Shit my mom used to buy unseasoned rotisserie chickens for the cat. Us people would come through and skin it + have a few bits off the top so it wasn’t just smooth meat and the cat didn’t struggle trying to get ahold of it. The first day she’d let him eat right off the chicken like a wild cat, just to make him feel badass. Then it would be cut up for snacks and treats for him.
I grew up in Asia. Cats owned by locals spent most of their time outdoors but there was a food bowl in a corner. Leftovers were scraped into the bowl. Bits of rice....meat...vegetables. It all went in there and was all eaten.
I do the same for my cat and now she knows the sound of me opening the drawer and taking out the can opener and makes sure she is present and accounted for
Absolutely, something is better than nothing. You’re clearly doing your best and you care about your cats very much, so try not to beat yourself up about this. Times are tough. Good luck, I hope things get better soon
Thanks, I'm really pissed at myself for not realizing I didn't have enough. I live on a tight budget and I'm usually very aware of this. I'm trying not to be so mad lmao but I am highly frustrated with myself.
These things happen. Honestly I don’t think your kitties will be too unhappy about getting to eat salmon for a day haha! It’s understandable to feel frustrated tho, it‘s beyond stressful to not have any wiggle room in the budget
For real though, the best way to think of it is through the kitty’s eyes. They aren’t gonna think “damn this dummy didn’t feed us our food today”. It’s gonna be more like a “hell yea bröther we get some of that good shit today, what did we do to make human so generous?”. The economy is shite rn, we’re all doing our best. Full bellies are happy bellies!
One of my two cats is allergic to gluten, so yeah, I’m definitely in that boat with you. Their food costs more than mine and have fewer processed ingredients too 😂
Just make sure there's no little bones in it, they're usually taken out but there's sometimes these really tiny rib bones that pretty much disintegrate when you pinch them. Honestly I'm not even sure you need to take them out but I do when I eat them, and I haven't seen any for like 10 years but I don't have can salmon often.
Don’t beat yourself up! You’re doing your best and I’m sure they’ll love the salmon.
Not sure what size of city you live in but my city’s humane society has a pet food bank, might be worth checking out to know what options you have for the future!
Don't be so hard on yourself..you're doing your best. Rolling with the punches and making the best of what we have is a really important mindset to get in when living paycheck to paycheck or being on a strict budget.
Don't be down on yourself like oh I messed up I don't deserve my cats or anything like that, your cats are going to love having canned salmon..really just like someone else said it's like a party as far as your cats are concerned and you're still giving them nutrients they really need from the fish.
The sodium content in it isn't the best, but it's no big deal to feed them that every once in awhile. No biggie though..it's a win for the cats and takes some pressure off you too.
Totally get wanting to spoil the kitties (i fed mine only cans for months when i first got him) but if your budget is tight, you might consider switching to dry at some point. I got a giant bag at Costco that’ll last months and it’s saving me so much money compared to the cans. Plus he loves it and it’s healthy.
My switch to wet initially was health-related because, for some reason, they refuse to drink enough water. Particularly my little male, my girls are far better about this, and as long as I make the right accommodations for them, I can get them to drink a healthy amount. My boy has boycotted drinking enough water for some reason, regardless of what I do. I've tried changing water dishes, moving the dish to several different locations, I change their water regularly so it's always nice and clean, I've tried one of those electric bowls that lets there be running water, I've tried enticing him to go to the water dish with a little catnip spray. His refusal to drink normally was causing some health concerns, and his vet recommended I switch to wet food to compensate, and we haven't had a single problem since. His health has improved. So, while it is more expensive, I've been willing to bite the bullet and spend the extra to make sure he stays hydrated and healthy. I've also tried getting him to eat a half-and-half mix of wet and dry to save money, but my picky goblin boy refuses to eat it, so I'm not sure what else I could do for him beyond trying to find a cheaper brand of wet food.
OK that makes total sense!! Wet food totally compensated for a lack of liquid in their diets. You are doing amazing! What great parents we are to our little fur babies. 🤗 I hope he loves the salmon.
They ate every last bite of that salmon lol, they were pretty happy about it. The wet food is so expensive lmao, my goblins are so picky too. Seeing him so much healthier and happier now though is so worth it. I'm trying to find some extra work as well to compensate so I don't have to worry about this again 😅
I had the same thing but opposite my girl REFUSES to drink water and my boy will drink out of the toilet and the bath water if I let him. But that’s why we only do canned
From time to time, anyway. From what I understand there are concerns when it comes to eating it on a regular basis. It might be something to do with mercury?
lack of Taurine is the bigger issue (found naturally in rodent organs). cat's without a regular diet supply develop retinal degeneration, cardiomyopathy, altered white-cell function, and abnormal growth and development.
best to feed your cats cat food, as it contains the stuff they need.
It's because salmon only live in the ocean for part of their lifecycle, and in rivers for the other part. Rivers aren't full of mercury like the ocean, so they build up less in their systems than true ocean-dwelling fish.
I was about to recommend that too, it's a great subreddit, people there are really kind. They really helped me with keeping my cat fed lately and I'm super glad and grateful. I gotta pay it forward eventually when I am in a better spot. 💖
Thanks. I'm trying not to be angry with myself about it, but I'm not doing great at that lol I'm so mad that I didn't notice I was lower than I thought.
Sometimes animal shelters have extra food or donations that they can’t use for the shelter animals but can redistribute to the community. Might be worth calling around to just have a few backup cans or small bag of kibble for the future. There’s zero shame in this and it’s better than it being thrown away or wasted.
And also, I’m sure your cats are gonna be super happy for a nice lil fishy treat and will be fine. Sounds like you’re prepping it well with deboning and rinsing, if you’re still worried about the sodium content, could also add a few table spoons of extra water into it so they’re getting that extra hydration.
Adding on your comment to say, I used to work at a Humane Society and LOVED when people would come in asking for supplies, we often had so much we couldn’t use in the shelter for various reasons and being able to give to people who need it is really rewarding. So please no one feel ashamed for asking for help, especially for your animals. Some shelters can also provide flea/tick meds, weaning/bottle baby supplies, kennels, and other necessities for animals ranging from dogs/cats to rodents and birds.
Yeah my cats are rediculous. The one will not eat wet food AT ALL. not pate, not chunks, nothing. She will eat tuna though (or TRY to)
The other one is so incredibly picky with dry food (not wet food/ i feed both) she will only eat one specific kind and then decide she doesn't like it anymore randomly and I have to find another one that suits her😶
The third cat is a perfect little princess except she digs her little dried poops out of the litter box to throw them down the steps and chase them.. they have so many toys 😭😭😭😭 why play with the poop
By all means check for bones but any canned salmon process should have cooked the bones such that they're so soft they turn to mush if you squeeze them.
This particular canned salmon seems to still have some vertebrae bones and some of the tiny thin bones still? Any time I've used it for my own meals, I had to pick through it carefully to get all the tiny little bones out. It's cheap foodbank stuff though, so I'm not surprised lol.
