Will you find it strange if I say that your feline friend can have a small olive snack a few times per week? Small means less than an olive. You might, but don’t because olives are not a dangerous cat food and are also considered safe to consume.
Being watched by your feline friend while having a snack with a jar of olives in your hands is the moment when pet owners usually come to the question; Can cats eat olives? Yes, sure, they can. Olives are not toxic or dangerous to cats if taken in a reasonable amount. Both green and black olives.
Although not toxic, other reasons should be taken into consideration why you shouldn’t feed your cat with olives. Let’s make an overview of olive eating risk factors, olive attractiveness to cats, and some less-known details.
Can Cats Eat Black and Green Olives?
One or two olives are not at all toxic for your cat. Olives are not even poisonous to cats. No side effects have been noticed in cats from consuming black or green olives if they were consumed moderately. On the other hand, feeding your cat with too many olives can induce several digestive issues.
Let us start with the way that olives are being preserved. The chemicals included in the olive jar as preservatives can cause to upset stomach when consumed constantly. Olive seeds are not easily digested by cats and can be a reason for choking. Not poisonous, but problematic for cats anyway. If you add this to the meaningful nutrition of the olives you will conclude that it is not good to offer the olives to cats. There are many suitable cat treats and it seems they are much better than olives, isn’t it?
A very famous certified veterinary journalist Dr. Sarah Wooten claims that it is perfectly ok to feed your cat olives, but in a very small amount. She adds that you cannot replace a portion of food with olives, but just a bite or two so they can taste the smell they adore. Olives, according to her, are high in sodium and low, almost empty in calories.
Why Do Cats Like Olives?
Cats are crazy when they try olives. Green olives are very attractive to them and there is a good reason for that. These olives contain chemicals called isoprenoid and pimentos which are very similar to the acid found in a catnip.
If you do not know about the effects of the catnip on cats, it has nepetalactone inside and it is the substance that attracts cats. Although most of the plants have nepetalactone, an active substance that cats are in love with is nepetalic acid. It is a metabolic product of nepetalactone.
You should keep in mind that you should store the olives away from the reach of your cat. Their actual and high interest in olives is not due to nutrition needs, but mostly because of their smell. Cats do have a strong smell sense.
Avoid feeding Your Cats Olives
Cats can eat olives, but they haven’t any nutritional benefits for cats. Not green nor black olives and not drained seedless olives. Olives do not contain any protein but are very high in fats. As you know cats are carnivores and the best-balanced diet for them is the protein one. If you give your cat olives it will feel satisfied and even fed up although they haven’t got what cats need to intake daily. It is going to result in proper growth, development, and maintenance.
A bite of olive is not supposed to make you worry for your cat. Olive seeds and the preservatives are the ingredients that are problematic for cats and they can induce health issues. Due to the smell of catnips, olives are a perfect product to attract your cat.
Instead of your concern about the cat’s interest in olive oil, try to offer it healthy snacks.
Any Benefits from Olives for Cats
For humans, olives are considered to be a great diet addition due to the high concentration of different vitamins such as C, E, and A. With your pet cat, you cannot count on this because cats can produce their vitamin C and get the rest of the needed vitamins and minerals from a good quality protein.
Cats, in general, do not benefit from olives, while some cat owners think that they can have benefits in the medical sense. This thesis has never been proven by veterinarians. But it is true that olives do have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions and can prevent cell damage that leads to various diseases including cancer.
Preserving from inflammations, olives ease the symptoms of arthritis in cats. Their moderate addition in the cat’s portion can help the animal to regain mobility and reduce pain. As always, we can advise a consultation with your veterinarian.
Olive oil is assumed to be a good immune stimulator in cats. You can give it to your cat as a diet supplement. 1 tbs is enough. It will also add to the quality of the cat’s coat. Olive oil can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or help with constipation and hairballs. The oil does not contain a big percentage of omega 3 or 6 fatty acids it is a good choice for kittens to improve their digestion and if they suffer some intestinal problems. If you decide to use olive oil for your cat, make sure it is 100% extra virgin. But, do not give it in enormous amounts.
Safety Concerns When You Feed Your Cat Olives
Modest olive intake is not a risk for your feline friend, but what you should be concerned about if the quantity of olive intake is bigger are the following issues:Loss of appetite
Tremors
Vomiting
Constipation
Diarrhea
Extreme thirst or dehydration
Excessive urination Seizures (only in severe cases)
Upset stomach
Insulin sensitivity – diabetic cat should be taken far away from olives
Choking – olives are dangerous since they have pits which can cause choking in kittens as well as in grown-up cats.
