While cats do not require vegetables as part of a healthy diet, some include helpful dietary additions. Antioxidants and vitamins that can benefit cats' overall health. This helps to promote healthy skin, eyes, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as protecting them from the signs of ageing.
Cats – Obligate Carnivores
They do not need grains, fruits or vegetables in their diets, and, in fact, if given consistently those starchy foods will degrade a cat's health, requiring its' digestive system to process foods that are foreign to feline biology.
That said, many cat food products do contain a variety of vegetables, offering a plethora of nutritional ingredients such as potassium, antioxidants, riboflavin, vitamins, dietary fibre and more, all of which are beneficial to your kitty's health.
Superb vegetables to offer your cat are chopped carrots, peas, frozen corn, broccoli florets, green beans, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, winter squash, and pumpkin. This produce should be cooked (steamed is best) since felines, just like us humans, lack a sufficient way to break down plant cell walls.
As per some cat nutrition specialists, a small amount might help your cat with digestion or constipation. Too much lettuce can lead to diarrhoea, so if you're feeding leafy greens to your furball, make sure not to overdo it. One small serving per week is more than enough.
Even though cats are obligate carnivores, they can still consume carrots which are just as nutritious for them as they are for us. However, it's not recommended to feed raw carrots to your cat so, if you plan on adding them to your cat's diet, do so as a treat, and in small amounts.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so the meat is necessary for their survival and thus should make up the majority of their meals. However, offering them small amounts of certain types of vegetables (to supplement their meals or as a snack) can provide some health benefits for them as well.
Toxic Vegetables for Dogs and Cats
Onions, Garlic, Chives, Leeks, Scallions, and Shallots: Cats are more susceptible to their toxic effects than dogs, but both are affected. In addition to gastrointestinal irritation, they can cause red blood cell damage and anemia. Eggplants are toxic to cats!
While cats, unlike humans, don't require veggies in their diet, they can be a safe and healthy treat. Your cat might nosh on some cooked carrots, but avoid raw ones as they may be a choking hazard. Although not a necessary part of their diet, a little bit of white rice won't harm your cat.
The bottom line is that because cats are obligate carnivores, their gastrointestinal tracts and metabolism have adapted to eating meat. They can't digest plant material well, and they require essential nutrients that only meat can provide to them.
They provide cats with a healthy boost of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), potassium, and fiber. In addition, carrots are treasured as an excellent source of beta carotene – a pigment that gives carrots their distinctive orange color, and that gives your cat's immune system a well-deserved boost.
If your cat loves carrots, it's likely not because of the sweetness. The taste receptors on your cat's tongue don't work like humans' do. Cats can't taste a sweet flavor. If your kitty is begging for a bite of carrot, he might love something else about the taste, or he might just really like the texture.
Yes, broccoli is completely safe for cats of all ages and breeds to enjoy, if they're so inclined. In fact, getting your feline companions interested in broccoli could even provide some nutritional benefits. First of all, broccoli is absolutely packed with antioxidants.
Potatoes are not particularly nutritious for cats, and your feline should be able to get all the nutrients they need from specially formulated commercial cat foods. Because of this, potatoes should be a once-in-a-while treat, rather than an essential component of your cat's diet.
Some of the most toxic food for cats include onions & garlic, raw eggs & meat, chocolate, alcohol, grapes and raisins. Avoid feeding your cat table scraps, especially around the holidays, as these may contain potentially toxic ingredients.
Cats can eat tuna as a treat and in small amounts, once or twice weekly at a maximum. Choose tuna in natural spring water. Avoid feeding cats tuna in oil or tuna in brine as these human tuna foods contain too much salt and oil so lack any health benefit, and can cause harm.
Raw carrots aren't toxic to cats, but vets recommend against feeding raw carrots to cats because they're a lot tougher to eat and digest. Cats can't chew things up as well as people can, so carrots can be a choking hazard for your cat.
Cats can safely consume carrots as long as they are cooked and sliced into small pieces to reduce the risk of choking. Be sure to feed carrots in moderation as larger amounts could cause GI upset, obesity, and diabetes. Don't forget that cats are carnivorous animals and need meat to survive.
Here's the skinny: Cats don't require fruits and vegetables to balance their nutrition. In fact, cats are obligate carnivores — not omnivores, like dogs and humans are. This means that animal protein is the only type of protein that fulfills a cat's nutritional needs.
Can cats eat bananas as a nutritious snack? Again, the answer is yes, but in moderation. Because they are calorie-rich, bananas are not at the top of the cat treat list, and your cat may not even want to eat bananas.