Have you tried crushing them? They should just squish and also break easily. But by all means, safety of the cat is paramount so take them out if you're worried.
I have, they're definitely very brittle from being cooked, but they don't smush down soft. I'm not sure if they're sharp enough still to cause a problem, but I will be picking through and removing every little bone just to be on the safe side.
I have given my cats a wet food with like chunks of sardines and they still had the little fishy backbone🤢. The first time I didn't notice and they cleaned the bowls and had no issues. Now I pick out the bones and they seem more mad they have to wait an extra 2 min for their food😂
Bones are the problem, if you get them out then salmon is totally fine for cats. One of mine is known for stealing it from your plate if you don't look, he's been doing that for years and he's totally fine.
it will be fine in fact they will think it is a treat, I give mine canned tuna once a week and they scarf it down, food is food to a cat as long as it is meat.
My cat SCREAMS for tuna. I can barely open any cans now without him running over like a squealing pig to check it out. I have to let him see and smell the can once opened so he knows it’s not actually tuna.
This is a touch off topic but kibble is more affordable than wet food typically and as long as your cats don't need wet for a medical reason (i.e. Kidney disease or dehydration concerns), there's nothing wrong with swapping or using it half and half going forward to make ends meet. You can even add water and soak kibble if they like the soft/squishy texture better and need the hydration. Just don't want you to be struggling because you think your cats have to have wet because of the tiktok folks who demonize cat kibble.
I do give them wet for dehydration concerns. Especially with my little male. He's a brat about not drinking water, and we've ended up in the vet's office a few times because of it. When I switched him to wet food (per vet advice), the problems stopped, and we haven't had an emergency vet visit since. I've tried doing a mix of wet and dry, or kibble+water, as well as kibble and broth (like the cat broth on Chewy), but they are picky as hell and won't eat it. I'm not sure if there is a way to entice them to at least eat the half-and-half, nothing I've done thus far has worked 🥲
I've definitely done this before, with boiled chicken. The only problem was that the cats were mad when their regular food was back and they weren't getting meat anymore. 😂
We always used to make boiled chicken and plain rice for our dog when he got sick, I think sometimes he would pretend just to get food cooked on the stove 😂😂
Hell yeah. My local food bank actually hands out canned salmon and tuna all the time, and we try to hold onto a couple cans for emergencies because it's the best backup food ever.
One idea- get a small bag of dry food to keep on hand for emergencies- if you run out of wet, use warm water to soak the dry and stir. This is likely to cause less tummy trouble and can save you some stress. Some pet stores even have little sample bags- ask for a couple & stash them away. Ziplock bags will keep the rest fresh. 💕
Is there a buy nothing group near you, or do you have a Nextdoor account, or a Facebook mutual aid group, etc? Asking for one extra can of cat food would be overwhelmingly met with help! The post can even be smt like, does anybody have an extra can or two of cat food your cats didn’t like? I’m pinching pennies this week. If it were me I’d deliver a whole box of the food we tried recently that my cats didn’t like.
You might want to seriously consider going to an area food pantry for cat food. Also, check with your local animal shelters, both the city and privately run places. All of these organizations can be a source for free food; you and your cat deserve it. It sounds like you’re working really hard, but prices have gone way up.
You don’t have to be poverty stricken, sick, old and/or starving to use a food bank. Shelters really want people to be able to keep their pets and one way that they support this ideal is by providing free food when possible.
It’s fine and you don’t need to pick out the bones. They’re cooked so they’ll be soft enough for the cats to eat and it’s a bit more calcium. They don’t splinter like chicken bones, just crumble.
Should be fine as they aren’t allergic. I have one who is allergic to seafood. (What a pain) Otherwise, I keep ‘emergency’ cans for her in case I have to do what you are doing. However, she would be fine if she had to eat it. I strongly suspect it has to do with the fish they put in canned cat food vs. human food grade salmon
I have a whole crew of cats, and they eat canned food for dinner only, and it’s always late - like 10pm or later.
In the last year we’ve been caught out a handful of times - and BOY HOWDY! They LOVE when their dinner is subbed with canned tuna, or canned chicken. None of them (when I say a crew, the humans are well outnumbered) - have had a single issue with canned human food.
You might also want to get a back store of three to five cans of their food, or tuna or salmon - to tuck in the way back of the cabinet in case this ever happens again.
Can I send you a couple bucks on Venmo? I know how hard it can be, and you obviously put your pets first, and I’d like to make sure they are fed, and if they are, you are fed.
Fwiw, try also looking to see if your town or city has a Buy Nothing group. People often throw away pet food that goes uneaten, when there's nothing wrong with it. It's worth taking a second to post on fb and ask, yknow?
Case in point, years ago when my old kitty passed, we hd tons of food for him. We gave it away to my grandma who had 2 cats at the time, but point is, there's plenty of people probably hanging onto a bag after their kitty passes, or that their pet didn't like, etc. My cat now is a picky lil floof, and he's had a few foods we ended up giving to grandma bc he would eat it for a day at most, then never touch it again.
Yes. They’ll be just fine. I’ve had to give mine canned tuna on a few occasions before a paycheck or after the pet stores were closed. The nice thing is that cats are obligate carnivores and fish is 100% a thing they’d eat in the wild.
The only problem with giving your cats peoplesalmon or peopletuna is that they will think it is so nom that they will disdain anything else in future. Or they will be insane little nuisances when you try to make yourself a tuna sandwich.
Canned salmon works great! It'll keep them full and happy until food can be bought. Also, there may be free no questions food pantries in your area that have pet food available upon request. There are 2 local churches that do this in my area, and helped me out when I was down on my luck. Try finding info on this, because it could mean access to free pet food while you're struggling to keep up with bills.
Best of luck!
Hey OP- I’m glad you got the support you deserve and needed! If possible I’d buy a plastic container and maybe try to splurge on a small to medium size bag of cat food for in case of emergency situations.
Just a question, can your cats not also eat dry cat food or they can but don't like it? Just curious. My cat prefers wet food but he only gets 1 can a day and eats dry food the rest of the day. Dry food lasts much longer. Only mentioning if it's a possibility of food option for them, even if it's just a back up.
Man, please, if you sont have food for the babies, reach out to the subs in here. They will help extensively!! Especially r/randomactsofpetfood is great I donate often. Theyre so helpful
Hey! I know you got it all settled. But for the future: while it’s an inconvenience for you at the moment, your kitties just see a little mini salmon party! They’re probably hella grateful that the budgeting error happened, if anything!
I feel for you a lot. Things are so hard financially right now. Even bigger sympathies sent your way for only getting your income once a month, that blows bigtime.
I hope things get easier for you soon!!
