There are numerous foods that we can safely consume ourselves, while they are highly toxic to our cats and dogs. So you know for sure that your four-legged friend should not eat chocolate under any circumstances due to the theobromine it contains and that grapes should not be in his food bowl either.
On the other hand, things get a little more complicated with products that contain sugar substitutes, such as birch sugar (xylitol). Xylitol is considered highly toxic to dogs. Find out below whether this is also the case with cats and whether the consumption of birch sugar can harm your four-legged friend.
Key facts at a glance
- Xylitol, or birch sugar, is a sugar substitute that contains very few calories.
- While the consumption of birch sugar is life-threatening for dogs, it is considered harmless for cats and beneficial for dental care.
- However, to be on the safe side, we advise against giving cats products containing xylitol or using birch sugar to clean their teeth.
What is birch sugar?
Xylitol, or birch sugar, is a commonly used sweetener that is mainly extracted from the remains of corn cobs and some other plant by-products. In addition, xylitol is also partly obtained from deciduous trees such as birches, which is why the sugar substitute is also called birch sugar.
Compared to normal sugar, birch sugar is very low in calories and is therefore particularly popular with figure- and health-conscious people. Research also suggests that xylitol appears to help remove plaque. This circumstance makes the sweetener an interesting ingredient for dental care products.
Can cats eat birch sugar?
For humans, xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to conventional sugar, which can even support dental hygiene. According to the current state of knowledge, consumption also appears to be harmless for cats.
Birch sugar is not safe for all pets
While birch sugar does not appear to be harmful to cats, the sugar substitute poses a serious risk to other pets. In dogs, ferrets and rabbits, consumption of xylitol causes a sharp drop in blood sugar levels.
Symptoms associated with such hypoglycemia include diarrhea and vomiting, as well as seizures, incoordination, and lethargy. Apart from that, there can be long-term effects in the form of liver damage and in some cases, ingesting a sufficiently large amount of birch sugar can even be fatal for these animals.
As the owner, you should therefore make sure that your four-legged friend never gets the opportunity to eat food with birch sugar. While this can be ensured relatively easily with rabbits in everyday life, it can be advisable for dog owners to avoid using xylitol as a sugar substitute themselves. Even a dropped cookie made with birch sugar instead of sugar can be dangerous.
Birch sugar and cats – our conclusion
So far, research has not provided any evidence that birch sugar is harmful to cats.
Regardless of whether this is actually the case or is simply claimed due to the fact that the sugar substitute has already led to poisoning in many a dog, we advise against the use of birch sugar for cats.
Xylitol is definitely not necessary for species-appropriate cat nutrition and there are also more than enough alternatives for dental care in cats that you can fall back on if necessary. For this reason, we would not push our luck unnecessarily and would also refrain from giving birch sugar to cats.