Can Cats Eat Fruits? Which Fruits Are Good For Them?

The only member of your family that could eat better than you, it’s your pet. You want them to keep a healthy diet since it can only keep the medical bills to a minimum. So now that you are refining your pet’s diet, you wondered, can cats eat fruits?

Cats can eat most fruits that are already popular among humans. Some others, you may want to keep away from them as they could be toxic. So when you’re ready, get the fruit, remove all seeds, skin, and rims; dice it or slice it and let your cat dig in; or freeze them and let them have a treat.

Cats are meat eaters because they need enough protein nutrition to maintain good health, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can eat other things. Pets, in general, shouldn’t eat food made for humans as it can make them sick, regardless of how tasty it may seem. But adding fruits to their diet is good since it is natural and doesn’t have anything processed.

Is Fruit Good For Animals?

Fruits are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients, and they also contribute fiber that could lessen inflammation, support the gut, and help with digestion. With moderation, fruits can be part of any pet’s diet, keeping in mind that some fruits can do more harm than good, depending on the animal.

Since everybody’s diet should be nutritionally balanced, not just the pet’s owner, adding fruit as a daily routine can benefit your cat. The only issue with cats and fruits is that the latter tends to be on the sweet side. Still, cats can’t only identify salty, sour, and bitter flavors, so they might not be into fruits from the get-go.

Which Fruit Do Cats Like?

Since a cat’s palate is quite unique, the first thing you need to do is make sure that they find that piece of fruit appealing. If you struggle to get your cat to eat fruit, try giving it in the form of a treat, as the cat could see it as a prize instead of an imposition.

Because of the size, cats should only have about a one-inch portion of fruit a day. This amount will be considered a reasonable quantity for whether fruit or treats daily. If you think that your cat may struggle to digest such fruits, some of the signs you could see are vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.

Fruits They Would Eat

Here are some fruits you can run by your cat to seek their approval before adding them to its diet. You can have a sample test and place pieces of each of the following fruits and see how they feel about them.

• Apples are a go-to snack when on a low-calorie diet. It is an excellent choice for cats that are overweight. Always remove the core and seeds as they contain cyanide, and if cats chew on them, they can become ill.

• Apricots are an excellent choice for cats because the texture of this fruit makes it a great treat.

• Bananas are considered a sweet fruit, so don’t think they will hate it or love it right away. They will probably end up liking it because it won’t taste as bland as other fruits. You can slice them up and offer them fresh or frozen. They will provide potassium and vitamins B6 and C.

• Cantaloupe is a good choice, mainly because it is low-calorie, not too sweet, nor acidic. Chop or slice the fruit for your cat.

• Cats can eat berries as well. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries provide a lot of antioxidants. Make sure to break them into pieces to avoid choking.

• Mangoes are also a great option; just follow the same suggestions as to cut them in small pieces and don’t forget to discard the skin and seed.

• Papaya is another option for your cat as it has plenty of water that can keep him full and hydrated when the weather it’s warm. Make sure you don’t feed this fruit to kittens as it’s very high in sugar, and it may not be a good option for a young feline.

•  Peaches are good as long as you only feed them the flesh. The pit area and the leaves or the stem can be toxic for your kitty. They are also very sweet, so don’t give them to your cat very often.

• Pears provide vitamins C and A; and fiber, which is great for digestion.

• Pineapple is a great choice as long as it’s the new kind, not canned. Remove all thorns, leaves, and rinds before feeding them to your cat.

• Strawberries bring many benefits that, unfortunately, wouldn’t be as noticeable in cats as in humans since cats should only eat a small amount at a time. Make sure to only feed them the fruit after removing the leaves and stem.

• Watermelon is another option as long as you don’t feed them the seed or the rind.

The recommended amount for apples, apricots, mangoes, and watermelons is 1 to 2 slices or about a one-inch portion a day.

For strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are 2 to 3 berries.

For bananas, pears, peach, papaya, and cantaloupe, a few slices or a few bits, fresh or frozen as well.

Which Fruits Should Be Avoided?

Grapes and raisins should also be avoided by your feline friend since they may result in health problems, including kidney issues. Most acidic fruits are also dangerous to cats, like lemons, limes, and oranges, but you shouldn’t worry too much about this because cats typically hate the smell of citrus.

Can Cats Eat Dehydrated Fruit?

If you choose to include fruit in your cat’s nutrition, you must remember that it will be part of their daily food intake and not on top of what they already get that day. Consider any fruit as a treat, and don’t go over 2% of its daily diet.

You can give them fresh bits of fruits, or you can chop them ahead of time and freeze them, so you can’t take out a few and feed them to your cat. When the weather it’s hot, it can help them cool down.

You can also give them dehydrated fruit. Either from a store or as a DIY project, dehydrating food it’s easy and time-saving down the road. If you have a working oven or an air fryer with a dehydrating setting, you can do this to different fruits and then save them for easy grabbing. If you store this correctly, it can last from anywhere between 4 months to a year.

Things To Consider When Giving Fruit To Cats

Fruit is something that can bring many benefits to animals in general. Some provide vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Fruits are good to keep your cats healthier, and they will because they are low calorie; they will help give a feeling of fullness to cats that tend to overeat.

Always peel the fruit and remove any seeds as they can be a choking hazard. Remove leaves and any hard casing that the first may have.

Don’t give them too much of anything just because you don’t want to waste it. Whatever is left, freeze for another day.

Conclusion

Cats can eat fruit as long as it is in small portions and those which would not harm. Adding them to their diet is a great way to keep them healthy as they will also add up to their water intake for the day. Keeping your cat’s belly full and hydrated is what will make them happy in the end.

Similar content: 10 Fruits To Feed Your Lizard