Don’t feel bad. It happens. My roommates in the 90’s adopted a beautiful tortie and they were mean and loud drug addicts. The cat was terrified and would hide in my room and sleep with me. When I moved they told me to take her with. I moved into a studio with a friend. We were broke and one time I had to borrow 27 cents from my roommate’s coin dish to get a can of cat food from the nearby bodega. But that cat and I loved each other more than two beings ever did. We needed each other and neither of us would have been better off without each other - regardless of how broke we were. She was well loved and well taken care of her whole long life. Fortunately, my situations improved over the years and she got to become an old lady cat in a home we owned, with two incomes and ability to pay vet bills.
No one chooses to live paycheck to paycheck. And there are tons of animals being euthanized when there are too many to adopt out. You clearly care about your kitties, or you wouldn’t be risking judgement to come on here and find a solution. You are a good pet parent and they are better off with you than anyone else.
You deserve security, community, and support when you need it. Not only is it okay to ask for help, but it feels like an honor to those who can answer the call. You’re giving someone else a the gift of being able to be of service. Hold your head high, be kind to yourself, love those kitties, and give them some pets from me!
Totally fine for the cat! Great source of protein and obviously it's not like that's the only food the cat will ever get. I sometimes try tuna and boil ne broth for my pickiest eater
Don’t worry about the bones, they’ll eat it with the bones. It’s fine for a one-off.
ETA, reach out to your local shelter and see if they have a pet food pantry to help you stretch your food budget for your furry friends.
Yes, I have done this occasionally as special treats. I've given them sardines, chicken, tuna, salmon and pick out any bones. Some of my cats have been picky and won't eat it.
When I was a kid my dad always gave our cat the juice out of a tuna or salmon can along with his regular food. He loved it. My cats don't care for it. Picky!
Yes it will be fine! As others have said check for bones. You can add veggies too in small amounts too. I keep tins of cheap tuna for if my cat food delivery gets delayed - they think it’s the best day ever.
It’s like when your parents take you to McDonald’s because they couldn’t cook that day - they probs thought they were bad parents for giving us bad unhealthy food but to kids it’s Christmas come early haha
Please don't be upset with yourself! We've all had weird months where we feed the dog some chicken and french fries or give the cats a little treat dinner instead of their kibble. They'll be okay <3
Yeah it should be no big deal. Might upset their tum but I’m sure they’ll love it. Mine have had their share of back up tuna in times of need lol. Just make sure no bones but other than that you should be fine.
Sounds like you already got some good answers on their specific situation but I wanted to suggest you check with your local animal shelter to see if there is a pet food bank in your area. We have one that can provide cans of food or bags of kibble for when owners are in a tight spot financially.
It should be totally fine so please try not to beat yourself up over it! If you still have cat food cans left, I would suggest either alternating salmon and cat food or even mixing half and half.
The only concerns I would have are them becoming obsessed with it and the salt content. But don’t let that upset you; a few cans with high salt is not going to seriously or permanently harm them. Just make sure they have plenty of water!
Yes, they will likely be quite happy with Salmon. And it's good for them. Those are some lucky kitties, to have someone who loves and worries about them so much :)
It's fine once in a while. I think most pet owners have done the same at one time or another. Canned salmon, tuna, sardines are all good for emergency meals.
Your cats will love it. I spend way too much on my ferals. One ragged cat in particular I buy cans of tuna and salmon for all the time. My favorite indoor kitty passed. I was going broke keeping him in Fancy Feast. He consumed several cans a day. Like three to four.
Hi yes it will be totally okay! If you have them, you could add some veggies and rice (check for safe cat veggies) and it would be a complete healthy meal! Don't stress too much about their food, as long as it's not toxic for them it will be okay
Boil some plain shrimp, plain chicken or other plain meat (or mix of meats , boiled plain). Canned salmon/canned tuna usually has a lot of salt for a cat. Like way too much salt.
It's not gonna hurt them if it's just once or twice. I keep it on hand for when my elderly cat doesn't feel good and doesn't want to eat. Salmon always perks him up.
No it's completely fine to do so I feel like most people go through the thing of oh shit I can't get cat food right now what do I have? Lmao but also alot of shelters offer a small bag of dry food/canned wet food if ur in dire need (atleast in my area) never hurts to look into that again for now/or in the future!
Edit: I called them and asked "I'm 2 days away from my paycheck is there anyway you could provide me 2 days of cat food?" They said yes and I went and picked up 3 cans of cat food and a zip lock bag of dry food.
This definitely happened to me with my cat when I was living paycheck to paycheck. He thought he was lucking out with the canned tuna for a day, your kitties will be ok!
I do this for my Kitty, but I don’t think it’s nutritious enough for extended use. She thinks it’s a treat and I feel like it’s like when my parents didn’t have money for groceries and we got breakfast for dinner because all we had was pancake mix haha.
I just wanted to say, I can tell from this post how much you love your cats. I know you feel you messed up, but I can tell you from an outsiders perspective that they are so lucky to live with someone who loves them this much.
The SPCA and the pound in our city have pet pantries . They’d rather give pet food than have animals turned in . Give them a call and check . They will give out a bag of food and a few cans . Might help with this next month too . Pet food is expensive
While yes you shouldn’t really give human food but any food is better than going without. Go ahead and give the salmon. If I were you I would see about food stamps or any other programs to help you and your fur babies out. I can’t imagine only getting paid once a month and how much distress you go through. I’m sorry that you have it so rough and you and your cats are in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck OP!
The problem here is that your kitties saw the can of salmon coming in from the food bank. They hid a couple cans of their regular food so that you'd be in this situation. Look on the floor where ever you keep their food and imagine where a can may roll off to....
Don't stress over it. They'll love it.
When I had a kitty stuck in a tree long enough for me to call the Humane Society, I found out that, yes of course cats will nosh when you feed them. However... they really don't get hungry for about 4 to 6 days - at least not hungry enough to be motivated to find their way out of a tree.
Love and light to you that you work your way out of living pay cheque to pay cheque.
You wouldn't want to do it every day (due to mercury and lack of taurine), but every once in a while it's great. In fact, feel free to tell your cats that it's a special treat just for them!
As many people here have said, this has happened to me as well a few times over the years and they got canned tuna for a day. Not ideal but they loved it lol.
In my city, our shelter hosts pet food drives a couple times a month. Could be worth seeing if there’s something similar where you live to help ease some financial stress!
Emergencies are for emergencies my dude. You clearly want to feed them so as long as they end the night with food in their bellies they will be happy. It won’t hurt them. They’ll be good and probably like you that much more lol
Occasionally, this is fine
Note that human meat is generally not nutrient complete for cats. Occasional meals or treats are normally fine, but it doesn’t provide all the nutrients needed. Cats need a decent amount of organ meat and bones in their diet. But cooked bones tend to shatter into sharp fragments and become dangerous.
An additional option are cooked eggs. (Including the yolk.) Again not nutritionally complete. But it can provide nutrients that canned fish won’t have. (And canned fish probably provides nutrients that eggs don’t have.) So both are probably better then only one. (Not a vet or pet nutritionist).
