July 29, 2024, 3:07 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Apples can be found in almost every household in Germany — after all, many people love to eat them both in their pure and processed form. But can cats have a taste of them too? Dr. Petra Kölle is a senior veterinarian specializing in nutritional counseling for small animals and knows exactly what is best.
In Germany, an average of 20 kilos (about 44.09 pounds) of apples were consumed per year and per person in the 2022/2023 season.1 This clearly makes the fruit by far the most popular item on the menu. And apples are not lacking in nutrients either. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a popular saying for a reason. But does this also apply to our cats, and are they also allowed to eat apples? Dr. Petra Kölle is a specialist veterinarian and senior physician in the field of nutritional advice for small animals at the Medizinische Kleintierklinik (Medical clinic for small animals) in Munich. She explains whether apples are actually healthy for cats or not.
Do cats even want to eat apples?
The expert answers yes to whether our domestic cats can occasionally eat a piece of apple. She still questions whether they even like them. “Generally speaking, if they like it, they can eat it,” says Dr. Kölle. “However, whether and what fruit and vegetables they actually eat varies from cat to cat. There are cats that reject them completely, and there are some that are quite happy with them.”
However, the expert believes it is unlikely that they will actually eat too much. “Cats have a special sense of taste called ‘umami’. It allows them to taste the protein content of food,” she explains, “which means they instinctively consume enough protein. And if the cat otherwise has a good supply of wet or dry food or catches prey, the consumption of fruit and vegetables will remain relatively low.”
Are apples healthy for cats?
Apples contain vitamin C for connective tissue and pectin for digestion. Even cancer and cardiovascular diseases are said to be prevented by the nutrients in this “regional superfood”. And if you think back to the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, the question inevitably arises: does this also apply to cats?
“Apples — or vegetables or fruit in general — consist of 75 to 90 percent water,” summarizes Dr. Petra Kölle. “The nutrients that a cat would consume in these manageable quantities are therefore rather negligible. Healthy cats would never consume quantities that would have any serious effect on their overall nutritional intake.”
Are cats allowed to eat the apple peel and core?
The vet only makes one specification: “If you feed it with the peel, it would contain pectin, which is good for intestinal function. Nevertheless, the nutrient content is still very low due to the small quantities.”
This answer from the expert leads directly to the next topic: after all, an apple consists not only of fruit flesh, but also of skin, stalk, and seeds. Can a cat eat these? “Yes, the skin is fine. But I would then choose an organic apple. It’s generally the case that organic products are also treated, but not necessarily with chemical biocides.”
However, you should be careful with the seeds: “Not only apples, but also many other fruit seeds contain a precursor of hydrocyanic acid, which is toxic to cats,” warns Dr. Kölle. So if you give your cat a piece of apple to eat, make sure it is without the small seeds.
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Are cats allowed to eat processed products such as apple sauce?
Lastly, there is one final question: after all, apples are not only found in pure form in our homes, but also in the form of apple sauce and other foods. The expert knows: “In principle, that’s not a problem either. However, it depends on the quantity. You can compare apple consumption to sweets and children. If it only makes up a small proportion of the total diet, it’s not a problem.”