Can Cats Eat Hummus? Do Hummus Harm For Cats?

To understand this, let’s analyze the usual ingredients in hummus and assess their suitability for feline consumption.

Take Away Infromation

Hummus is unsafe for cats due to the presence of detrimental ingredients such as chickpeas, olive oil, onions, and tahini.

What Are Inside a Hummus Dish?

Chickpeas

As previously discussed, cats can technically eat beans, which includes garbanzo beans or chickpeas. However, since cats are obligate carnivores, do these do not play an important role a cat’s diet. If your cat eat chickpeas cooked or planed, your cats likely to be fine, there are some cases cats may struggle with digestion, leading to an upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Tahini

Tahini, made from sesame seeds, isn’t toxic to cats. However, like chickpeas, it’s not a suggested source of nutrition for them.

Lemon Juice

Citrus fruits and their juices are mildly toxic to cats as they contain psoralens and essential oils. Symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and even dermatitis can be exhibited. Luckily, cats usually avoid citrus fruits and dislike the scent of lemon, lime, and orange peels.

Olive Oil

Olive oil isn’t poisonous to cats, but its high fat content might be too much for them. Cats can not consume more than a very small amount olive oil which can cause vomiting or diarrhea.

Garlic

Garlic, a common ingredient in hummus, is part of the allium family, which is highly toxic to cats. Garlic and onions contain compounds like disulfides and thiosulphates, which can destroy a cat’s red blood cells.

Watching for poisoning symptoms over the next 2-4 days, such as drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, discolored urine, lack of appetite, lethargy, increased heart and respiratory rate, panting, or coma if you have doubt that your cat has eaten garlic, onion, or another allium family member. Don’t forget that just around one clove or 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder could cause to organ damage, organ failure on cats.

Read More: How to Treat Anemia in Cats Naturally?

Herbs and Spices

Hummus ingredients often include herbs and spices like parsley, paprika, cumin, and sumac. (Note: sumac spice is not the same as poison sumac.) In large quantities, these could upset your cat’s stomach or, in the case of parsley, cause photosensitivity. However, this is unlikely to occur from eating hummus.

Other Hummus Varieties

Roasted red peppers, jalapenos, sun-dried tomatoes, olive tapenade, pine nuts, spinach artichoke, cilantro, or lime may have in other hummus. Avoid giving your cat anything spicy and remember that most vegetable-based ingredients aren’t nutritionally valuable for your cat. Most importantly, refrain from feeding your cat hummus that contains allium-family ingredients: garlic, onions, scallions, chives, shallots, etc.

Read more: Can Cats Eat Black Beans? What Kind Of Beans Can Cats Eat?

Read More: Should I Quarantine My Cat with Tapeworms?

Can Cats Eat Chickpeas?

Hummus primarily consists of chickpeas, which are not inherently toxic to cats. So, if your cat consumes a few chickpeas or a bit of hummus, there’s generally no cause for immediate concern. However, it’s still not advisable to feed your cat hummus for several reasons:

Chickpeas Are Difficult to Digest

As blackbeans or other beans, Raw chickpeas contain what are known as antinutrients – plant-based compounds that inhibit the absorption of essential nutrients. Chickpeas also have a low glycemic index, meaning they take a while to digest and for the glucose from the food to enter your cat’s bloodstream.

High in Carbohydrates

Approximately 61 grams of carbohydrates and 19 grams of protein per 100 grams have found in chickpeas, that are too high in cats required. Their diets should primarily consist of high-quality proteins. Unfortunately, some lower-quality cat foods use cheap carbohydrate fillers, which are unnecessary for cats. Chickpeas content the high carbohydrate so they are not necessary in a cat’s diet as they could contribute to long-term health problems such as feline diabetes and heart disease.

Oxalic Acid Could Trigger Allergies

Chickpeas contain oxalic acid, an organic compound that may trigger allergies or food intolerances in cats prone to these conditions. Oxalic acid can cause kidney disease. So, if your cat has known kidney issues or is older (12 years or more), it’s best to avoid foods with oxalic acid. However, it’s unlikely to cause noticeable effects in most cases as their low levels of oxalic acid.

Read more: Can Cats Eat Bell Peppers? What Vegetables Can Cats Eat?   

Are Chickpeas Harmful to Cats?

The toxicity of chickpeas to cats is a topic with varied opinions, mainly due to the lack of extensive research. However, discussing this matter may have on several factors.

Chickpeas contain compounds known as lectins, which can be toxic to cats and potentially lead to kidney disease. Furthermore, chickpeas have a high purine content. Purines can contribute to the formation of kidney stones in cats.

The popular dip made from chickpeas, hummus, often contains garlic, which can be toxic to cats.

Considering these factors, chickpeas might pose a toxicity risk to cats. They contain compounds that could harm their kidneys and potentially lead to other health issues. Therefore, if you’ve been feeding your cat chickpeas, it’s recommended to discontinue this practice immediately to prevent potential harm.

Read More: What Do Maine Coon Cats Eat? What They Love To Eat The Most? 

Can Cats Eat Hummus?