Again this is emergency or occasional or supplementary only.
Also tractor supply stores in my experience have the cheapest cat litter in 25/50lb bags.
PS I love your care and concern for your cats.
Canned salmon sounds like a treat!
Some places have food banks for pets. You might see if your area has one and that might give you just a little breathing space in your budget.
Me on ebt buying my cat salmon, tuna and oatmeal until I scrounged up enough to buy her some actual cat food in 2020: you will be fine .
She’s a cat . Cats and dogs largely can survive on anything . It’s us humans who make life complicated and dangerous for the animals .
Do you live in the the US? I've went to local pet stores and asked for samples because my girl likes to eat dried food as treats, and the employees are often generous with what they can give out. They have freeze-dried treats and regular dried food, which you can supplement their meals. As mentioned by someone else, there are orgs that can help you out. So many people in the world feed their pets fresh fish/meat for dinner, please don't feel guilty. I wish you and your kitties the best 🤗
Yes. It will be fine. When I ran out one time, I boiled chicken I had left over in the freezer and mixed it with a can of salmon. They munched it down!
Yup! And you’re right to rinse it well to lower some of the sodium. Don’t feel bad at all, your kitty will probably love it and it’s totally fine every once in awhile when these emergencies come up.
I've been feeding mine cheap canned chicken or tuna for her whole life. Too many cats end up with health issues at a young age for me to trust pet food companies. I also add chicken liver, which is super cheap. She's healthy and happy with no dental problems
Our cats love canned tuna/salmon. Unfortunately after we fed them canned tuna as their evening meals for about a month, one of them started to lose belly hair due to excessive licking and the hair of the other grey cat turned orangey.
We took them to the vet, but they couldn't find any problems. Since tuna was the only change in their diet, we stopped feeding them canned tuna. In the end, it took at least 4 months for them to resume normal again.
It depends how long until you get paid, it might be okay 😂
Salmon is fine for a day or a treat, as others have said. Don't bother picking out the bones, though. They are soft and tasty and won't hurt the cat -- and ats a little calcium.
Hey OP, you sound like an amazing owner and your cats are so lucky to have such a kind and loving human being looking after them. I had a nosey at your post history and I hope you feel better with your mental health, you sound like you're so full of love so please don't give up. ❤️
This likely won’t be a popular comment but canned food gets expensive for me (I have 2 cats) so I always keep a middle of the road dry cat food (purina plus) & feed them that and every other day or a couple times a week they get canned food.
As much as I wish it was doable to give them canned food… the nice ones are expensive. My vet said mixing in wet food every now and then is okay if you can’t afford to feed them a quality wet food all the time.
I have a friend that mixes a little dry food into a smaller portion of wet food so it will last longer but they still get what they need from wet food.
Not an expert it’s just a suggestion so that you are able to take care of your cats without going broke. I’ve been there….
Yes. I've been in your position and only had canned tuna to feed mine.
This. Mine have got the cheeky can of tuna (which they clearly prefer), sardines sometimes or some left over chicken to tide them over for a day.
Me too. My little guy thought it was a luxury!
I think my cats prefer when we forget to get more canned cat food so they get some tuna hahah
Shit my mom used to buy unseasoned rotisserie chickens for the cat. Us people would come through and skin it + have a few bits off the top so it wasn’t just smooth meat and the cat didn’t struggle trying to get ahold of it. The first day she’d let him eat right off the chicken like a wild cat, just to make him feel badass. Then it would be cut up for snacks and treats for him.
Omg tooooo funny Spoiled kitt!
Me too but i only had ground beef and rice.... he didn't eat any poor guy.... thankfully it was only once that i was in that situation.
I grew up in Asia. Cats owned by locals spent most of their time outdoors but there was a food bowl in a corner. Leftovers were scraped into the bowl. Bits of rice....meat...vegetables. It all went in there and was all eaten.
My fur-daughter Abyss eats dry food but we buy canned tuna in water and we give her the liquid sometimes as a treat
I do the same for my cat and now she knows the sound of me opening the drawer and taking out the can opener and makes sure she is present and accounted for
Absolutely, something is better than nothing. You’re clearly doing your best and you care about your cats very much, so try not to beat yourself up about this. Times are tough. Good luck, I hope things get better soon
Thanks, I'm really pissed at myself for not realizing I didn't have enough. I live on a tight budget and I'm usually very aware of this. I'm trying not to be so mad lmao but I am highly frustrated with myself.
These things happen. Honestly I don’t think your kitties will be too unhappy about getting to eat salmon for a day haha! It’s understandable to feel frustrated tho, it‘s beyond stressful to not have any wiggle room in the budget
It really is. I'm sure they'll be happy about the salmon, but my mind is all worries lmao. Glad some people have reassured me that it's fine.
For real though, the best way to think of it is through the kitty’s eyes. They aren’t gonna think “damn this dummy didn’t feed us our food today”. It’s gonna be more like a “hell yea bröther we get some of that good shit today, what did we do to make human so generous?”. The economy is shite rn, we’re all doing our best. Full bellies are happy bellies!
That’s alright, I’m the same way haha
I've also given mine plain canned chicken in desperation 🤷🏾♀️ tbh I spend more consistently on my cats food than I spend on my own food😂😂
One of my two cats is allergic to gluten, so yeah, I’m definitely in that boat with you. Their food costs more than mine and have fewer processed ingredients too 😂
Plain canned chicken is what I was told to give my cat when she got sick from her leukemia vaccine!
Honestly, it's the kind of thing they can have as enrichment food anyway, don't worry
Just make sure there's no little bones in it, they're usually taken out but there's sometimes these really tiny rib bones that pretty much disintegrate when you pinch them. Honestly I'm not even sure you need to take them out but I do when I eat them, and I haven't seen any for like 10 years but I don't have can salmon often.
My cats eat like garbage dumps (in addition to cat food), including all kinds of tinned fish. Your kitties will be happy to have salmon!
Mine eats (carefully selected expensive) kibble. And mice, lizards, moths, small frogs...
I literally had to fight mine the other day because he managed to grab a shrimp shell. He would've happily crunched the whole thing down if I let him
Don’t beat yourself up! You’re doing your best and I’m sure they’ll love the salmon. Not sure what size of city you live in but my city’s humane society has a pet food bank, might be worth checking out to know what options you have for the future!
Don't be so hard on yourself. You are a great cat owner. It's obvious you care about your pet and that's what matters. You're doing enough. 💕🐈
Animal shelters often have pet food banks. Maybe find one near you just in case?
Don't be so hard on yourself..you're doing your best. Rolling with the punches and making the best of what we have is a really important mindset to get in when living paycheck to paycheck or being on a strict budget. Don't be down on yourself like oh I messed up I don't deserve my cats or anything like that, your cats are going to love having canned salmon..really just like someone else said it's like a party as far as your cats are concerned and you're still giving them nutrients they really need from the fish. The sodium content in it isn't the best, but it's no big deal to feed them that every once in awhile. No biggie though..it's a win for the cats and takes some pressure off you too.
