Can Cats Eat Strawberries?

If you’re wondering if cats can eat strawberries, the answer is a yes! However, it’s important to dig deep into how best to offer this treat to your kitty.

Strawberries are loaded with minerals, nutrients, and vitamins. Most humans love strawberries, and cats are no different!

When a cat eats strawberries, she gets vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. If you add strawberries to your cat’s diet, you can help them increase immunity and good growth.

Strawberries can help enhance your cat’s nervous system health and can promote good motor function. However, this treat has some side effects if you feed your cat more than the prescribed amount.

Cats can eat strawberry ice cream, yogurt, and other variants, but there are high chances of lactose intolerance and digestive issues.

When cats eat strawberry yogurt, they can get an upset stomach, but there are still various health benefits if you use flavor variants as cat treats.

Pet parents should know that cats do not have sweet taste receptors, in comparison to humans who have over 900 taste receptors on their tongues.

Read on to learn about the side effects, to keep your kitty happy and healthy.

Are strawberries a good food for cats?

Strawberries are good only as an occasional treat, and shouldn’t be added to your cat’s regular menu. It’s important to remember that cats are natural carnivores.

Some people think dogs are carnivores, but in fact, they can eat various food items and different blends of meat, grain, and veggies just like omnivores.

Cats, on the contrary, are entirely different from the canines. Your furball needs taurine and other amino acids to survive and thrive. Cats need lean protein from their diet.

Of course, you cannot provide a constant supply of mice and small birds in the house! But don’t worry, regular cat food or chicken will provide your cat with the necessary nutrients.

Strawberry is a different food item when it comes to cats. Felines need protein and fat. Strawberries cannot provide these two things because of different nutrition profiles.

Humans can survive on lots of different food types, but cats cannot. If you do not give meat to your cat daily, the result can be stunted growth, weakened immunity, and your kitty can become vulnerable to infections.

Are strawberries safe or toxic for cats to eat?

Strawberries are not toxic for cats. Unlike various citrus fruits, strawberries are safe from citric acid.

This fruit gives a slight savory taste, but that is ok for the felines. Some cats love strawberries, but that is not because of this fruit’s sweet and savory taste. Cats are sweet blind, so their perceptions of this taste are different from ours.

The term “sweet blind” means cats cannot taste the wetness of strawberries or any of the other fruit. According to experts, cats do not have a nexus of taste buds on their tongues as we have in our mouths.

On average, a human has more than 9000 taste buds. Contrary to common belief, every part of our tongue can judge and taste our food.

Cats have only 500 taste buds, so it’s not just the taste that makes them fans of strawberries, but rather a combination of flavor, texture, color, and aroma. As owners know, cats tend to enjoy food from your plate or your hand, and make it known with their begging eyes!

Are there any side effects of feeding strawberries to a cat?

Everything is in moderation, as the saying goes, and the same is true of feeding strawberries to your cat. The feline body is not meant to process and digest strawberries and get essential amino acids from the fruits.

Cats need 11 different amino acids to perform normal body functions and get the necessary calories to sustain their mass. By giving your cat strawberries as part of their regular diet, you may cause trauma to your pet’s system.

Cats do not need a high-carb diet as their body cannot produce enough insulin to turn carbs into necessary nutrients. Their body can process taurine and other amino acids to grow, increase muscle weight and enhance immunity.

If they’re not provided with these elements, cats can suffer poor health and reduced body weight. Excess sugar can also cause two main symptoms for cats.

When there is a high amount of blood sugar in a cat’s body, the excess sugar can cause high blood pressure and a weak heart. It can also cause a layer of excess fat under the skin, increasing the cat’s body weight, and potentially leading to obesity.

Cats can often suffer from the following after eating strawberries in excess quantity:

·         Diarrhea

·         Vomiting

·         Constipation

·         Stomach ache

·         Bloating

·         Drooling

·         Constant urination  

·         Tooth decay 

How many strawberries can a cat eat?

Cats do not need more than two medium-sized strawberries twice a week. A cat needs around 250 calories per day, and more than 220 calories of that should come from lean protein and unsaturated fat.

You should give only 25 to 30 calories in staple food or extra treats. Store-bought sugary treats are not a good alternative to fruits and veggies. These treats are pure carbs and aren’t good for your cat’s health.

