Is Popcorn Safe For Cats And Dogs? 

Last Updated on June 9, 2022 by Dogs Vets

Is Popcorn Safe For Cats And Dogs? 

We All Love Popcorn, But Is It Safe For Our Pets To Eat Too? 

Popcorn is a tasty, low-calorie treat that comes in multiple different flavors and can be made at home. Us humans love it.

We love it so much that we are constantly experimenting with it and we even dedicate websites to the stuff.

We know humans love popcorn but is it safe for our furry friends, and would they even like it? Especially cats and dogs? This is the question that we are going to answer for you today. 

You can learn if it’s safe for ducks to eat popcorn on this site. 

Can Dogs Eat Popcorn? 

There is good news, if you enjoy air-popped popcorn with no toppings – then you can share a small amount of that with your dog.

You can give them a handful of pieces while you are enjoying some popcorn yourself. And if you drop any on the floor, don’t worry it won’t hurt them. 

If you like to have buttered popcorn then you should avoid giving this to your dog. There is too much fat and salt on this kind of popcorn.

However, if you drop a few pieces on the floor don’t worry about it. It won’t make your dog unwell, but it is best for them to avoid high-fat food products like that on the whole. 

If you are having popcorn with toppings like caramel, chocolate source, marshmallows, or sweets then you should not share this with your dog.

Dogs should not be eating any food with a high sugar content. You do not need to worry too much about a small amount of this popcorn dropped on the floor. However, you should not let your dog have any popcorn or toppings that contain chocolate. 

Savory popcorn is best avoided – dogs cannot eat garlic and should avoid most herbs and spices.  

Summary: air-popped popcorn can make a tasty treat for your dog on occasion. But they should not have it regularly and you should only give them a small amount. 

Other foods to avoid feeding your dog

Here is a list of other foods that you should avoid feeding your dog: 

• Food with a high fat count 
• Food with a lot of sugar in it 
• Onions, garlic, and chives – both cooked and uncooked 
• Chocolate – white, milk, dark, and anything containing chocolate
• Macadamia nuts – most other nuts are fine, but in moderation 
• Corn on the cob
• Avocado – both the flesh and the pip 
• Artificial sweetener (Xylitol) – best to avoid giving dogs anything too sweet 
• Alcohol 
• Cooked bones
• Grapes – raisins and wine are also toxic for dogs 

Can Cats Eat Popcorn? 

There is something about the shape of popcorn that calls out to cats. Maybe it is because the pieces look fluffy or maybe it is because they smell delicious – we may never know. 

We know that cats want popcorn, but is it safe for them to have? 

One important thing to remember about cats is that the breeds of cats are very different and some may be more sensitive than others to types of food. 

Generally, it is safe for cats to eat a small amount of air-popped popcorn if they want to. Some cats may not be interested in eating it at all, while others may be very interested in it. You do not need to worry if any falls on the floor.  

If you have an older cat who is craving salt, you may find that they are most interested in licking the salt of the popcorn rather than eating it. 

Savory popcorn is something that cats should avoid, like dogs, they are unable to eat most herbs and spices. Garlic is a particularly dangerous ingredient for cats. 

Buttered popcorn will be especially tempting for most cats – because of the dairy content and the salt – but it is best not to let them have it. Cats should avoid fatty foods. If some drops on the floor, do not worry too much if they snap it up. 

Popcorn with toppings like caramel, chocolate source, marshmallows, or sweets should not be given to cats.

Cats should avoid sugar as much as possible as it can cause a lot of health issues. They may try to eat the marshmallows because of their gelatin content. If you drop this kind of popcorn on the floor then try to pick it up before they get to it. 

Summary: it is safe to let your cat have some air-popped popcorn every now and then, but not too frequently. 

Conclusion