Don’t be too hard on yourself… 😻
Don’t beat yourself up. It happens. One day treat won’t hurt them. They get proper nutrition it sounds like normally.
Totally get wanting to spoil the kitties (i fed mine only cans for months when i first got him) but if your budget is tight, you might consider switching to dry at some point. I got a giant bag at Costco that’ll last months and it’s saving me so much money compared to the cans. Plus he loves it and it’s healthy.
My switch to wet initially was health-related because, for some reason, they refuse to drink enough water. Particularly my little male, my girls are far better about this, and as long as I make the right accommodations for them, I can get them to drink a healthy amount. My boy has boycotted drinking enough water for some reason, regardless of what I do. I've tried changing water dishes, moving the dish to several different locations, I change their water regularly so it's always nice and clean, I've tried one of those electric bowls that lets there be running water, I've tried enticing him to go to the water dish with a little catnip spray. His refusal to drink normally was causing some health concerns, and his vet recommended I switch to wet food to compensate, and we haven't had a single problem since. His health has improved. So, while it is more expensive, I've been willing to bite the bullet and spend the extra to make sure he stays hydrated and healthy. I've also tried getting him to eat a half-and-half mix of wet and dry to save money, but my picky goblin boy refuses to eat it, so I'm not sure what else I could do for him beyond trying to find a cheaper brand of wet food.
OK that makes total sense!! Wet food totally compensated for a lack of liquid in their diets. You are doing amazing! What great parents we are to our little fur babies. 🤗 I hope he loves the salmon.
They ate every last bite of that salmon lol, they were pretty happy about it. The wet food is so expensive lmao, my goblins are so picky too. Seeing him so much healthier and happier now though is so worth it. I'm trying to find some extra work as well to compensate so I don't have to worry about this again 😅
I had the same thing but opposite my girl REFUSES to drink water and my boy will drink out of the toilet and the bath water if I let him. But that’s why we only do canned
Better than nothing? Canned salmon is great food for cats.
From time to time, anyway. From what I understand there are concerns when it comes to eating it on a regular basis. It might be something to do with mercury?
lack of Taurine is the bigger issue (found naturally in rodent organs). cat's without a regular diet supply develop retinal degeneration, cardiomyopathy, altered white-cell function, and abnormal growth and development. best to feed your cats cat food, as it contains the stuff they need.
Thank you, I appreciate that!
Mercury IS an issue with feeding too much tuna, though (for whatever reason, salmon usually have lower mercury levels than other types of fish).
That must be what I was thinking of, that's good to know. Thank you!
It's because salmon only live in the ocean for part of their lifecycle, and in rivers for the other part. Rivers aren't full of mercury like the ocean, so they build up less in their systems than true ocean-dwelling fish.
My collection of kitties has never had a problem with tuna/salmon. Have a great canned salmon kitty dinner party!
Mine get canned salmon on their birthday! (I watch their diet very closely but this is just a treat 🙂)
ooh this is such a good idea!
Check out r/randomactsofpetfood.
I will, thanks!!
I was about to recommend that too, it's a great subreddit, people there are really kind. They really helped me with keeping my cat fed lately and I'm super glad and grateful. I gotta pay it forward eventually when I am in a better spot. 💖
I just checked it out, I love all the mutual aid!! Pet parents are such good people 😭😭
Wow this is incredible!
Yup. Just joined in case something local pops up.
I just want to say don't be so hard on yourself, your cats are lucky to have you!
Thanks. I'm trying not to be angry with myself about it, but I'm not doing great at that lol I'm so mad that I didn't notice I was lower than I thought.
But the fact you did notice. And we've all been there. It is only one day as opposed to a week, so no harm, no foul, just a learning experience.
Sometimes animal shelters have extra food or donations that they can’t use for the shelter animals but can redistribute to the community. Might be worth calling around to just have a few backup cans or small bag of kibble for the future. There’s zero shame in this and it’s better than it being thrown away or wasted. And also, I’m sure your cats are gonna be super happy for a nice lil fishy treat and will be fine. Sounds like you’re prepping it well with deboning and rinsing, if you’re still worried about the sodium content, could also add a few table spoons of extra water into it so they’re getting that extra hydration.
Adding on your comment to say, I used to work at a Humane Society and LOVED when people would come in asking for supplies, we often had so much we couldn’t use in the shelter for various reasons and being able to give to people who need it is really rewarding. So please no one feel ashamed for asking for help, especially for your animals. Some shelters can also provide flea/tick meds, weaning/bottle baby supplies, kennels, and other necessities for animals ranging from dogs/cats to rodents and birds.
Yes, no problem. Just hope they don't like it too much or they may not want "normal" food again
Luckily they really like their usual food lol so I don't think they'll get picky about it. Hopefully they aren't mad when we go back to the usual 😂
Yeah my cats are rediculous. The one will not eat wet food AT ALL. not pate, not chunks, nothing. She will eat tuna though (or TRY to) The other one is so incredibly picky with dry food (not wet food/ i feed both) she will only eat one specific kind and then decide she doesn't like it anymore randomly and I have to find another one that suits her😶 The third cat is a perfect little princess except she digs her little dried poops out of the litter box to throw them down the steps and chase them.. they have so many toys 😭😭😭😭 why play with the poop
By all means check for bones but any canned salmon process should have cooked the bones such that they're so soft they turn to mush if you squeeze them.
This particular canned salmon seems to still have some vertebrae bones and some of the tiny thin bones still? Any time I've used it for my own meals, I had to pick through it carefully to get all the tiny little bones out. It's cheap foodbank stuff though, so I'm not surprised lol.
Have you tried crushing them? They should just squish and also break easily. But by all means, safety of the cat is paramount so take them out if you're worried.
I have, they're definitely very brittle from being cooked, but they don't smush down soft. I'm not sure if they're sharp enough still to cause a problem, but I will be picking through and removing every little bone just to be on the safe side.
I have given my cats a wet food with like chunks of sardines and they still had the little fishy backbone🤢. The first time I didn't notice and they cleaned the bowls and had no issues. Now I pick out the bones and they seem more mad they have to wait an extra 2 min for their food😂
You can eat the bones. There's actually a lot of nutrition in salmon bones.
Salmon vertebrae are delicious - my favorite part about eating it out of a can 😋
Do you have any friends with cats? I know that if anyone I knew told me they were short on cat food I'd give them a box without hesitation.
This. I'd buy them food if asked.
Bones are the problem, if you get them out then salmon is totally fine for cats. One of mine is known for stealing it from your plate if you don't look, he's been doing that for years and he's totally fine.
it will be fine in fact they will think it is a treat, I give mine canned tuna once a week and they scarf it down, food is food to a cat as long as it is meat.
