Imagine that your cat could create a restaurant menu with its favorite food items. You can bet there would be a wide variety of fish and meat in there, like chicken, beef, tuna, salmon, trout, etc. These are all among the top choices of every feline. As carnivores, it's in their nature to seek this type of food – both because they adore the taste and smell and because they provide essential nutrients, such as protein and fats.
It's a little different story when it comes to fruits and vegetables. We all know they are healthy and beneficial and should be part of a balanced diet, but is it the same for animals? Apparently not. While certainly not harmful, our four-legged friends need veggies and fruits way less than us.
Today we're discussing peaches, that fuzzy, juicy, delicious fruit that makes summertime all the more enjoyable. More precisely, we need to find out if cats can enjoy them, so without further ado, let's dive in.
A Nutrient-Rich Fruit
Famed for their health benefits, peaches are always an excellent addition to your diet, providing important vitamins and minerals, particularly Vitamin A, C, and potassium, as well as some B vitamins to a lesser degree. Among other things, these help your organs and cells function properly, strengthen your immune system, and ensure normal growth.
Moreover, they contain highly useful plant compounds called antioxidants that combat different diseases and body aging. To make the most out of antioxidants, you need fresh and ripe peaches in your diet, though canned ones do the job, too. Apart from this, peaches have some iron, magnesium, and phosphorus in them, and are known for improving weak digestion in some cases.
People usually don't think of fiber when talking about peaches, but it shouldn't be overlooked. Fiber is important for constipation, as well as preventing heart disease, cancer, or various health problems. Peaches are high in fiber and can help you meet your daily need.
But wait – is this relevant at all for our furry little amigos? Well, vets and scientists who specialize in feline health agree that peaches are entirely optional in a cat's diet. In other words, they do not fall into the priority basket with fish and meat; rather, they should only be an occasional treat, even off the table if your furball dislikes them. The primary source of nutrients for kittens and adult cats should always be animal-based, vet-approved cat food, both wet and dry, rich in protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Research shows that cats have a hard time extracting nutrients from plant-based food, including peaches, even if they find them delicious. So, my best advice is to keep the intake minimal and stick mainly to meat and fish-based snacks to keep your kitty in excellent health.
Things to Watch Out For
Just like any other food item, problems can arise if taken irresponsibly. Yes, this includes our beloved sweet peaches. And it's precisely this sweetness that is considered a risk factor for cats.
As you know, this fruit is naturally packed with sugars. You don't need a degree in nutrition to know this – you know it by the first bite from a nice, ripe peach. But while people enjoy these sugars and benefit from them, cats are built differently. Sugar is known for causing dental issues, and too much of it can cause tooth decay and plaque buildup. Peaches cannot realistically cause this problem, of course, but one should always be aware of the effects of sweet foods.
Sugar-packed food can increase blood sugar levels, posing problems for diabetic cats. Even if diabetes is not involved, sugars increase weight, and cats gain weight easily and quickly. If you're not careful, a bad diet can cause heart problems and lead to obesity. For optimal physical health, keep sugars to a minimum.
Choking Hazard and Peach Skin
If it turns out that your furball does have a sweet tooth, make sure you serve the peach right. Cats have tiny mouths and throats; they can easily choke on larger pieces, so cutting the peach into tiny bits will take care of this. Also, they may swallow the pit (or a part of it), which requires immediate medical intervention. Watch out for any food containing seeds to avoid potential choking.
Another risk factor is the peach skin. If all fruits were perfectly washed at all times, you wouldn't have to worry. Unfortunately, pesticide residues can stick to unwashed skin and create problems for your cat's digestion. For this reason, fruits and veggies should be thoroughly washed and cut into small pieces before serving them to your pet.
Although this rarely happens, ingesting a peach's pit can cause cyanide poisoning. This is because the kernel inside has amygdalin, a chemical that turns into another very toxic chemical, hydrogen cyanide. The only way for cats to release cyanide is to bite and break the pit or swallow broken pieces. Again, supervision is key with all seeds to prevent choking or ingesting toxic chemicals.
Looking for Symptoms
Before getting all panicky over your feline, you should know which symptoms indicate peach poisoning. If you find your furball in a corner happily chewing away on a peach, worry not: it will be perfectly fine if the pit is whole. If not, contact your vet immediately even if your pet doesn't show any discomfort because of the reasons above.
Common symptoms of peach poisoning, as with other foods, are diarrhea and vomiting. There can also be appetite loss, stomachache, tremors, laziness and lethargy, drooling, heavy breathing, etc. The chances of this happening are fairly minimal, but we should never exclude them if we want to be responsible cat owners.
