There are many fruity facts that cat lovers need to know. Can cats eat raspberries is a frequently asked question by cat owners and the answer varies depending on many things that must be taken into consideration.
I hardly know a cat owner who does not want to give his cat a treat especially when he is indulging his treats and fruits. Writing this I can see how a cat walks around and likes to give a try of what you are eating. Cats are curious, aren’t they?
What is the most adorable in this view are the stretching neck and the twitching nose of your cat. The sense of smell in cats is well-developed. Speaking in general some foods are toxic and not at all suitable for cats, while other foods are perfect and can be a real treat for your cat. When having raspberries to think about I can say they are in the middle. We may take a closer look at this tasty fruit and decide if can cats eat raspberries.
What is the Nutritional Content of Raspberries?
Raspberries are nutritious fruit. They are high in fiber and vitamins. They are also considered to be very low in the harmful sugars. Raspberries are recommended to people with diabetes and are often recommended as an antioxidant. This contributes to their healthy nature. The nutritional components of raspberries are calcium, dietary fiber, magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K.
The fact is that one cup of raspberries can contain 8 grams of dietary fiber. So, the short answer will be that yes, cats can eat raspberries after mentioning all the benefits that this fruit obtains. But this does not mean that you can feed your cat raspberries.
Now, let us elaborate on the topic a bit longer after the short answer was positive.
How to Feed Raspberries to Cats Safely?
You have to be aware that raspberries are not the ideal food for cats, because they are primarily carnivores. Most of the nutrients that a cat should intake from the food daily come from the meat. Cats are predators and thus they are hunters. The whole cat’s body and metabolism are created in a way that shows them as animals that should be put on a carnivore diet. Cats do have a higher protein requirement than the rest of the animals.
The enzymes in their gastrointestinal tract are not made to digest plant-sourced Vitamin A. That is why fruits and vegetables are not on the cats’ regular menu. As all the other animals do, cats also need to take a break from the dry food they are daily but with much care since some of the domestic fruits and vegetables can be poisonous for them.
Cats can eat raspberries because this fruit does not contain anything poisonous for them. They only have some Xylitol which can cause problems to cats if taken in big quantities. Nothing can happen if your cat eats one or two raspberries. What is good to know is that the number of antioxidants can even be useful for your cat especially if it is older or rheumatic. What I haven’t mentioned so far is that it will be best to consult your vet if there is any doubt.
The quantity of raspberries you are giving your cat is very important. More than those previously mentioned one or two raspberries can be a problem for the cat. Eating meat is their primary diet and their metabolism cannot handle a large amount of any fruit or vegetable. So, a bulk of raspberries can irritate their stomach. First, you may notice diarrhea or vomiting. These conditions will upset both you and your cat and can bring further complications.
Since we have concluded that an amount of two raspberries is ok for your cats make sure that you won’t leave a cup full of this fruit around the place. Your curious cat will surely catch them since the raspberry shape is interesting for your cat as well as their smell.
In case your cat is a raspberry addict you can consider giving it a raspberry yogurt. But raspberry jam is out of the question because it will cause a disbalance in the sugar levels in the cat’s blood. Raspberry ice cream is also forbidden to cats due to the artificial flavors and sugars it contains. Lactose from the milk is extremely bad for your cat’s stomach and may cause many problems such as pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If you were considering frozen raspberries, please keep in mind that the same goes for that kind of raspberries. And of course, never sprinkle sugar on the raspberries that you are giving to your cat.
Consideration of Risks When Cats Eat Raspberries
If the cat looks suspicious as having taken “some” of your raspberries not being seen, you will have to act quickly and check its behavior. If diarrhea occurs, dehydration, odd-smelling or pungent face, or vomiting may occur and the symptoms become more severe than at the start you should go and visit the vet. If cats eat bad foods it results in kidney damage.
Constant consumption of raspberries can be distressing for the gastrointestinal tract of the cat. If your cat has consumed a large number of raspberries and some other fruit or vegetable what you will notice as a very first sign will be a smelly face. The magical circle starts when its stomach is irritated and the cat starts to vomit, after which dehydration comes and that condition is dangerous for the cat. All of this affects the kidneys and a large toxicity is present in the cat’s body.
Despite the risks, we must mention a few health benefits when your cat eats raspberries. Those are intake of Vit C which is an antioxidant and does have some anti-inflammatory properties that can boost the cat’s immunity.
The aging process will be also slowed down by the aging process. When cats eat raspberries in reasonable amounts it can balance the sugar level in their blood. Also, the soluble and insoluble fibers in raspberries boost digestion by producing healthy and friendly gut bacteria.