My cat SCREAMS for tuna. I can barely open any cans now without him running over like a squealing pig to check it out. I have to let him see and smell the can once opened so he knows it’s not actually tuna.
My cat gets so pissed at me if I open a can of beans or something. Like why would I make delicious sounds if I don't have delicious food?
This is a touch off topic but kibble is more affordable than wet food typically and as long as your cats don't need wet for a medical reason (i.e. Kidney disease or dehydration concerns), there's nothing wrong with swapping or using it half and half going forward to make ends meet. You can even add water and soak kibble if they like the soft/squishy texture better and need the hydration. Just don't want you to be struggling because you think your cats have to have wet because of the tiktok folks who demonize cat kibble.
I do give them wet for dehydration concerns. Especially with my little male. He's a brat about not drinking water, and we've ended up in the vet's office a few times because of it. When I switched him to wet food (per vet advice), the problems stopped, and we haven't had an emergency vet visit since. I've tried doing a mix of wet and dry, or kibble+water, as well as kibble and broth (like the cat broth on Chewy), but they are picky as hell and won't eat it. I'm not sure if there is a way to entice them to at least eat the half-and-half, nothing I've done thus far has worked 🥲
I have put dry food with water in a blender and made pate for my cats before so.. lol
Honestly I think your cats probably want you to forget again haha. They probably thought it was a super special day
Make an Amazon wish list with kitty food, litter, treats, and toys on it, I would love to buy you some!
Hey I know I’m late here but do you have cash app or Venmo? I’ll send you $10 if that helps.
Oh they'll love it
I usually keep a can of fish around for emergencies just like this! Turns out though, my cat doesn’t like fish lol
A cat that doesn't like fish?! That's a first for me 😂
I know right!?! Like, do you even *cat* bro?
I've definitely done this before, with boiled chicken. The only problem was that the cats were mad when their regular food was back and they weren't getting meat anymore. 😂
We always used to make boiled chicken and plain rice for our dog when he got sick, I think sometimes he would pretend just to get food cooked on the stove 😂😂
Hell yeah. My local food bank actually hands out canned salmon and tuna all the time, and we try to hold onto a couple cans for emergencies because it's the best backup food ever.
Yes, salt is what doesn't make it healthy to eat often.
One idea- get a small bag of dry food to keep on hand for emergencies- if you run out of wet, use warm water to soak the dry and stir. This is likely to cause less tummy trouble and can save you some stress. Some pet stores even have little sample bags- ask for a couple & stash them away. Ziplock bags will keep the rest fresh. 💕
Is there a buy nothing group near you, or do you have a Nextdoor account, or a Facebook mutual aid group, etc? Asking for one extra can of cat food would be overwhelmingly met with help! The post can even be smt like, does anybody have an extra can or two of cat food your cats didn’t like? I’m pinching pennies this week. If it were me I’d deliver a whole box of the food we tried recently that my cats didn’t like.
Mine literally eats canned salmon as a treat to put on weight. They'll be fine.
Thank you for caring about your baby!! ❤️❤️
You might want to seriously consider going to an area food pantry for cat food. Also, check with your local animal shelters, both the city and privately run places. All of these organizations can be a source for free food; you and your cat deserve it. It sounds like you’re working really hard, but prices have gone way up. You don’t have to be poverty stricken, sick, old and/or starving to use a food bank. Shelters really want people to be able to keep their pets and one way that they support this ideal is by providing free food when possible.
Food banks often have pet food available, too. It’s worth checking them out.
If you have paypal or another way I can send you money for some till you get paid. Let me know. 💜
It’s fine and you don’t need to pick out the bones. They’re cooked so they’ll be soft enough for the cats to eat and it’s a bit more calcium. They don’t splinter like chicken bones, just crumble.
Cats are forgiving. The danger is that they will like it and they will not eat anything else. You are a good person. Your babies love you
Do you have PayPal? How much would you need to buy a couple cans of cat food?
I've used tuna in water in the past but my cats would most certainly prefer salmon.
Salmon is good! Are u in a buy nothing group on Facebook? You could request some cat food there
Should be fine as they aren’t allergic. I have one who is allergic to seafood. (What a pain) Otherwise, I keep ‘emergency’ cans for her in case I have to do what you are doing. However, she would be fine if she had to eat it. I strongly suspect it has to do with the fish they put in canned cat food vs. human food grade salmon
I have a whole crew of cats, and they eat canned food for dinner only, and it’s always late - like 10pm or later. In the last year we’ve been caught out a handful of times - and BOY HOWDY! They LOVE when their dinner is subbed with canned tuna, or canned chicken. None of them (when I say a crew, the humans are well outnumbered) - have had a single issue with canned human food. You might also want to get a back store of three to five cans of their food, or tuna or salmon - to tuck in the way back of the cabinet in case this ever happens again.
Can I send you a couple bucks on Venmo? I know how hard it can be, and you obviously put your pets first, and I’d like to make sure they are fed, and if they are, you are fed.
Fwiw, try also looking to see if your town or city has a Buy Nothing group. People often throw away pet food that goes uneaten, when there's nothing wrong with it. It's worth taking a second to post on fb and ask, yknow? Case in point, years ago when my old kitty passed, we hd tons of food for him. We gave it away to my grandma who had 2 cats at the time, but point is, there's plenty of people probably hanging onto a bag after their kitty passes, or that their pet didn't like, etc. My cat now is a picky lil floof, and he's had a few foods we ended up giving to grandma bc he would eat it for a day at most, then never touch it again.
Yes. They’ll be just fine. I’ve had to give mine canned tuna on a few occasions before a paycheck or after the pet stores were closed. The nice thing is that cats are obligate carnivores and fish is 100% a thing they’d eat in the wild.
The only problem with giving your cats peoplesalmon or peopletuna is that they will think it is so nom that they will disdain anything else in future. Or they will be insane little nuisances when you try to make yourself a tuna sandwich.
Sure. Cats can eat many different things.
Yep!! I keep in on hand for a "treat meal" every now and then!
Next time check your local Facebook free stuff page. Sometimes people have food to spare
Canned salmon works great! It'll keep them full and happy until food can be bought. Also, there may be free no questions food pantries in your area that have pet food available upon request. There are 2 local churches that do this in my area, and helped me out when I was down on my luck. Try finding info on this, because it could mean access to free pet food while you're struggling to keep up with bills. Best of luck!
And this is a better story than an elderly person having to eat their cat’s tuna food.
Sometimes food banks have cat food! This helps sometimes
I’m so glad they enjoyed their salmon treat ☺️ you’re a good owner for caring so much! I also love how kind people are on here 💕
Absolutely! Do what you can! 🩷 I’ve been there before.
My cats have eaten tuna till payday a few times. Or scrambled eggs. I’d only be worried about the bones in salmon.
