Pancit is sometimes considered the national dish of the Philippines because of how widely and commonly you can find people eating it. You could hardly see any celebrations without this dish being served. In fact, it may be perceived as if a person was denied prosperity and a long life if they did not have pancit on their birthdays.
While pancit is safe for humans to consume, can cats eat pancit? Here is everything you need to know.
What is Pancit?
Pancit is a savory common food among Filipinos, an exciting noodle dish often served alongside vegetables, meat, or seafood and seasoned with citrus and soy sauce. With every region of the Philippines you visit, you will recognize a unique difference in how their pancit tastes, as each region imbibes its own unique twist.
Its origins are tied to the Chinese, as you can see the influence of Chinese noodles in the dish, notably in Canton, which is a name for a city in China. There are lots of variations of pancit, with each adopting a different type of noodle, protein, or vegetable.
Can Cats Eat Pancit?
Pancit in all its forms is not a cat-specific food and should not be fed to cats as a staple. While it may be loaded with proteins like pork, chicken, beef, vegetables like carrots, and rice noodles, it often contains onions and soy sauce, which could cause anemia and sodium poisoning, respectively.
To give pancit to your cat, you need to modify the ingredients and make them safer. The rice noodles, or vermicelli often used in making pancit, are safe for cats, as are the vegetables and proteins, but the added spices are usually the problem.
Can Cats Eat Pancit Bihon?
Pancit bihon is often made with bihon noodles—thin rice noodles derived from rice flour, corn starch, and water that are all safe for cats. Cats can safely have bihon noodles without any issues; however, they don’t contain any beneficial nutrients, which is why they should not be made a staple in cats’ foods.
Further, pancit bihon is made with chicken breast, which is a great source of protein for cats and is found in a lot of cat foods. It is also made with vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and cabbage, or whatever you want to see in your meal, and vegetables are safe for cats in moderation.
However, Pancit Bihon is made with onions and garlic, which are not safe for cats, and a cat’s small size means that it will take lesser amounts of garlic and onions to experience toxicity, unlike with dogs. Pancit bihon is not suitable for cats unless you make it without onions and garlic.
Can Cats Eat Pancit Canton?
Pancit canton noodles are made using wheat flour and eggs; they have lots of similarities to spaghetti noodles but are quite flimsy. You could actually use them for any of the pancit varieties, because when they are stir-fired, they hold up well. Cats can have the pancit canton noodles without issues.
Pancit canton noodles feature cabbage, bok choy, carrots, green beans, and celery, which are all safe for cats. It is also made with pork tenderloin and shrimp, which are safe sources of proteins for cats; however, it is made with onions and garlic, and the sodium content can be high from the broth and sauce used, making it not suitable for cats.
Can Cats Eat Pancit Malabon?
Similar to pancit bihon, pancit malabon noodles are made with either thick rice or cornstarch noodles. All these Asian noodles are safe for cats to have occasionally in addition to their main diets.
Pancit melabon is pretty much similar to pancit palabok, but the use of a range of seafood toppings (shrimps, oysters, smoked fish flakes, and mussels, or whatever you prefer) distinguishes them. These proteins, in addition to pork rinds, are safe for cats, but just like other pancit variations, malabon is made with onions and garlic, which makes it not safe for cats.
To feed malabon or any other kind of pancit to cats, you have to make it at home and omit the onions and garlic as part of the ingredients.
My Cat Ate Pancit: What Will Happen?
If your cat ate pancit in small quantities, nothing would happen to it. However, if you allow your cat access to lots of pancit, a lot could happen. There would be a high chance of your cat consuming way too much onion or garlic that could cause toxicity, or the sodium in the broth could kick in with its own symptoms of dehydration, thirst, fast heart rates, and an irregular temperature. In situations where your cat consumes a lot, get in contact with your vet.
How To Feed Pancit To Cats?
If you intend to let your cat enjoy some pancit, it is actually easy to get it ready for your cat. To serve pancit to your cat, all you need are vegetables of your choice, like choy som, carrots, cabbages, and other veggies your cat is used to. Proatein can consist of anything from pork to chicken to beef or even seafood. For the noodles, you can use vermicelli noodles or just about any noodles.
Prepare your proteins without spices or salt—if at all, very little salt—then save the broth. Shred the proteins into sizes that can be chewed easily by your kitten. Cut the veggies into bite-sized pieces and steam them to make them more palatable. Boil the noodles, drain the water, add the broth, veggies, and proteins, and then you’ve just made a cat-safe pancit.
Can Kittens Eat Pancit?
Just like an adult cat, a kitten should not have pancit because of the harmful onions and garlic. Further, kittens have little to no business with human foods, as they need specially formulated foods in order for their organs to develop properly.
Final Thoughts?
Cats can have little pancit, but it is not recommended as it contains onions and garlic. If you intend on treating your cat to pancit, you can consider making a pet-safe version where the harmful ingredients must be omitted.
