Can Cats Eat Strawberries? (Vet Advice)

If you are munching down on a refreshing bowl of sweet strawberries, you may be wondering if cats can eat strawberries too? The great news is that cats can eat and digest strawberries safely.

While a cat’s diet should not contain much sugar, small quantities now and then should pose no issue. There are both benefits and drawbacks to lettings cats eat strawberries, so let’s take a closer look at things.

Are Strawberries Bad for Cats?

As long as your kitty is fed a balanced diet, giving some cat treats every now and then is no bad thing. Indeed, it is a lovely way to bond with your pet; just like us, they enjoy a bit of variety in their diet from time to time. Cat treats are also a great training tool and can reinforce good behaviors.

We would not want strawberries to feature as a main part of our cat’s diet as too much sugar can cause an upset stomach. So, while they are safe for cats, we would not want our pets to eat fruit more than once or twice a week.

How Much Is Too Much?

As a general rule of thumb, I’d recommend one medium strawberry once or twice a week, which can be chopped up and fed alone or added to meals. Owners can chop the stalk off if they wish and should rinse away any dirt or chemicals that could be on the strawberry.

This would be recommended for an adult cat, and kittens are best to stay away from strawberries entirely. While not toxic, too many fresh strawberries could lead to diarrhea (loose poo) in a young kitty, and they are more prone to dehydration and low blood sugar.

Serving strawberries should be something that is done occasionally if an owner wishes to do so and their cat enjoys the taste. Too many strawberries can upset the digestive systems, and most felines don’t know when to stop eating them!

Alternative Healthy Snacks

There are plenty of other treats we can give our kitty. This would include morsels of cooked chicken or fish, treats designed for pets (like Dreamies), or even veggies such as broccoli and carrots. We can experiment to see what our cat enjoys eating.

Remember, all felines are obligate carnivores, so they enjoy eating mainly meat. Other things like fruit and vegetables should only be fed in moderation. Pet parents should avoid toxic fruits such as citrus fruits and raisins, as they are unsafe for them.

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Are there any health benefits of strawberries for my cat?

Healthy cats do not need to eat strawberries to stay healthy. However, they do potentially provide certain health benefits.

As they are high in vitamin C, they can support skin health as well as the immune system. Some experts, though, believe that our feline friends struggle to digest vitamin C in the same manner as us, so while they may be ingesting the vitamin C, their bodies may not be able to use it effectively.

Strawberries are a rich source of polyphenols, nutrients that have been proven to be cancer protective in humans. Whether or not this effect is also seen in felines is yet to be determined.

Can cats eat strawberries if they have food allergies?

An allergic reaction from food is not that uncommon in cats, and these reactions tend to be mild rather than life-threatening or ‘anaphylactic’. Allergic reactions symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin, and a failure to thrive.

The most common cat food allergies and sensitivities include fish, meat, grain and dairy. While possible for a cat to be allergic to strawberries, this is really uncommon.

If a cat develops true IGE anaphylactic symptoms after eating strawberries (like trouble breathing, facial swelling or hives) we must not feed them any strawberries at all.

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Are strawberries safe for diabetic cats?

Those with diabetes should be on a specialized diet and should be fed at set meal times. You must avoid feeding sugary foods or those high in carbohydrates; in reality, sweet things are off the menu. For these cats, I’d avoid strawberries altogether. Rather, offer other foods like lean meat and fish if your cat really deserves a treat.

If an owner feeds their diabetic cat one strawberry, nothing bad will happen. However, their health may well suffer if too many berries are given over time.

READ MORE: Can Cats Eat Sour Cream?

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