We humans eat food to survive. As summer approaches, we want to munch on refreshing treats like strawberries. They’re so delicious that oftentimes, I can’t help but wonder if it was possible to share the goodness with our adorable cats.
But before I even considered this luscious idea, I had to ask myself first: Can cats eat strawberries?
As cat owners, we already know that they’re particular animals, who occasionally like to experiment with different types of food apart from their usual fare. This is especially true when they see their pet-owners are eating. That’s why as pet owners, we must be knowledgeable of which food are safe for our furry and loving cats.
Besides, a cat’s anatomy is different from ours, and if we are not mindful of the safety and dangers of eating strawberries, our cats may encounter health issues. To avoid this, here are some facts that I recently found out.
Benefits of strawberries
Our bodies function differently compared to our furry feline friend. That’s why it is important to be aware that the nutritional benefits you get from strawberries are different for your cat.
Boosts the immune systemThe immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs such as white blood cells that work closely together to give your body proper protection. Your body has numerous ways to prevent infection such as creating a physical barrier.
For example, your skin blocks germs and there are also different substances formed by the body, like tears and saliva that neutralizes germs to further enhance the barrier effect.
The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs such as white blood cells that work closely together to give your body proper protection. Your body has numerous ways to prevent infection such as creating a physical barrier.
For example, your skin blocks germs and there are also different substances formed by the body, like tears and saliva that neutralizes germs to further enhance the barrier effect.
Combats bad cholesterol
It is a compound of the sterol type found in your body tissues. This includes the blood and the nerves.
They’re important components cell membranes and precursors of other steroid compounds. Bad cholesterol is a result of eating too much fatty foods and sugar.
Regulates blood pressure
Maintaining a normal blood pressure is imperative for your health. It stops the risks of causing problems such as high blood, stroke, heart attack, and cardiac arrest.
Promotes healthy eyes
The antioxidant component of strawberries also aids in preventing cataracts that may lead to blindness because your eyes need vitamin C. It is a form of protection from exposure to free radicals such as UV rays that damages the protein in your lens. Vitamin C also strengthens your cornea and retina.
Stops the formation of wrinkles
Because strawberries are rich in vitamin C, it produces collagen, a structural protein that improves the skin’s resilience and elasticity. Furthermore, as we age, we lose collagens. This means, strawberries are helpful in gaining more collagen.
Reduces inflammation
Strawberries’ phytochemicals and antioxidants also help lessen joint inflammation that causes arthritis and different kinds of heart disease.
Boosts fiber
Fiber prevents diabetes. Furthermore, fiber aids slow the absorption of sugar in the blood.
Which nutrients do strawberries contain?
As people, we have to eat different kinds of food with health benefits from meat to vegetables and fruits. This helps us build our strength to maintain and healthy diet and lifestyle.
Because of this, we enjoy fruits such as strawberries, which are known to be an aromatic and mouthwatering sweet fruit that contains vitamins and minerals. It’s good for both cats and humans, but we need to consider the basic make-up of the fruit, first.
- Folic acid
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Vitamins C, B1, B6, and K
- Anti-oxidant qualities
- Dietary fiber
- Iodine
- Folate
- Copper
- Biotin
- Phosphorus
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Apart from this, strawberries are also rich in phenolic compounds like ellagic acid and flavonoids. They are important for the antioxidant, anticancer and antimutagenic properties of strawberries that can be good for both people and cats.
Furthermore, anthocyanins is the majority of flavonoids found in strawberries. They are also the compounds responsible for making berries blue, red and purple.
Lastly, they are essential nutrients your body needs. They keep your bones strong and have the ability to heal wounds, and build up your immune system to keep your body in top performance and in good shape. They also have the ability to convert food into energy and repair cellular damage.
Strawberries are great antioxidants that can be beneficial for you and your loving cat. Antioxidants are prevailing chemicals that is created to abolish free radicals – highly charged particles that damages cells inside the body – which may lead to mutations and other diseases.
Do cats need strawberries?
