Is it ok to give cats tinned tuna occasionally?

[Ponders]

I've bought some of the \link{http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/schesir/schesir_savings_packs/289367\Schesir pouches} & it's their absolute favourite thing, they can't get it down fast enough, but it's nearly £8 a kilo

They have Royal Canin biscuits + Bozita or Animonda Carny wet food regularly, the tuna is just a treat & not every day. Would tinned tuna chunks in sunflower oil be just as good???

[HuggedTheRedwoods]

blimey, I didn't notice that.

[Allergictoironing]

Is this an all time record Zombie thread? SEVEN years old, almost to the day

[HuggedTheRedwoods]

Mine had tuna in spring water as an occasional treat but I switched to the sunflower oil variety when old boy was ill, partly to get some extra calories into him. Although there's obviously some salt content the vet was fine with it and said it can also help with furballs.

[patharrington]

I avoid tuna in brine as too much salt is toxic for cats. A little sunflower oil doesn't hurt but not too much. For this reason, I buy the tuna in spring water which is quite cheap as an own brand from the supermarkets. My cats love it! I mix in a small amount of olive oil three times a week. There are many health benefits of a little olive oil for cats and adding a little to their tuna is a good way of getting it to them.

[AvengingGerbil]

Mine like pilchards in tomato sauce.

[TomArchersSausage]

I give mine juice drained from the tin. Sometimes they like it other times they look at it disdainfully.

What they love most of all is if I cook them some fresh fish (well frozen fillets). I buy frozen coley or white fish and cook it for a minute and barely cook it on defrost it in the microwave. They go nuts for it but it's only an occassional treat or if they've been ill. They're very spoilt though. They also love a bit of cheese too but I don't think too much is good for them good for them.

[Poppetspinkpants]

Cat2 gets tuna whenever I make tuna bake for the kids. And the leftover tuna mayonnaise from DHs sandwiches.
In my defence she's 17, with poor eyesight, arthritis and renal failure. And the vet has said to give her whatever she will eat at that age.
Nothing wrong with her hearing though, she can hear the can being opened a mile away.

[RM76]

Hi, new here, usually on the other boards, know I'm a bit late to this thread,but thought you might not have heard about mercury in Tuna.

It's probably just fine for your cat to have it very occasionally, but it might be best to stick to salmon, I know it's more expensive, but it has much fewer health implications, it's nutritious (though, as you know, not complete), low in fat and doesn't contain mercury.
I researched this a while ago because I was trying to get my handreared girl (cat) to eat solid food, she seemed to love tuna, but our vet said to avoid it and stick to salmon as too much tuna can lead to mercury poisoning in cats and humans. So we went home and did a bit of reading, and then decided that not only was it bad for her, but it was bad for us too!
Even small children and women who are having/planning babies really should only have a small amount because there are worries about mercury poisoning if they eat too much, even in healthy adults it is advised that you shouldn't eat tuna every day.
The jury is still out on just how bad it is, but most research seems to support the 'in small quantities' line of thinking.

pets.webmd.com/cats/ss/slideshow-foods-your-cat-should-never-eat

Not the most informative link, but does give a quick overview.

Feel like a right killjoy here, my cats love it too, but just now and then.
Hope it helps.

[secretscwirrels]

Scwirrelcat has only ever had the odd teaspoon but he adores it. The trouble with giving him any kind of treat is that he sneers at the regular cat food for a couple of days after.
I love the idea of wrapping the wormer in tuna.

[RightsaidFreud]

Ours can hear a tin of tuna being opened at 10 paces! Heaven forbid I make a tuna sandwich and not give them any tuna, I can't make it peace until they've been given a little bit. They are also quite partial to those pilchards in tomato sauce, but this has only been on one or two occasions- i've heard conflicting advice as to whether the sauce might be harmful to them.

[simpson]

PMSL at tuna being cat crack that's what it's like for my 2 moggies. They love it.

They don't get it very often though only as a special treat.

[patienceisvirtuous]

Eek, my kitty gets half a tin (in brine) each day as well as Royal Canin. Might check with the vet this is ok.

[cozietoesie]

[crazynanna]

Your cat sounds quite demented, crazynanna

[cozietoesie]

Your cat sounds quite demented, crazynanna. (Sorry to be frank and all. grin])

[sashh]

Mine had a tin of tuna the other day, I had run out of catfood.

[crazynanna]

She is a weirdo Queen!

She will not eat roast chicken,either.

But she woofs down a bit of a scone.

[QueenofPlaids]

crazy you have mad highly unusual cats

[LurcioLovesFrankie]

Current cat loves the stuff - it's what I use to get worming tablets and antibiotics into him (and he got it for Christmas lunch). His predecessor was considerably brighter and more discerning - I once fed her a worming tablet in some tuna, and she refused it in all forms ever after - wouldn't even eat tuna flavoured cat food.

[Cantbelieveitsnotbutter]

Oh yeah mine loves sweet corn as well, especially on the cob!
Just to clarify mine has complete down all day (thus solving the other nutrient & toothy problem) but has wet food for dinner & that's when he had his tuna.

[crazynanna]

Crazycat hates tuna!

Sniffs it...and looks at me as if I have served her her own catpooh!

But...she loves sweetcorn, and melon.

[issey6cats]

same here i use half a small can of tuna if im making myself a sandwich so the four cats get a spponfull each and they love it, as an ocassional treat

[QueenofPlaids]

Sir does get the occasional tuna when I'm using it, but usually only a few flakes due to taurine / kitty crack issues. He will quite merrily lap the water from tuna in (unsalted) spring water without impacting on the actual food he takes in.

I dropped some tuna on the floor this morning while making my lunch. He was in kitty heaven

[EasilyBored]

I let catface have tuna when we have some, which is not very regularly, but it's only the scrapings from the can. He can hear it coming out of the kitchen cupboard from half a mile away though, it's catcrack for him. The day the baby had a tuna sandwich (aka, the floor had a tuna sandwich) was probably the happiest day in his entire life. You could almost see him realise that maybe the tiny human wasn't the worst thing to happen to him, and may in fact be a useful addition to the household.

[Ponders]

ah well, I keep them on their toes re the tuna - they never know when they're going to get it