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Can Cats Eat Key Lime Pie? (Or Is It “Toxic” For Cats?)

If you have some key lime pie hanging around, or your cat has stolen some, you may be wondering if it is ok for cats or not…

Can cat cats eat Key Lime Pie?

Cats should not eat Key Lime Pie. This is for several reasons such as the Key lime ingredient itself is known to be toxic for cats, the pie also has a large amount of sugar and fat which can lead to obesity.

So, now you know they shouldn’t. But, what is the nutritional content of this pie? Are there any potential health risks? What about kittens, is the same rule for them too? Keep reading or these answers, and much more…

What is Key Lime Pie?

Key lime pie is a dessert, mainly served in North America. Like most pies it is sugary and mainly consists of the juice from a key lime, the yolk from an egg, and some condensed milk (the sweetened version).

As you can see it looks and sounds delicious, right? But, most unhealthy food is. And, cats cannot appreciate the sweet taste and get no nutritional benefit from it.

What is the difference between a lime and a key lime?

The main difference between a standard lime and key lime is the size, it’s smaller. When you dig into the lime you will notice it has more seeds and has a stronger potent smell.

One of the main reasons it’s used in the key lime pie is for its distinctive taste which helps to contrast with the sweet condensed milk and base.

What is the nutritional content of Key Lime Pie?

Source: USDA (per 100g) *

Name	Amount	Unit
Calories	468	Kcal
Protein	7.04	g
Carbs	49.3	g
Fat	16.9	g
Sugars	22.54	g

* See the source for a full list of contents.

As you can see from the table above the ingredients are not ideal for cats. In particular, is a large amount of sugar and fat.

Are there any health benefits of Key Lime?

Looking at a table of information is one thing, understanding the health benefits is another. For this section, I will focus on the Key lime fruit (what about other fruits? click here) itself and discuss any known benefits it has for humans or cats.

01. Infection fighting

Key lime contains vitamin C. In fact, it’s quite a good source of vitamin C. This is beneficial for us humans because it helps to fight infection and works as an antioxidant.

However, for cats, it’s not a real requirement, according to this site. In fact, they state that if it is supplemented it can cause them to have too much.

02. Reduces aging?

Another benefit of lime is the fact that the vitamin C within it can help the immune system and the production of college that is used for our skin and hair, which could help us to age better.

03. Help with type 2 diabetes?

There have been some reports that lime can help people with Type 2 diabetes. The theory is it helps the body absorption of blood sugar.

04. Improve heart health?

There was a study, conducted on animals that looked into the effects of lime. It was observed that it helped to reduce streaks of fat found in arteries. This is believed to be good concerning heart health.

05. Help with Asthma?

Another study observed that the Vitamin C in key lime can help to prevent the triggering of asthma. Which is a great benefit in itself.

06. Improve your skin?

Key lime, in particular the high level of Vitamin C within it, is believed to help improve your skin. This comes from a study on the role of vitamin C in skin health.

Are there any health risks of Key Lime Pie?

So, now you know the health benefits of the key lime fruit. But, what about the health risks associated with pie itself? Let me explain…

01. High Sugar & Fat

As you can see from the nutritional table above the key lime pie has a high sugar and fat content. None of this is good for cats. As mentioned earlier, cats lack the ability to taste the sugar in this pie.

So, it means that not only do they not get any nutritional benefit from the fat and sugar they can’t even appreciate the sweet delicious taste it has.

02. Low nutritional benefit for cats

If you look at the nutritional breakdown overall you will notice that there is no real nutritional benefit from this key lie pie for them. In fact, a diet consisting of this pie on a long-term basis would be detrimental to their health.

03. Not enough protein (Mandatory for cats)

Another issue with the nutritional content is the lack of protein. Cats are obligate carnivores and need a good source of animal protein to survive. And this pie does not provide this.

Should you feed your cat Key Lime Pie?

Key lime pie is not ideal for your cat. Therefore you should not feed it this. The lime is toxic for cats, and offers no nutritional benefit. Also, it is full of sugar and fat. Therefore, look for other alternatives that are far more nutritious for your cat instead.

Although its possible that your cat may grab a piece of this pie and live to see another day it is not wise to feel that it is ok to purposely feed it this.

Is Key Lime Pie OK for Kittens?

Key lime pie is not OK for kittens. For the same reasons as adults, it contains lime that is toxic for cats and full of sugar and fat.

Regardless of their age this food should be classed as off limits for cats in general. Kittens are more fragile than adul cats and therefore you should be even more strict with their diet to help them grow healthily and to their full potential.

Are there better food alternatives than Key Lime Pie for cats?

There is a long list of alternative food for cats that will serve a better alternative to key lime pie. In particular animal protein rich food that is low in carbs. Also, the food should contain adequate moisture to keep them hydrated.

Regardigng the latter, cats get a lot of their daily required water intake from their food. Hence the reason why its so important to give them food that moisture rich, like wet cat food.

How can you prevent your cat from eating your Key Lime Pie?

So, by now yo should get it, key lime pie is not the one for your cat. But, with that being said, here are some tips to keep your cat away from it if you personally like to have it around your home.

01. Hide it away

The obvious way is to simply hide the pie away from your cat. This could simply be done by not allowing it access to the kitchen where it is stored.

02. Cover the pie

Another option, assuiming blocking access to your kitchen is not possible, is to simply cover up the pie. Make sure it can’t easily be opened to make sure you cat doesn’t get a look in.

03. Keep it refrigerated

It is a good idea to keep it locked away in your fridge to not only keep it fresh but to also stop your cat getting at it.