We love and care for our cats, and they are important members of our family. It’s because we love them so much that we want to ensure their well-being. In this article, we will explain if your cat can eat cucumbers.
Cats suffer from dehydration, and they won’t drink dirty water, which is sometimes a challenge. Cucumbers are a great way to help keep your cat hydrated because they are mostly water. We can say that this vegetable is safe for your cat. Please take advantage of it in the hotter times of the year.
Cats Eating Cucumbers
Your cat begging for the food you are trying to eat, what a normal vision that is right? Our cats love the idea of eating whatever we are eating, and they won’t be discreet about it.
So whenever you are in the kitchen preparing a salad for you and whoever is with you that day, your cat will try to get a piece of those cucumbers for sure. But that makes us wonder, is it ok to feed your cat cucumbers?
To give a short and concise answer, yes, they can eat cucumbers and even love them. However, the possibility of hating it is also there. Let’s not forget that our cats are mainly carnivores. Because of it, they might not like or find interest in vegetables.
It would be best if you fed your cat with no more than a slice or two as a treat and not as a main dish.
Cucumbers are a good source of nutrients, and because they are mainly water, they can help with your cat’s thirst. The amount of nutrients and benefits that your cat will obtain from the cucumber is significant. The main ones are vitamins, nutrients, and water.
Is Cucumber Harmful To Cats?
Cucumber is a vegetable that is not harmful to your cat. That is the short version of the answer, but we need to go deeper than that to make sure we won’t hurt our furry friends.
The quantity we give to our cats of this vegetable is the key to the matter. We need to always keep in mind that our cats are mainly carnivores, and we cannot change their diet to a vegetable-based one.
Vegetables like cucumbers are primarily composed of water, and feeding too much of it to your cat can cause harmful effects. Due to the amount of water that this vegetable contains, the possibility of causing your cat diarrhea can increase significantly.
Another thing that you should be mindful of is the skin of the cucumbers. You should avoid giving your cat cucumbers that have skin on them.
The same applies to other vegetables as well as cucumbers. The reason why is simple, there are substances like pesticides on the skin of the cucumbers that could hurt your cat or upset their stomach.
As we already established, there is no harm in giving your cat cucumbers. Still, please make sure to avoid giving your cat any artificially processed cucumbers or pickled ones.
It is a good idea to remove the skin of other vegetables as well. Peeling the skin could help avoid the presence of bug sprays that can be harmful to your cat. This technique is an excellent preventive practice for your furry friend and yourself (thank us later).
Benefits
Cucumbers should not be the main item on your cat’s diet. We need to always remember that cats are carnivores. Adding cucumber to your cat’s diet has its benefits. This section will present some of the benefits cucumbers can have in your cat’s diet.
- Source of vitamin K. This vitamin can help prevent blood clotting and help maintain a healthy liver.
- Cucumbers are good to speed up your cat’s metabolism. Feeding your cat cucumbers is good if they are a bit overweight. The boost in metabolism comes from a mineral called molybdenum. It is a trace mineral.
- Another helpful characteristic of cucumbers is that they are low in calories. If your cat is a bit chubby, this could be an excellent option for a treat.
- Cucumbers are between 90% and 95% water. Therefore it is a fantastic way to make sure that your cat stays hydrated.
- Cucumbers are a good source of beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are good to prevent inflammatory diseases. One of the illnesses that cucumbers can help avoid is arthritis by reducing the risk of swelling, which can help alleviate pains and improve mobility.
- Potassium, magnesium, and copper are all present in cucumbers, and they are great for your cat’s health.
- Cucumbers are also sugar-free. There is no artificial sugar in them, so if your cat suffers from diabetes, worry not; cucumbers are good for them.
Overall, cucumber is a great treat, especially in the hottest times of the year, so give your furry friend a slice or two from time to time.
Examples Of Human Food That Your Cat Can Eat:
There are other ”human foods” that you can also share with your cat. In this section, we will present a list of alternatives to share with your furry friend.
- Pumpkin. Never give your cat raw pumpkin, pulp, stem, or skin of the pumpkin. On the other hand, pumpkins are a great source of fiber for your cat. It has multiple nutrients like vitamins, calcium, iron, and lutein.
- Spinach. Excellent source of vitamins for your cat. It needs to be boiled or steamed. It is a bad idea to feed it raw. Has fiber that could help your cats’ digestive system as well as pumpkins.
- Artichokes are not toxic for cats. However, our furry friends might find artichokes hard to eat. Therefore you should only feed your cat with cooked and plain artichokes (no seasoning). The quantity is vital when it comes to providing your cat with artichokes. They are low in fat and sodium, but they could provoke diarrhea in your cat if they overeat.
- Asparagus, same as artichokes, are a great source of nutrients for your cat, but only in small quantities. Asparagus can provide your furry friend with potassium, which could help prevent heart issues for your cat. Because cats are carnivores, their digestive system does not process vegetables super well. It is a good idea to include asparagus in your cat’s diet, but don’t overdo it.
- Eggplants are safe for cats, but only if you cook them first and even cooked never in significant quantities. The raw eggplant and the leaves can be very dangerous for your furry friend. Other options work better for your cat, so even though it is ok to feed your cat with cooked eggplant, you should avoid it entirely.
- Lettuce is an ok food to feed your cat. Lettuce is a fantastic source of fiber, vitamins A and K, and they are low in calories. However, to give lettuce to your cat, you need to make sure that they are properly clean before because the presence of bug sprays might be toxic for your furry friend.
- Cauliflower should only be fed to your cat after you cook it, preferably steam it. Cauliflowers can provide your cat with antioxidants that help decrease inflammation. Also, if your cat suffers from things like arthritis, cauliflower could be helpful.
- Peppers have a lot of vitamins that could be good for your furry friend. Cats, however, produce the vitamins present in red, yellow, and green peppers by themselves, so they might not need them from peppers. You don’t have to worry if your cats eat pepper in small quantities because it is not toxic to them.
Conclusion
Cucumbers are suitable for cats. Always keep in mind that a cat’s diet must contain animal proteins. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, they should only be a complement to your cat’s diet and never the main course.
Keep in mind that you should always peel off the skin of the cucumber you are planning to feed your cat as an excellent preventative measure.
Cucumbers are a good source of nutrients for your cat, and adding them to their diet is a good idea. However, please be mindful of the quantity of cucumber you give to your cat. Remember that too much of it can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.
Remember that cucumbers have vitamins that can be helpful to your cat’s health, and that is always something good to have. Another thing to never forget is that pickled cucumbers are a big no-no for your cat. Remember that our cats have different digestive systems.
Feeding our cats with pickled cucumbers and any other artificially processed cucumbers is something that you should avoid.
We recommend consulting with your vet before trying any of the options for your cat’s diet.
As a general rule, no more than 10% of the diet should have all the items in the article. Lastly, we recommend avoiding giving any of the food presented in this article raw to your cat.
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Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.
