If you’ve ever tried to crack a case all on your own, you know how difficult that can be—and how much better detective work is with a friend! Not only will the work feel less lonely, but clues are always better understood when seen and thought through with two pairs of eyes. Of course, detectives come in all forms, and if your particular friend and partner of choice is a cat, there are certain things you’ll need to consider. Most importantly: can cats eat ice cream?
Every detective deserves a sweet treat once in a while, whether it’s to help you get through a particularly tricky batch of clues or to celebrate a successfully solved mystery. However, the question remains: can cats eat ice cream, or is another sweet treat better for them?
We’ve taken these important questions right to the best source, the veterinarians who are experts in the field of feline dietetics. Their answer may surprise you: ice cream, as well as all other dairy products, are not recommended for cats. Keep reading for more evidence supporting this conclusion our research has led to, as well as some other suggestions for cat treats your detective partner can snack on while you enjoy a scoop or two (or three) of Cold Case Ice Cream, delivered directly to your door.
Background Research: What Is a Pup Cup?
Before we dive into answering the question of whether or not cats can eat ice cream, we have some preliminary research to complete. A “Pup Cup'' is a small treat offered from coffee shops and ice cream shops for dogs. Depending on the place, a pup cup can be one of two things:
- A small cup of whipped cream
- A small cup of vanilla ice cream
So, now you’ve heard of a pup cup, but what about a cat snack? Can cats eat ice cream? Don’t cats deserve a little treat just as much as dogs?
While it is not as common for people to bring cats along on all their adventures as it is for people to take their dogs with them in the car everywhere, cats surely want to be included in the fun! Especially when the fun includes flavors such as America’s Most Wanted (goat cheese base with honey roasted rosemary almonds and blackberry lemon jam swirl), Cereal Killer (milk chocolate base with homemade muddy buddy cereal mix with swirls of peanut butter), and Summer Camp Massacre (graham cracker base, homemade marshmallow fluff swirls and Belgian chocolate chunks).
Contrary To Popular Belief, Cats Don’t Actually Love Milk As Much As You Might Think
When most people picture cats eating, they think of a bowl of milk, the classic picture portrayed in movies and other media. However, only kittens drink their mother’s milk. Adult cats are, in general, lactose intolerant. Eating high levels of dairy can severely irritate cats’ stomachs, resulting in discomfort and a mess for you to clean up. In most cases, a lick or two of strictly plain vanilla ice cream won’t be enough to hurt your cat, but it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.
In addition to milk and other dairy products, there are other ingredients in ice cream that can harm cats:
- Milk
- Excessive sugar
- High amounts of fat
- Xylitol, a common sweetener in ice cream
- Chocolate
- Propylene glycol, an antifreeze ingredient used in ice cream that is safe for humans can be poisonous for cats, even in low amounts
These ingredients, among others, that are found in ice cream can result in the following issues for your cat detectives:
- Fevers
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Sudden weakness
- Obesity
The mystery of why so many movies, children’s books, and stories include depictions of cats lapping up warm milk from a personalized milk bowl by a roaring fire in a cozy home is one that still needs to be solved.
Can Cats Eat Ice Cream? (the treat is best for YOU to enjoy)
Even though you surely want to share the joys of ice cream with your feline detective friends, the best course of action is to save the ice cream for yourself. (Who wouldn’t want all that ice cream to themself, anyway?)
If you want to treat your cat to something special while eating Cold Case Ice Cream by the pint after a long, hard day of detective work and scavenging for clues, here are 10 ideas for cat treat recipes. Save the delectable pints of handcrafted specialty ice cream for your personal enjoyment, and treat your cat to something that won’t hurt their stomach.
Cold Case Ice Cream is unlike any other ice-cold, creamy confection you have ever tasted. With mysteriously decadent and unexpected flavor concoctions that rotate weekly, your taste buds will always have a new case to crack. Our luxury pints are delivered right to your door in boxes of six pints, enough to last you a couple desert indulgences on your own or to delight guests at parties and celebrations. Don’t wait—once a flavor is gone, we can’t guarantee it will ever come back, so try our specialty flavors now!
For a complete list of this week’s rotating Cold Case Ice Cream flavors, visit our website.
