Can Cats Have Whipped Cream From Starbucks?

With the fall season right around the corner, your Starbucks’ visits for a pumpkin spice latte will probably increase, which might also be a good opportunity to take your kitty for a stroll. Sitting in the Starbucks patio, intently viewing a dog enjoying their Puppucino to the fullest, can’t help but make you wonder if your beloved feline can enjoy a few licks of whipped cream from your drink.

If you’re here, then you’re probably wondering one thing:

Can Cats Have Whipped Cream from Starbucks?

Can Cats Have Whipped Cream from Starbucks?

The simple answer to this question is yes. A few licks or a small amount of whipped cream won’t cause any harm to your cat. However, there’s no possible advantage or upside to giving your cat whipped cream, especially because they can’t even taste its sweetness. The most concerning factor is that, despite what you’ve seen in cartoons, cats are lactose intolerant, and so, even the slightest bit of dairy over the recommended amount can upset your cat’s stomach.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Let’s dive a little deep to see what the Starbucks whipped cream contains to get a better idea of why it isn’t the best option for cats.

Whipped Cream Ingredients

Any canned whipped cream contains the following ingredients:

• Cream
• Water
• Sugar
• Corn Syrup
• Nonfat Milk
• Natural And Artificial Flavors
• Mono-And Diglycerides
• Carrageenan
• Propellant: Nitrous Oxide

Going through the ingredients has probably given you a better idea of the fact that whipped cream isn’t exactly healthy for humans either, but at least they enjoy its taste! However, the digestive systems of humans and cats work very differently. So, let’s break down the important whipped cream ingredients to see why cats should avoid it.

Why Cats Should Avoid Whipped Cream from Starbucks

Giving your cat whipped cream in moderation is okay, but it is far from a healthy option. In fact, a breakdown of the ingredients can help you better understand why whipped cream isn’t the wisest dietary choice for your feline friend.

Whipped Cream Contains Lactose

Like other dairy products, cream, the main ingredient, whipped cream, contains lactose, a carbohydrate that cats can’t process. Kittens’ bodies produce an enzyme called lactase, which makes it possible for them to drink and process their mother’s milk. However, as they grow up, the production of this enzyme keeps depleting, making it difficult for adult cats to process lactose as well as they could before.

Therefore, the typical diet of an adult cat revolves around meat rather than milk. So, while a tiny amount of any dairy product won’t do much damage, having whipped cream in excess can cause a host of tummy troubles in your feline.

It Has a High Sugar Content

While cats can eat sugar, it doesn’t mean they should! Like we mentioned before, the digestive system of humans and cats are worlds apart. So, while humans rely on sugar and carbs for energy, cats operate mainly on protein.  Cats are carnivores, so their brain never sends signals for carb cravings, and their tongues don’t even have receptors that detect sugar!

So while your cat might enjoy the creamy and swirly texture of whipped cream, neither can they taste it and nor are they getting any dietary benefits from it.

It is High in Calories

Given the ingredients, it is easy to conclude that whipped cream is packed with calories. Giving your cat whipped cream every day not only puts its tummy at risk due to its lactose intolerance, but it also places them at risk of obesity, which can further lead to blood sugar spikes, diabetes, heart problems, cancers, and even blood pressure. So, it is okay to give your cat a few extra calories in the form of whipped cream a week.

It Contains Carrageenan

Carrageenan is an ingredient that doesn’t do anything but regulate the texture of foods. This emulsifier allows the whipped cream to hold itself together and remain smooth. Up until recently, carrageenan was a main pet food ingredient. However, after being known as a carcinogen, an ingredient with high cancer potential, it is widely being removed from pet foods. Moreover, carrageenan has also been linked to liver and colon inflammation and damage. So, the best idea is to keep your cat away from the Starbucks whipped cream.

So, can cats have whipped cream from Starbucks?

Give no more than a few licks of whipped cream to your cat, and make sure that you don’t turn this into a habit. You can give your cat a taste of whipped cream maybe once a week, but no more than that. The gist of why whipped cream isn’t good for your cat is that:

• It contains lactose, which cats can’t process.
• It is high in calories, and giving too much of it can cause excessive weight gain.
• It also contains sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners that can increase your cat’s blood sugar, which is risky considering their propensity for diabetes.
• Other ingredients of whipped cream are carcinogenic and potentially harmful.

To conclude, your cat can have a few licks of whipped cream from Starbucks every once in a while.