As we know, cats are born to be carnivorous animals, thus they eat meat and not much vegetables and fruits. Their ancestry lived on feeding on small rodents and therefore, eating meat is part of their natural diet. It is also important to note that they are also required to ingest nutrients such as thiamine, pyridoxine, niacin, calcium, taurine, and arginine.
Furthermore, strawberry is a sweet fruit and your cat lacks the ability to taste sweetness; therefore, your pet might find the fruit uninteresting. However, this does not apply to all cats, thus necessary precautions are advised.
Though our carnivorous cats are not biologically designed to eat plant foods, strawberries are some of the fruits that cats can actually handle, if fed in moderation. Moreover, there are some, though little, health benefits to giving your feline pet a few of fresh strawberries from time to time.
With that being said, it is not advisable to feed your cat large amount of fruits because feeding them high amounts of carbohydrates may result in problems in the stomach and may lead to unnecessary weight gain.
Meanwhile, your cats cannot benefit from munching on large amounts of strawberries as much as we do even though strawberries are commonly known as a harmless food product for them.
Lastly, strawberries are high in fiber and antioxidants, a component that regulates digestion and lessens the dangers of cancer. Just always be mindful of proper portion control when feeding them to your lovable cat.
Like discussed, you should not overfeed them with too much strawberries even when they are so tempting and mouthwatering.
How do strawberries affect cats?
Strawberries are not poisonous, and therefore your cat may eat and enjoy them, but only in moderation because our pet cats need to follow a low sugar diet to avoid weight gain, unhealthy teeth, and diabetes.
After we established some facts you need consider when feeding your cat with strawberries, we have to answer the most important question, can cats actually eat strawberries? The clear answer is yes.
And even though they are not the most fitted choice for your picky cat, they do not mean any harm when you feed them strawberries. Furthermore, you should avoid them from eating it from the plant with leaves and stems to avoid rashes.
Precautions when feeding your cat strawberries
Even though they do not really fully affect your cat’s health, there’s no cat that can eat sufficient strawberries to gain the same health benefits as you. Still, they’re a good alternative for store-bought treats that are proven to be unhealthy and high in fat.
You just need to remember to feed them in portions to avoid the following:
- Strawberries are high in sugar
- Your cat cannot digest sugar as humans do
- It can cause constipation
- It can cause stomach aches
- Obesity
- Too much potassium is not advisable
Your cat’s ability to digest sugar is reduced due to the fact that they lack the liver enzyme glucokinase required to metabolize carbohydrates, as well as stopping their blood glucose concentration from increasing far beyond the usual.
On the other hand, fibers found in fruits like strawberries help avoid stomach related problems such as diarrhea and constipation – this helps both us and our pets enjoy the food we eat without thinking of after effect that affect our digestive system. It is also good to note the two types of fiber namely soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber has the ability to absorb water and transform it to a gelatinous and slippery matter to help loosen the inside of your intestines. They also have the ability to soak additional fluid inside your colon for firmer stool.
Insoluble fiber, however, do not have the ability to absorb water. They also add bulk to stool that can create larger and fuller bowel movements.
Are strawberries bad for your cats?
Yes, but only if you overfeed them. Your cats naturally eat grass when they’re in the wild because they need fiber in their system. Also, it is important to know that as responsible cat owners, you must not feed them unwashed fruit, at all. The leaves and stem of the fruit may be harmful for your lovable cat and it may have a negative reaction
The leaves and stem of the fruit may be harmful for your lovable cat and it may have a negative reaction on them, such as:
- Itching
- Sneezing
- Blistering
- Eye problems
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Though stated before that strawberries are not poisonous, it is important to always wash the fruit before feeding them to you cat. If you disregard this, your cat’s health may lead to poisoning because of the possible sprayed chemicals, which are toxic to them.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve established that our lovable pet cat may munch on strawberries, we need to do so with moderation or portion control. Furthermore, as a responsible cat owner, you must always wash the strawberries before feeding them to your feline friend.
To avoid unwanted disasters, you, as a cat owner, must also be aware of the possible reactions when you try to feed your cat unwashed strawberries.
Lastly, now that you are aware of the disadvantages and the advantages of strawberries for your cat, it is clear to say that they are treats and not the main food.