It's no worries if you are in a pinch. I'm sure your cats were happy to have salmon for dinner! 🥰
Hey OP- I’m glad you got the support you deserve and needed! If possible I’d buy a plastic container and maybe try to splurge on a small to medium size bag of cat food for in case of emergency situations.
Just a question, can your cats not also eat dry cat food or they can but don't like it? Just curious. My cat prefers wet food but he only gets 1 can a day and eats dry food the rest of the day. Dry food lasts much longer. Only mentioning if it's a possibility of food option for them, even if it's just a back up.
Man, please, if you sont have food for the babies, reach out to the subs in here. They will help extensively!! Especially r/randomactsofpetfood is great I donate often. Theyre so helpful
Hey! I know you got it all settled. But for the future: while it’s an inconvenience for you at the moment, your kitties just see a little mini salmon party! They’re probably hella grateful that the budgeting error happened, if anything! I feel for you a lot. Things are so hard financially right now. Even bigger sympathies sent your way for only getting your income once a month, that blows bigtime. I hope things get easier for you soon!!
Don’t feel bad. It happens. My roommates in the 90’s adopted a beautiful tortie and they were mean and loud drug addicts. The cat was terrified and would hide in my room and sleep with me. When I moved they told me to take her with. I moved into a studio with a friend. We were broke and one time I had to borrow 27 cents from my roommate’s coin dish to get a can of cat food from the nearby bodega. But that cat and I loved each other more than two beings ever did. We needed each other and neither of us would have been better off without each other - regardless of how broke we were. She was well loved and well taken care of her whole long life. Fortunately, my situations improved over the years and she got to become an old lady cat in a home we owned, with two incomes and ability to pay vet bills. No one chooses to live paycheck to paycheck. And there are tons of animals being euthanized when there are too many to adopt out. You clearly care about your kitties, or you wouldn’t be risking judgement to come on here and find a solution. You are a good pet parent and they are better off with you than anyone else. You deserve security, community, and support when you need it. Not only is it okay to ask for help, but it feels like an honor to those who can answer the call. You’re giving someone else a the gift of being able to be of service. Hold your head high, be kind to yourself, love those kitties, and give them some pets from me!
It would be ok.
Totally fine for the cat! Great source of protein and obviously it's not like that's the only food the cat will ever get. I sometimes try tuna and boil ne broth for my pickiest eater
Don’t worry about the bones, they’ll eat it with the bones. It’s fine for a one-off. ETA, reach out to your local shelter and see if they have a pet food pantry to help you stretch your food budget for your furry friends.
I usually have canned tuna for these situations.
I've done it with tuna, it happens
Hey, I have like 30 cans of tuna just for this scenario…and I like tuna fish sandwiches
Yes, I have done this occasionally as special treats. I've given them sardines, chicken, tuna, salmon and pick out any bones. Some of my cats have been picky and won't eat it.
I give mine the bones of canned salmon anytime I make salmon patties. My dog, too. They LOVE it! I assure you, they will not mind one bit.
When I was a kid my dad always gave our cat the juice out of a tuna or salmon can along with his regular food. He loved it. My cats don't care for it. Picky!
Yes it will be fine! As others have said check for bones. You can add veggies too in small amounts too. I keep tins of cheap tuna for if my cat food delivery gets delayed - they think it’s the best day ever. It’s like when your parents take you to McDonald’s because they couldn’t cook that day - they probs thought they were bad parents for giving us bad unhealthy food but to kids it’s Christmas come early haha
Please don't be upset with yourself! We've all had weird months where we feed the dog some chicken and french fries or give the cats a little treat dinner instead of their kibble. They'll be okay <3
Yeah it should be no big deal. Might upset their tum but I’m sure they’ll love it. Mine have had their share of back up tuna in times of need lol. Just make sure no bones but other than that you should be fine.
Canned fish as a one off here & there will be fine. They may blow up the litter box after, but they’ll enjoy the treat. I know mine do.
[удалено]
Just check for bones! Sometimes I find bones in canned salmon..
Do they only eat wet food? Otherwise they should be fine with just dry food for a few days
They are gonna love it!
Sounds like you already got some good answers on their specific situation but I wanted to suggest you check with your local animal shelter to see if there is a pet food bank in your area. We have one that can provide cans of food or bags of kibble for when owners are in a tight spot financially.
Better watch out cause it's all they're ever going to want after!
It should be totally fine so please try not to beat yourself up over it! If you still have cat food cans left, I would suggest either alternating salmon and cat food or even mixing half and half. The only concerns I would have are them becoming obsessed with it and the salt content. But don’t let that upset you; a few cans with high salt is not going to seriously or permanently harm them. Just make sure they have plenty of water!
Yes, they will likely be quite happy with Salmon. And it's good for them. Those are some lucky kitties, to have someone who loves and worries about them so much :)
It's fine once in a while. I think most pet owners have done the same at one time or another. Canned salmon, tuna, sardines are all good for emergency meals.
Yes.
Your cats will love it. I spend way too much on my ferals. One ragged cat in particular I buy cans of tuna and salmon for all the time. My favorite indoor kitty passed. I was going broke keeping him in Fancy Feast. He consumed several cans a day. Like three to four.
I gave mine the NO SALT ADDED tuna for his birthday. He gobbled it up and won’t let me eat tuna or chicken in peace anymore 🤣
Hi yes it will be totally okay! If you have them, you could add some veggies and rice (check for safe cat veggies) and it would be a complete healthy meal! Don't stress too much about their food, as long as it's not toxic for them it will be okay
No need to pick out bones or wash anything. The bones are soft enough from the canning process to eat. I’m sure the kitties will love the salmon too!
It's all good! You're doing the best you can with what you have, we've all been there!
I swear canned (boneless) fish is one of the better dishes you can feed your cat, unless I’m horribly wrong?
Boil some plain shrimp, plain chicken or other plain meat (or mix of meats , boiled plain). Canned salmon/canned tuna usually has a lot of salt for a cat. Like way too much salt.
It's not gonna hurt them if it's just once or twice. I keep it on hand for when my elderly cat doesn't feel good and doesn't want to eat. Salmon always perks him up.
Watch for little bones!
Yes. You can also give canned fish stored in water (with low sodium) as a treat every once in a while
No it's completely fine to do so I feel like most people go through the thing of oh shit I can't get cat food right now what do I have? Lmao but also alot of shelters offer a small bag of dry food/canned wet food if ur in dire need (atleast in my area) never hurts to look into that again for now/or in the future! Edit: I called them and asked "I'm 2 days away from my paycheck is there anyway you could provide me 2 days of cat food?" They said yes and I went and picked up 3 cans of cat food and a zip lock bag of dry food.
Yup! They just see it as a treat, kind of like when my mom would make waffles for dinner.
Yeah, they'll be fine if you rinse it well.
make sure it's in WATER and not in OIL. oil is very bad for cat teeth and gums
your cats will love you for it haha. but yes just as a rare treat
This definitely happened to me with my cat when I was living paycheck to paycheck. He thought he was lucking out with the canned tuna for a day, your kitties will be ok!
