Can Cats Eat Jelly?

It is not recommended for cats to eat jelly.

Jelly is a dessert made from gelatine, sugar, and flavouring. The gelatine comes from collagen extracted from different animal parts, such as chicken, cattle, and pig. Though cats are obligate carnivores that thrive on eating animal-derived protein, the fruit juice or extract used to flavour the jelly may affect your pet cat. Certain fruits such as grapes and cherries contain toxic compounds that cause acute kidney failure and/or gastrointestinal upset. Additionally, the sugar content found in jelly can lead to dental problems, weight gain, and feline diabetes. Aside from the fruit flavour and sugar, there may also be other ingredients that aren’t safe or healthy for cats. 

In some countries, the term jelly is also used for fruit jams. Similarly, your cat should not eat fruit jams since these contain sugar or honey. Some even use the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is toxic for cats. In addition, the fruit used is a cause of concern.   

What to do if your cat accidentally eats jelly: One or two small bites of unflavoured jelly should not affect your cat. But if the jelly contains harmful ingredients, watch for signs of feline poisoning. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, twitching and fitting, difficulty in breathing, skin inflammation or swelling, shock or collapse, depression or coma, and changes in drinking, urinating, and appetite.

If your cat accidentally ate jello shots, contact your veterinarian immediately. Alcohol is lethal for cats and may damage her liver and nervous system. Signs include incoordination, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and tremors.

In summary: Jelly may seem like a harmless snack you can feed to your cat. Since it does not contain nutrients beneficial for your pet, you’re better off feeding her vet-approved treats. But if you really want to feed jelly to your cat, remember to get your vet’s clearance first and only give her sugarfree, cat-safe flavours. 

Discover other human foods you can safely feed your pet cat through our “can cats eat” blog category.

References:

Jelly vs Gelatin – What’s the difference?

Can Cats Eat Jelly? Is It Safe For Cats?

How Bad Is Alcohol For Cats? What Should I Do If My Cat Accidentally Drinks Some?

Poisoning in Cats