Can cats eat mango?

When you are enjoying this fruit delicacy in hot summer to freshen yourself up around your kitty, you must ask, can cats eat mango? The answer is YES; cats can eat mangoes and enjoy them as a treat. But they cannot be regular cat food.

Eating mango sorbet is not very beneficial. The honey-filled treat is good for you, but it is not safe for cats. But they can eat dried mangoes.. When cats eat dried mango, they get almost all the nutritional benefits such as essential vitamins and minerals of this fruit from eating fresh mango.

Various human foods and other fruits are not safe for your furball. But mango on top of the list of the exotic fruits that is safe for cats and experts considered it one of the safest fruits cats can eat than other fruits.

But what can you do to keep it on a healthy scale? All you need is to follow expert recommendations and not exceed the prescribed amount.

When a cat eats mango, your feline friend is exposed to three times more fructose than a banana. In abundance, sugar, fiber, and vitamin C are not not necessary for your cat’s diet.

Read along to know more about this fruit, what cats benefit from it, hazards, and how you can make it the ultimate staple food for your kitty:

Mango is good for cats if you keep the feeding quantity in moderation and offer it not more than three times a week.

Mango is good food for humans as it offers essential nutrients and vitamins. The human body cannot create vitamin C, and we must eat various foods to get this vitamin.

Mango is just the thing that provides us a healthy load of this vitamin to ward off scurvy, skin infection, and other various diseases. On the contrary, cats and dogs are self-sufficient, and their body can synthesize this vitamin.

Cat’s body is rich in producing Vitamin C for daily needs with the help of the liver and enzymes. Their body doesn’t require fruits rich with this vitamin; rather, they need protein and fat to live a happy and healthy life. Hence, your furry friend can eat mangoes, but only in small quantities.

Evolution has made cats carnivores and can do great without eating fruits and veggies. When cats eat grass, it means that their stomach is loaded with toxins or extra acid. Grass will help them induce vomiting and free them of the hazardous load. Compared to mangoes, it does not regurgitate their stomachs but loads their body with minerals and nutrients.

You can give mango to your cat as a part of a balanced diet. If something is missing in their cat food regarding the nutritional value, mango can help you increase the nutritious food bar.

Is mango safe/toxic for cats to eat?

Mango is free from toxins and poisonous elements for felines. Animal poison control organizations and scientists do not include mangoes as toxic to cats. However, the mango peel is not safe for your feline, but the flesh is safe, beneficial, and toxin-free.

But for safety, the answer lies in the quantity of how much mango pulp you are giving to your cat.

Mango is furball-safe in small amounts, like a couple of cubes twice a week. But when you increase the quantity of this food and the frequency, things take a nasty turn.

Mango is loaded with fructose; this fruit has more than three times more fructose than a banana. Mango is extremely tasty and sweet to us. But your cat is sweet blind.

Sweet blindness is the term scientists use to explain the lack of taste buds in your feline tongue. Cats have fewer taste buds that do not allow them to apprehend sweetness taste. Cats do not find mango as sweet as you.

Their sense of smell is great, and cats are attracted to mango because of its aromatic smell. Their nose makes them smell mango more intensely than the humans, and which is the very thing that makes them the fan of this fruit.

Are there any side effects of feeding cat mango?

 Usually, there are no side effects of mango feeding when you follow vet recommendations. But the most dangerous thing for a cat is a food allergy.

If your cat is allergic to mango and you have given a substantial amount to the kitty, the results will be hazardous. The kitty will suffer from skin infection, patches, hives, and severe digestive unrest.

The best move to prevent food allergies in cats is to start feeding a small bite and look for the signs and symptoms of digestive unrest, seclusion, or withdrawal from food.

This test will help you prevent any dangerous after-effects of food allergies. Once your kitty has passed the mango allergy test, only then should you add it to their diet menu.

When cats eat mango without moderation, it may lead to:

1. Obesity

Cats do not need sugar and carbs, while mango is loaded with these two. Fructose is a type of sugar that tends to increase the weight of your furball.

When cats eat mango regularly, the cat can suffer from obesity and be a victim of various obesity-resulting diseases.

2. High blood sugar

The high sugar in mango will increase the blood sugar level of the kitty which will affect their pancreas and liver. The cat will have a high energy level and a couple of running frenzies for 10 to 15 minutes.

After that, your furball will lay lethargic and alone in a quiet place. This thing can induce suffering and anxiety in the feline.

3. Diarrhea

The most common side effect cats have to bear after eating mango is diarrhea. Your feline doesn’t need high sugar and carbs-loaded food.

