Can Cats Eat Pistachios? Is This A Safe Nut For Cats?

Nuts are dry fruits that can be snacks for humans and benefit health if consumed well. Animals can benefit from nuts also, but not all of them can enjoy all of them.

No. It is not recommended that cats eat pistachios. It is related to toxicity, high levels of fat, added salt, and shells that can induce vomiting, throat damage, and body obstruction.

Let’s Go Nuts

Nuts are very healthy fruits. They contain fat, fiber, and protein, which are very favorable to overall nutrition. It is better to consume them as snacks and in controlled servings because of their fat, which should be moderate even though it is healthy. All that applies to us humans; we have a reasonably different organism than cats. So, foods that are good for us may not be as good for them.

In humans, nuts are part of a balanced diet. All nutritionists recommend them because we benefit most from their fat and fibers, which help us in many ways in our digestive system.

Nuts also carry many minerals and vitamins, including vitamin E and Magnesium.

Multiple pieces of research have studied the health advantages of increased nut consumption.

Multiple types of research have revealed that people who consume nuts live longer than those who do not. It may be due to their capacity to aid in preventing many chronic conditions.

For example, nuts may decrease risk factors for metabolic syndromes, such as Cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

A study in over 1,200 individuals found that having a Mediterranean diet plus 30 grams of nuts daily lowered the prevalence of metabolic syndrome more than a Mediterranean diet with olive oil or a low-fat diet.

Moreover, nuts can reduce your risk of other diseases. For example, consuming nuts may improve blood sugar levels and decrease your risk of some cancers.

Pistachios

Pistachios help reduce the increase in blood sugar after a meal.

Let me show you what one ounce contains, give or take:

• Magnesium: 8% of the Recommended Dietary Intake
• Calories: 156
• Protein: 6 grams
• Fat: 12.5 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Carbs: 8 grams
• Vitamin E: 3% of the Recommended Dietary Intake

As I mentioned, nuts may improve cholesterol levels — eating 56–84 grams (2–3 ounces) of pistachios a day may help boost “good” HDL cholesterol.

Additionally, pistachios may improve additional heart disease risk factors, like weight, blood pressure, and oxidative status, which refers to blood levels of oxidized chemicals contributing to heart disease.

Are Pistachios OK For Cats To Eat?

In cats, those same “nutrients” beneficial to humans can harm them. For example, it can lead to obesity, diabetes, or pancreatitis.

There are other risks related to the intake of pistachios from our cats. Remember that they can be very sneaky and silent. If you are not aware of their intentions, they could quickly swallow a piece or two of these fruit seeds.

If that happens, remain calm, so your moves are intelligent and time-saving. Observe your cat’s reaction and be ready to call or go to the vet.

Nuts like pistachios and almonds can be choking hazards for cats. This is one of all the dangers of their consumption.

Gastrointestinal Problems are one of the several problems that pistachio consumption can lead to in cats. Their richness in fiber could have a laxative effect. This can worsen the situation because it can cause dehydration and bowel movements.

Additionally, the digestive system of cats can’t digest pistachios as well as us humans because their bodies are not made to digest plant-based proteins. Their bodies are designed to digest animal protein instead. Remember, our furry friends are meat-eaters. They can get gassy and have a bloated stomach.

Pancreatitis includes changes in stool, abdominal pain, nausea, etc. It can be caused because of the high level of fat in pistachios.

Unhealthy Additives and Artificial Ingredients are very common in most commercially sold pistachios. 

Flavors like onion, garlic, or salted make them delicious for human consumption but more dangerous for our feline friends.

A lot of salt in food can lead to hypernatremia (sodium poisoning) and kidney disease. Both may be fatal for cats.

Garlic and onion should not be fed to your feline pet because they are both toxic. And remember that some forms of pistachios come with those flavors.