When you want to give the health benefits of strawberries to your kitty, you must keep the quantity in moderation. Some pet owners give this fruit to their cat as often as the pet wants it – but this should be avoided as cats often do not know when they should stop. If you follow their lead, your kitty will eat more than the recommended quantity which can have nasty consequences.

What are the risks of feeding cats strawberries?

If you feed your cat too many strawberries, it can have the following consequences:

1.      Vitamin C excess

Growing cats need vitamin C, as it helps in increasing bone density and aids in growth. But for full-grown cats, too much Vitamin C is a bad idea. This vitamin can crystalize in the kidney and create small kidney stone deposits. These stones cause excruciating pain and UTIs.

2.      Allergy

Feline allergy is a real thing and can cause unpleasant symptoms for your kitty, including runny nose, skin infection, and bald patches.

3.      Diabetes and heart issues

Excess sugar can put the pancreas at risk, and cause diabetes. Their pancreas and heart can bear the strain, and your kitty may end up unable to jump, run and perform daily functions.

4.      Urination and inability to jump

Vitamin A, B and other nutrients are good for cats. But excess of these elements can make your cat unable to jump, and cause tempered vision. These nutrients can cause poisoning, which could result in brain damage.

Can kittens eat strawberries?

Kittens have the most sensitive digestive system. They only need milk or formula before weaning. Giving them anything solid can cause serious health issues, including diarrhea and vomiting. According to vets and experts, kittens should not be given strawberries before their first birthday.

Strawberries’ nutrition benefits for cats

Vitamins and nutrients found in strawberries can provide lots of health benefits for cats when eaten in moderation. Cats can get the following benefits from strawberries:

·         Vitamin A, B, C

·         Magnesium

·         Potassium

·         Folate

·         Riboflavin

·         Antioxidant

·         Manganese

How should strawberries be served to your cat?

You should not give your kitty a whole strawberry to eat, as this can be a choking hazard.

You should remove the leaves and stem as you would do to the strawberry before eating. Then slice the fruit into very thin and small pieces to remove any risk. Offer it as a treat or use it as a seasoning for your cat.

What about strawberry jam? 

Strawberry jam is highly delicious and loaded with sugar. It is safe for humans but hazardous for cats. If you offer it plain or on bread to the kitty, it can cause high blood sugar levels for your cat, and lead to vital organ and nervous system damage.

Can cats eat strawberry yogurt?

Greek yogurt with less lactose is safe for cats, but only in small amounts. If you share lactose-loaded strawberry yogurt, the cat can suffer from diarrhea and vomiting. Even if your cat doesn’t show any digestive issues, they will probably end up with a stomach ache. This can stop your kitty from doing daily routine activities and can cause them to withdraw from food.

Can cats drink strawberry milkshake?

Contrary to common belief, cats are lactose intolerant. They do not need milk and sugar as we do. If you or someone around you is suffering from lactose intolerance, that person can tell you how painful it can be if they accidentally eat or drink milk products. For this reason, you should avoid giving milkshakes to your kitty and save them from some unpleasant side effects.

Can cats eat unripe strawberries?

Giving unripe strawberries to your kitty is a big mistake. Some pet parents think that raw strawberries have low sugar, which will be a safer option. According to experts, raw strawberry is extremely difficult to process and digest for the cat, so you should always avoid feeding them to your kitty.

Alternative healthy snacks

Strawberries are not the only safe fruit for cats to eat: you can give several other fruits to your kitty and help them stay healthy. The same rule of moderation applies here too. If you feed any fruit more than the prescribed amount, your cat can suffer from vital organ damage.

Your furball can safely eat the following fruits:

• Blueberries
• Banana
• Mango
• Watermelon

Final thoughts

Strawberries are safe and non-toxic for cats.

• You should keep strawberry feeding in moderation to keep your cat healthy.
• Strawberries in excess can make your cat suffer from diabetes and heart or kidney issues.
• Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C, which could create kidney stones or urinary tract infections.
• Cats are sweet-blind, and the taste of this fruit is not appealing to them; rather, they are attracted to its squishy texture.
• Slice strawberries into small pieces to prevent choking hazards.

FAQs for cats eating strawberries