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Can Cats Eat Avocado? Is It Safe For Your Cat To Eat It?

Can Cats Eat Avocado? Is It Safe For Your Cat To Eat It?

Some studies have determined cats should only eat food dedicated to cats. However, there are fruits and even vegetables that would be healthy and enjoyable for pets like cats.

Yes, cats can eat avocados, and although it contains Persin (a toxic that may be harmful to some animals), pets like cats and dogs are more tolerant. Avocados should not be given to cats if they have gastritis or pancreatitis or in abundance.

We understand how good it can be with some salt, lemon, or vinegar; having it in our daily meal is a privilege! That’s why maybe we want to share it with our cat, or not. It is good to know that some cats like to be as curious as us humans, and they like to try new things, mainly when referring to food, but we need to handle the essential information about what products we can or not give our cats for them to eat.

Will Avocado Hurt Cats?

Avocado contains a fungicidal toxic called Persin. Although it is threatening to some animals causing even death, it may not be that dangerous for cats. In fact, it could help with its immune system. It can, however, cause digestive problems like vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) if it is over consumed. So if you’re feeding your cat avocados, make sure to cut it into small pieces and remove any part of the skin and the pit.

can sleeps in avocado graphic art

Why Does My Cat Love Avocados?

It is a little bit hard to tell if a cat loves to eat avocados. Still, you can see if your cat enjoys it, if it decides to eat avocado instead of the traditional cat food and is curious about eating ‘new’ kinds of foods, you shouldn’t worry since it is not as dangerous as people think. So if you see your cat enjoying eating avocado, be sure to cut it into little slices or small pieces to avoid any threat or danger. In addition, if your cat has had gastritis or pancreatitis in the past, you should avoid giving it avocado.

Is Guacamole Toxic To Cats?

Guacamole is a Mexican-based food. Its name comes from the Nahuatl language “āhuacamōlli,” which means avocado sauce.

Since Guacamole is made with ingredients such as garlic, onions, and often jalapeños, it may be highly toxic to cats, so you can give avocados to them but never provide Guacamole.

What Products Are Not Safe For Cats?

Although avocados may not be that harmful to cats, there are other products that you should be careful providing to your cat. For example, it is more than evident that you should not give your cat products such as alcohol or pills. That’s why we are going to share other products that may not be that obvious for you:

  • Chocolate: This product contains theobromine, a stimulant primarily found in dark and unsweetened chocolate. Eating it can cause seizures and other injuries, including heart problems.
  • Caffeine: Products such as Coffee, tea, and energy drinks contain caffeine which could cause fast breathing and fast palpitations.
  • Dairy products: They are most dangerous for cats that are lactose intolerants. Even an important meal such as milk can make your cat vomit and have diarrhea.
  • Raw food: These could go from raw meat, raw eggs, and raw fish and can cause pancreatitis due to its excessive fat.
  • Grapes and raisins.
  • Onions and garlic: These products are present in Guacamoles and other meals. It could cause your cat to have digestive problems and anemia.

What Animals Are Affected By Avocados And What Symptoms Do They present?

As mentioned before, avocados contain Persin in their leaves, bark, skin, and pit. It is a fungicidal toxin similar to fatty acid and can harm some animals badly.

Avocado was listed as toxic to horses by the American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals. Other animals that can’t be feed avocados due to increases in heart rate, asphyxia, or sudden death are:

  • Goats
  • Cows
  • Pigs
  • Chicken
  • Birds: The canaries, Parakeets, Cockatiels, and large Parrots.
  • Turkeys
  • Rabbits
  • Hare
  • Rats
  • Mice
  • Ostriches
  • Fish

Some of the Basic Symptom to these animals are:

  • Inability to perch (for Birds)
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fluid around the heart and lungs.
  • Liver and Kidney failure
  • Inflammation of the mammary glands
  • Heart rhythm problems
  • Death

Health Benefits Of Avocado

Avocado is one of the most healthful fruits. It has a very unique combination of minerals and vitamins. Some of these vitamins are:

  •  -K, good for bone health.
  •  -C
  •  -B5
  •  -B6
  •  -E
  •  -Magnesium
  •  -Pantothenic Acid
  •  -Niacin
  •  Folate is very used as a natural medicine to prevent colon, stomach, pancreatic, and cervical cancer.
  • Researchers have found that phytochemicals extracted from avocado decrease chromosomal damage caused by some chemotherapy drugs.
  • (Folate also prevents the development of homocysteine, a substance that can cause depression).
  •  -Potassium; Some studies even indicate that avocados have more potassium than bananas.
  • Avocados also have natural fat, which helps to prevent heart attacks and reduce inflammation in our hearts.
  • They contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin, regularly used for vision health.
  • They are additionally used for Osteoporosis prevention and treatment.

Alternative Healthy Snacks To Feed Your Cat

If you do not feel safe about providing avocados to your cat, you can always try some different healthy snacks to change your cat’s diet. Some experts say you can feed them with fruits.

However, some fruits are not recommended and are listed as toxic to cats. According to The American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (ASPCA.) These are:

  • Citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons, mandarin orange, pomelo, citron, etc.
  • Grapes, Raisins, and Currants.
  • Coconut or Coconut oil.

Now that we have seen the fruits we can’t feed our cats. We will show you some alternative healthy snacks you can try to give them:

  • Zucchini
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Green Bell Peppers
  • Spinach
  • Peas
  • Pumpkin
  • Broccoli

cat smells avocado

Experts Opinion About Cats Eating Avocado

We understand how important your cat is to you. That’s why we have gathered some essential opinions about cats eating avocados. These opinions are from veterinarians, experts, and some important websites about cat’s Health.

  • Dr. Rebello, Emergency Medical Director with NorthStar VETS, says, “they are safe for cats and dogs, but they could upset a cat’s stomach or increase the risk of pancreatic inflammation due to its natural fat.”
  • Pet Poison Helpline indicates “it is not life-threatening but potent, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, obstruction of stool and pancreatitis.
  • The American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (ASPCA) states that avocado is safe for cats.
  • Embrace Pet Insurance Claims Director Jenna Mahan explained that “avocado is good for cats in the same way it is good for humans.”
  • It is good to know some cat products like food or shampoo advertise avocado as a Healthy ingredient, but they use extracts from the avocado free of persin. Avocado oil used in cat food is safe for cats to ingest.

Final Thoughts

For some of us, one of the most important things in the world is our pets. We can see them as if they were our children. That’s why we always strive to protect them and give them the best we can. Gathering necessary information about healthy food or what food our cats should eat is an excellent example of it.

If your cat is an avocado lover, you shouldn’t be worried. You can always feed it with small slices of it. As long as it doesn’t contain any Garlic or onion (as the Guacamole has), they will be fine.