If you prepare homemade hummus and have complete control over the ingredients—specifically, excluding garlic and minimizing the use of lemon juice—your cat could potentially eat a small amount of hummus. However, if you’re using store-bought hummus, always check the listed ingredients before offering it to your feline friend.

Do some research for more information which human foods are safe for cats and which ones are not. When uncertain, it’s safer to keep your hummus to yourself. After all, your cat may not show much interest in it anyway! Now, a tasty piece of cooked salmon, that’s a different story…

You don’t need you feed your cats hummus, there are alot of foods can treat your cats such as Bell Peppers, Beets, Blackberries, Applesauce and Apple, Crab or other sources of protein as salmon, tuna, chicken,…

Your Cats can beg you while you are eating, don’t be tricked, it just there habit likely bite your nose or guard you when you pee, sleep pressed up against you or jumping on TV,…

Read more: How To Stop Cat From Jumping On The TV? 

How Much Hummus Can Cats Eat?

Hummus is a mixture that includes tahini, a sesame seed paste. While a small amount of tahini is unlikely to harm your cat, it’s best to avoid feeding them any hummus containing this ingredient.

Moreover, hummus often contains garlic and onion, both of which can be toxic to cats from a kitten to a cat, a pregnant cat or cats with diseases as Bipolar, Feline Leukemia, cat using Subcutaneous Fluids,…. Consult with your veterinarian before offering it to your pet if your are not sure if brand of hummus are safe for cats or not.

If you decide to feed your cat hummus, ensure it’s in moderation and free from any potentially harmful ingredients.

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What If Cats Eat Hummus?

Not only Bengal or Siamese but also all cats aren’t meant to eat hummus. If your cat ends up eating some, it might fall ill, so it’s important to monitor them closely.

The presence of garlic can be toxic to your cats if they unknown eating entire bowl of hummus. The degree of harm will depend on the amount of garlic contained in the hummus and the size of your cat.

In the hours following their hummus feast, closely monitor your cat for any unusual behaviors or symptoms such as:

  • Vomiting
  • Decreased appetite

If these are the only symptoms your cat exhibits, they will likely recover after some rest. Contact your vet as soon as possible if vomiting symptom continues or becomes worse.

More alarmingly, you should be vigilant for signs of garlic poisoning, which include:

  • Excessive lethargy
  • Weakness
  • Lack of coordination
  • Pale gums
  • Discolored urine (brown or red)
  • Excessive salivation
  • Continuous vomiting
  • Diarrhea which lead dehydrated and using Subcutaneous Fluids

Besides Hummus, cats can observe these symtom by eating foods containing preservatives, salt, sugar, spices, colorants,…such as: pickles, sausage, marshmallows,…

Read more: How Long Can A Cat Live On Subcutaneous Fluids? 

Can Feed Hummus to Kittens?

Despite hummus being considered a healthy snack for humans, it’s not advisable for kittens. High in fiber is one of the reason that it do not serve for your cats. Kittens lack the digestive system to handle such high fiber content, which could result in digestive issues.

Furthermore, hummus typically contains salt and a significant amount of garlic, both of which are not recommended for kittens as they could be harmful in large quantities.

Do Chickpeas Cause Miscarriages In Pregnant Cats?

While there’s no scientific evidence directly linking hummus consumption to miscarriages in pregnant cats, certain aspects of hummus could potentially contribute to pregnancy complications.

Hummus is rich in fat and calories. Overconsumption can cause to excessive weight gain in pregnant cats, that are resulting in issues such as gestational diabetes and premature birth or potentially increasing the risk of a miscarriage.

Another consideration is that hummus contains tahini, a paste derived from sesame seeds. Lignans on sesame seed can cause liver damage and reproductive issues in cats if consumed in large amounts, potentially increasing the risk of miscarriage.
Miscarriages in pregnant cats are not concrete in any reports which showing hummus is the reason, but high-fat diets can be the one, try to avoid feeding your cat hummus or any other food containing these ingredients.

Read more: Do Siamese Cats Shed? All Information You Need

Q&A About Can Cats Eat Hummus?

Can cats eat boiled chickpeas?

While cats can physically consume boiled chickpeas, it is not recommended to include them in their diet. Chickpeas are not toxic to cats, but they are also not easily digestible for them. Plant-based proteins or fibrous foods like chickpeas are not for cats because they are obligate carnivores. Thus, feeding your cat chickpeas could lead to digestive problems.

How toxic is garlic to cats?

Garlic is highly toxic to cats. Hemolytic anemia can be cause by damage to red blood cells from garlic. Symptoms of garlic poisoning in cats may include weakness, reluctance to move, rapid breathing, pale gums, an increased heart rate, and collapsing. Contact a veterinarian immediately if you concern your cats eat garlic. Try to avoid them from garlic as a small amount can be harmful.

Read More: What Is Pica In Cats? Symptoms, Causes & Treatments 

Will a tiny piece of onion hurt a cat?

While a tiny piece of onion might not immediately show adverse effects in a cat, onions are toxic to cats and should be avoided. As garlic, onions can damage a cat’s red blood cells and cause anemia. Weakness, decreased appetite, lethargy, and changes in urine color can be exhibit after a few days. Even small, regular amounts of onion can lead to a cumulative toxic effect.

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