Are Marshmallows Safe for Cats? What You Need to Know

It was a lazy day and I had some marshmallows out on the table. A friend had come over and we were sitting on the sofa watching a movie instead of going to the gym. I picked up a marshmallow and my cat Ozzie, who was sitting next to me sat up and starting sniffing at it. It was not the first time I had skipped the gym for movies and marshmallows. Nor the first time he had sniffed at a marshmallow I was eating. I could understand why. Marshmallows smell so good. I love the strange texture as well. Anyway, I almost gave him one because they are so tasty. But then I thought to myself, “Can cats eat marshmallows?” There was no internet around to check. However, I had had cats all my life, so I was pretty sure it was a bad idea.

Instead of giving him one, I picked up the bag of marshmallows, got off the couch and went into the kitchen. I found his favorite snack; dried fish. Cats have an amazing sense of smell so naturally he sprinted to the kitchen. I gave him the dried fish and felt good about it. And that is the first thing I would like to point out.

Never give your cat anything to eat, even if they show an interest in it unless you’re absolutely sure that it’s safe for them.

Can I give my cat marshmallows? Yes, you can. But remember, ‘can’ and ‘should’ often have two different answers.

Table of Contents

Why do cats like marshmallows?

Naturally when your cats starts smelling at the marshmallow you have in your hand, you automatically assume that he/she is interested in eating it. And you’re right. Cats have an amazing sense of smell that we cannot even imagine. Since marshmallows have a very distinctive smell, surely it will peak their interest.

According to C&EN marshmallows are made from sugar, corn syrup, gelatin and air. The foam is actually made from air suspended in a liquid sugar mixture of sorts. Gelatin is a key factor and is the structure that keeps everything together. But your cat doesn’t care about that. It is the smell that attracts him.

There are other reasons which should be considered but rarely are.

1. Many cats want to eat what you are eating.
2. Cats can be scavengers in the wild and will eat whatever they can find if they are hungry enough.
3. They have become accustomed to eating marshmallows because you fed them one when they were growing up.
4. Marshmallows can be interesting to eat and is unlike other textures in their normal diet.

Why are marshmallows bad for cats?

Yes, marshmallows are very bad for cats. I know, you want your cat to enjoy some of the food you do. You love marshmallows and now your cat does to. However the problems with feeding your cat marshmallows are plenty.