “normal” gelatin with no dangerous sweetners and add flavors from broth or bits of meat.
They also make vegan plant based “gelatin”, but that wouldn’t add much if any value to your cat’s diet.
Thank you for your comment! 🙂