The high carb will enhance the motility rate and increase the acidity level in the digestive tract causing diarrhea. The cat will become weak and lethargic after a couple of hours.

4. Vomiting

Mango has fiber that your cat doesn’t need in abundance. High fiber will create a situation inside their stomach like when they eat grass.

Their stomach will regurgitate until the entire mango has been thrown out. Sometimes the vomit becomes severe, making the cat become weak because of pain, hunger, and dehydration.

5. Gut flora imbalance

The side effect that can badly affect your pet’s quality of life is gut flora imbalance. The high carb, high protein food will increase the number of bad bacteria in their stomach. The poor feline will not be able to digest food properly and get all the vital nutrition from the food.

How much mango flesh can a cat eat?

Mango has needed nutrients and vitamins that provide a healthy food blend for your feline. But the amount of fructose and fiber also makes it an unhealthy treat if given in excessive amounts.

Your cat can safely eat only 100 to 150 grams of mango thrice a week. Given your furball, passing that limit will result in different side effects. You can also get your cat into trouble if exposed to any of the following risks:

What are the risks of feeding cats mango?

Mango doesn’t offer any risk to the felines if you follow expert recommendations. But if you overfeed your kitty, the high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, and change in their blood chemistry can result in any of the following risks:

1. Pancreatitis
2. Kidney failure
3. Kidney stones
4. Urinary tract infection  
5. High blood pressure
6. Brain damage
7. Compromised heart health
8. involuntary urination
9. Weight loss
10. Depression and anxiety 

Can kittens eat mango?

If you give your kitten mango before their first birthday, you create fatal conditions for the poor souls. Kittens have the most sensitive digestive system, and food with high fructose will disrupt their gut flora.

A compromised digestive system will result in stunted growth, malnutrition, and the death of the kitten in rare cases.

Mango Nutrition Benefits For Cats

In abundance, mango is an enemy of your cat. But in moderation, this fruit provides a great blend of different nutrients. Some pet parents use mango as an energy booster for lethargic kitties. Your feline can harvest the following benefits from moderate mango eating:

• Dietary fiber
• Carbohydrates
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Fructose
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Anti-oxidants

How should mango be served to your cat?

You should peel the pulp and cut the flesh into small bite-sized cubes for the kitty. The bigger bites are potential choking hazards and can cause intestinal obstruction. You can freeze the tiny bites or mash the pulp to give your cat the best a feline companion deserves.

What about mango peel? 

Mango peel is a pure herbivore diet and giving it to your carnivore friend will result in stomach ache, bloating, and diarrhea. Goats and other herbivores can eat and enjoy mango peel, but it is a big no for your cat.

Can cats eat mango ice cream?

Mango ice cream has milk, cream, sugar, and salt. All of these things are not good for your furball. When cats eat ice cream with chocolate chips, chocolate bites, or caramel, It’s a poisonous recipe for feline blood chemistry

Can cats eat mango sorbet?

Mango sorbet is made by adding honey and water to mango. Honey is non-toxic to cats, but mango and honey together will increase their blood sugar more than a feline’s threshold level.

Pancreatitis, diabetes, liver issue, and compromised heart health are more common in felines after regular sorbet eating.

Can cats drink mango milkshake?

Cats are lactose intolerant, and giving them a mango milkshake will compromise their gut health. Lactose is a complex sugar form that can cause cramps, bloating, and gas.

Diarrhea is more common when adult cats drink mango milkshakes. Kittens are highly prohibited to drink any food other than mother milk or formula.

Alternative Healthy Snacks

Even though cats are carnivores, you can still offer fruits twice a day for a solid nutrient punch. Veterinary doctors recommend various fruits to give your cat a balanced diet with nutrients and minerals.

Cat food sometimes cannot provide everything your cat needs. That’s why you need support from staple food like fruits.

According to experts, you can give 100 to 150 grams of the following fruits not more than three times a week:

• Banana
• Strawberry
• Watermelon
• Blueberries

Final Thoughts

1. Mango is a safe exotic fruit for kitties if you keep the quantity moderate.
2. High fructose in mango makes it hazardous for diabetic cats.
3. Cat owners cannot give mango to the kitten before their first birthday.
4. A high amount of vitamin C is a risk for the cat’s kidneys and should avoid giving it to the senior cats.
5. If your cat hasn’t eaten a mango, go for an allergy check to keep your cat away from the hazards of allergic reactions.
6. Mango milkshakes and ice cream are not safe for feline consumption.

FAQs for cats eating mango