Aflatoxin Toxicosis or poisoning can happen when cats eat foods that have high levels of Aflatoxin. But, what is that? Aflatoxins are carcinogens produced by certain molds, which grow in decaying vegetation, soil, grains, and hay. They are usually found in poorly stored staple commodities such as chili peppers, cassava, cottonseed, peanuts, millet, rice, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, tree nuts, sorghum, wheat, sweetcorn, and a variety of spices.

Pets are more sensitive to this disease because they frequently eat the same food for a long time. If it contains aflatoxins, these poisonous substances can build up as they continue to eat the same food repeatedly in their system over time.

Symptoms of aflatoxin toxicosis include;

• Bloody diarrhea or black-tarry stool
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Seizures
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Yellow mucous membranes

What Happens If A Cat Eats A Pistachio Shell?

Choking

I mentioned it before, and I’ll repeat it because it is necessary to have this very clear. No matter how insignificant choking can be, it can be dangerous or fatal. It is a form of airway obstruction, and anything that blocks the flow of air into the body could be terrible.

Signs of choking in cats may include drooling, extreme distress, pawing at the mouth, and continuous gagging.

Suppose the pistachio shell is difficulting their effort to breathe. In that case, they may cough, have difficulty breathing, may appear cyanotic (blue), and they could faint and collapse.

If you see your cat with any of these symptoms, don’t let the situation progress. Do a mouth sweep or try a cat Heimlich maneuver and go to the nearby vet as soon as possible.

Foreign Body Obstruction is another danger of letting your cat eat pistachio shells because it can get stuck in their intestinal tract. This can become painful and cause discomfort. Often, surgery is needed to remove the obstruction.

Even though the cat would be under anesthesia, it may still experience discomfort and pain once the effect wears off.

And since this is a surgical operation, it can be very expensive. So, it’s safer not to take chances and put away your pistachios from your cats.

A cat’s stomach cannot easily digest pistachio shells, so they may throw them up if they eat them, which could harm their throat due to the hard and potentially sharp shells.

In the best-case scenario, your cat will poop out the shell. Worst case? Surgery.

Can Kittens Eat Pistachio Ice Cream Or Pudding?

No. Pistachio ice cream usually has high sugar and artificial sweeteners. Neither are safe for cats to eat. Besides, pistachios are not recommended for cats.

Pistachio ice cream is packed with artificial flavorings, sugar, and dairy products. All harmful to cats.

And the pistachio itself is already a questionable ingredient for them. Cats are carnivores, so their digestive systems have a hard time digesting plant proteins. So stay away from feeding that ice cream to your cats, even if it’s made from coconut milk/cream, not natural pistachios.

Ice cream has a lot of sugar, and it will be hard for your cat to digest.

A cat should not eat pistachio pudding because it is high in carbohydrates and fat, which cats have trouble digesting. And, when consumed regularly can also lead to obesity and other weight-related problems.

Plus, pudding contains dairy products which can be disturbing for the cat’s digestive system.

Pistachio pudding has high levels of fat and carbohydrates, which your cat may experience trouble digesting.

Pistachio pudding does not contain hard shells but may use artificial pistachio flavoring. It will likely be too high in sodium and fat for a feline and has many other ingredients that are not proper for your pet to have.

Adult cats are intolerant to lactose. Some cats can tolerate milk in little doses, but most won’t digest it, which can point to vomiting, an upset stomach, or diarrhea.

Cats can’t taste sugar, so they don’t have cravings like us, but it should not be in their regime.

Suppose your cat is diabetic like many cats nowadays are. That is likely due to the high-carbohydrate foods that are mass-produced. In that case, it should especially not be given anything with sugar as an ingredient.

Jell-O instant pudding full of artificial flavors and colors that not even humans should ingest, let alone a cat.

Feeding pistachio fudge to a pet is not approved either. Even if all the other components in pistachio fudge were harmless, the fact that it’s made of pistachio makes it a no-go for cats.

Conclusion

Do not feed your cat pistachios. Don’t let them eat it in hiding. It can lead to severe issues and emergencies.

Keep your cat’s health in the first place always. Remember that we are different from them. We tolerate things that they do not. So we have to respect their nature and let them eat what they are supposed to.

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