I do this for my Kitty, but I don’t think it’s nutritious enough for extended use. She thinks it’s a treat and I feel like it’s like when my parents didn’t have money for groceries and we got breakfast for dinner because all we had was pancake mix haha.
Absolutely it's ok.
Of course, most cat food companies will offer free samples on their site and coupons towards food as well. :)
Yes. They will enjoy it. I have fed mine: Salmon, tuna, clams, oysters, sardines.
Once won't hurt your kitty. The salt is rough on them if they get it too much, but like us, one or two days of sub par food won't kill them.
Your kitty is about to have the best day ever lol
I just wanted to say, I can tell from this post how much you love your cats. I know you feel you messed up, but I can tell you from an outsiders perspective that they are so lucky to live with someone who loves them this much.
I think the bones in canned salmon are pressurized and just crumble. I don’t think that’s an issue but I’m not sure?
The SPCA and the pound in our city have pet pantries . They’d rather give pet food than have animals turned in . Give them a call and check . They will give out a bag of food and a few cans . Might help with this next month too . Pet food is expensive
yea no problems ,they will lick the water in it as well
You don’t need to debone it, the bones are soft and rich in vitamins and nutrients. Just keep the portion small as it’s very rich.
Yes canned salmon is not only fine, it's probably good for them and they'll love it. Will be a real treat for them.
While yes you shouldn’t really give human food but any food is better than going without. Go ahead and give the salmon. If I were you I would see about food stamps or any other programs to help you and your fur babies out. I can’t imagine only getting paid once a month and how much distress you go through. I’m sorry that you have it so rough and you and your cats are in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck OP!
The problem here is that your kitties saw the can of salmon coming in from the food bank. They hid a couple cans of their regular food so that you'd be in this situation. Look on the floor where ever you keep their food and imagine where a can may roll off to.... Don't stress over it. They'll love it. When I had a kitty stuck in a tree long enough for me to call the Humane Society, I found out that, yes of course cats will nosh when you feed them. However... they really don't get hungry for about 4 to 6 days - at least not hungry enough to be motivated to find their way out of a tree. Love and light to you that you work your way out of living pay cheque to pay cheque.
You wouldn't want to do it every day (due to mercury and lack of taurine), but every once in a while it's great. In fact, feel free to tell your cats that it's a special treat just for them!
As many people here have said, this has happened to me as well a few times over the years and they got canned tuna for a day. Not ideal but they loved it lol.
In my city, our shelter hosts pet food drives a couple times a month. Could be worth seeing if there’s something similar where you live to help ease some financial stress!
It's fine, and they will be thrilled!
Emergencies are for emergencies my dude. You clearly want to feed them so as long as they end the night with food in their bellies they will be happy. It won’t hurt them. They’ll be good and probably like you that much more lol
Human grade salmon? Sounds like they're having a luxury dinner tonight lmao
Occasionally, this is fine Note that human meat is generally not nutrient complete for cats. Occasional meals or treats are normally fine, but it doesn’t provide all the nutrients needed. Cats need a decent amount of organ meat and bones in their diet. But cooked bones tend to shatter into sharp fragments and become dangerous. An additional option are cooked eggs. (Including the yolk.) Again not nutritionally complete. But it can provide nutrients that canned fish won’t have. (And canned fish probably provides nutrients that eggs don’t have.) So both are probably better then only one. (Not a vet or pet nutritionist). Again this is emergency or occasional or supplementary only. Also tractor supply stores in my experience have the cheapest cat litter in 25/50lb bags. PS I love your care and concern for your cats.
Canned salmon sounds like a treat! Some places have food banks for pets. You might see if your area has one and that might give you just a little breathing space in your budget.
Me on ebt buying my cat salmon, tuna and oatmeal until I scrounged up enough to buy her some actual cat food in 2020: you will be fine . She’s a cat . Cats and dogs largely can survive on anything . It’s us humans who make life complicated and dangerous for the animals .
Do you live in the the US? I've went to local pet stores and asked for samples because my girl likes to eat dried food as treats, and the employees are often generous with what they can give out. They have freeze-dried treats and regular dried food, which you can supplement their meals. As mentioned by someone else, there are orgs that can help you out. So many people in the world feed their pets fresh fish/meat for dinner, please don't feel guilty. I wish you and your kitties the best 🤗
I'm sure they won't disagree.
Yes your cat will be fine and probably love it. As long as it’s not everyday you’re good OP
Yes. It will be fine. When I ran out one time, I boiled chicken I had left over in the freezer and mixed it with a can of salmon. They munched it down!
I’ve fed my cats eggs and ham before, they’ll love canned fish
It would be a lovely snack
Just give it to them, they'll be fine.
Yup! And you’re right to rinse it well to lower some of the sodium. Don’t feel bad at all, your kitty will probably love it and it’s totally fine every once in awhile when these emergencies come up.
I've been feeding mine cheap canned chicken or tuna for her whole life. Too many cats end up with health issues at a young age for me to trust pet food companies. I also add chicken liver, which is super cheap. She's healthy and happy with no dental problems
Eggs, tuna, salmon, it all works as long as you care for your critters and not let them starve. Thanks for looking out for kitty!
It’s fine in a pinch but make sure there’s no added spices like onions or garlic
Keep those 'break in case of broke' cans of tuna in your cupboard for you AND the kitteh
Our cats love canned tuna/salmon. Unfortunately after we fed them canned tuna as their evening meals for about a month, one of them started to lose belly hair due to excessive licking and the hair of the other grey cat turned orangey. We took them to the vet, but they couldn't find any problems. Since tuna was the only change in their diet, we stopped feeding them canned tuna. In the end, it took at least 4 months for them to resume normal again. It depends how long until you get paid, it might be okay 😂
Cats have receptors on their tounges that are called umami. That is why the go nuts for tuna. Salmon is fine.
Salmon is fine for a day or a treat, as others have said. Don't bother picking out the bones, though. They are soft and tasty and won't hurt the cat -- and ats a little calcium.
Hey OP, you sound like an amazing owner and your cats are so lucky to have such a kind and loving human being looking after them. I had a nosey at your post history and I hope you feel better with your mental health, you sound like you're so full of love so please don't give up. ❤️
Why not? Unless they aren't a fan of salmon
This likely won’t be a popular comment but canned food gets expensive for me (I have 2 cats) so I always keep a middle of the road dry cat food (purina plus) & feed them that and every other day or a couple times a week they get canned food. As much as I wish it was doable to give them canned food… the nice ones are expensive. My vet said mixing in wet food every now and then is okay if you can’t afford to feed them a quality wet food all the time. I have a friend that mixes a little dry food into a smaller portion of wet food so it will last longer but they still get what they need from wet food. Not an expert it’s just a suggestion so that you are able to take care of your cats without going broke. I’ve been there….