Can Rats Eat Cheese? [Balls, Puffs, Cake]

Can rats eat cheese? – is an all too common question rat owners ask in forum and in groups.

The short answer is both a “Yes” and a ‘No”.

How is that even possible when rats are often portrayed in cartoons as loving cheese?

Do Rats eat Cheese?

It depends on the cheese offered.

NOT ALL CHEESE are fine for rats to snack on. But, even safe cheese for rats should be fed in moderation because they’re full of fat.

Now, some cheese types MUST BE AVOIDED at all costs as it may spell doom if your pet rat eats it.

ALSO SEE: Grain Mix Recipe for Rats

Can Rats eat Cheese – What Kind is Safe & Which is Unsafe?

Although some can be safely fed to rats, other cheese type isn’t, even as occasional treats.

Note: Not EVERY RAT is LACTOSE INTOLERANT, individual rats can be. So, it is nice to watch out for signs that tell they aren’t doing well with cheese, such as loose stools or diarrhea.

The best and safest cheese for pet rats are one that are semi-hard or hard cheeses that go through a washing process that rids the balls of excess. The result is a cheese with a much lower fat and lactose.

Colby Cheeses is an example of such cheese.

Pet Rats Can Safely Have:

Gouda
Cheddar
Red Leicester
Colby
Appenzeller
Emmental
Gruyere
Edam

The cheeses listed above are fine to feed your rats if they are either produced from goat or cow’s milk. As long as you’re feeding a plain variety without any additions of certain grains, chilies, and nuts.

Cheeses Your Pet Rat Must Avoid:

There are particular cheese types that aren’t healthy for pet rats as a result of the processes and ingredients they undergo during being made or maturing.

Certain cheeses like Mozerella, Brie, and Feta are also unsafe for rats because they’re too soft, and chewy (even though they have no bad ingredients or undergo bad food processing).

Soft cheeses are harmful because they are way too chewy for rats who lack molars to break down food before swallowing. That means, they will easily choke on meals that are too “gloopy” for them. Because they lack natural gag-reflex, choking is a bigger life-threatening even in rats.

Cheeses Rats Cant Have:

Camembert
Blue Cheese
Mascarpone
Cream Cheese
Mozarella
Feta
Ricotta
Queso Blanco
Cottage Cheese
Brie
Stilton
Gorgonzola

There isn’t a particular list of cheeses rats can’t have list that is ever complete. However, you can avoid any possible casualty by avoiding any cheese that fits into the category we have described above.

You should always do deep research on the type of cheese you are thinking of feeding your rats before feeding them. Use your common sense to decide whether it’s safe or not too.

Can Rats eat Cheese

Can Rats eat Vegetarian and Vegan Cheese?

Absolutely! Like standard cheeses containing animal products, rats too can have cheese without animal products in them – BUT – avoid checking the ingredients of these cheeses as the manufacturers might have added ingredients that are not typically present in common cheese and could be somewhat less rat-friendly. Or they might contain ingredients that are meat-product supplements – things added for effect rather than nutrition – that you might wish to avoid.

ALSO SEE: How Much Water do Rats Need?

For instance, a lot of widely consumed vegetarian and vegan cheese use fungi, nuts, palm oils, or herbs rather than milk proteins and other thickeners to help them solidify.

However, there are lots of cheese products out there that is hard to write about.

So, ensure you read the labels for yourselves before buying or feeding your rodent baby.

Note: It doesn’t mean you can’t feed your rats little bits – ONLY use your sense to judge what amounts and frequency to feed.

Can Rats Eat Processed Cheese?

Because can food isn’t even considered a desirable option for humans here, the ideal answer is No! rats can’t have processed cheese.

But, some humans have eaten, are eating and thriving well on it – why would you deny small bits of these to your pets if you had them in store?

Can rats eat Blue Cheese?

There have been no scientific or medical explanation as to whether blue cheese is safe or not. However, some rat owners feed their rats blue cheese and have seen no immediate or life-threatening side effects.

Do Rats eat Cheese Puff?

Absolutely! But in small amounts.