August 21, 2024, 8:39 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Cats are pure carnivores. Nevertheless, many animals are interested in what their humans have on their plates and like to try cucumber, pumpkin, or carrots. But can cats eat vegetables and are vegetables just as healthy for cats as they are for us humans? Philline Ebert, an expert in cat nutrition, knows the answer.
Many cat owners are overwhelmed when choosing food for their pets. After all, there is an immense range on offer. What’s more, we are inundated with new trends and supposedly healthy innovations for humans and animals every day: vegetarian, vegan, insect, or superfoods. But many “normal” foods contain sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or tomatoes. But are vegetables actually just as healthy and important for cats as they are for us humans?
Do cats naturally eat vegetables?
The cat is a carnivore and, unlike the dog, a strict carnivore – meaning it is a highly specialized meat eater. It is a solitary hunter and catches its prey in the wild, so it eats many small meals throughout the day. With a short intestine ranging from 1.2 to 2 meters in length, a cat must consume easily digestible food, ideally rich in protein and fat but containing very little fiber.
This is why a cat’s natural diet comprises 95 percent animal products, such as muscle meat, offal, bones, and blood. Only five percent of the diet is plant-based, such as the stomach contents of the prey animal, grasses, herbs, fruit, or berries.
Vegetable components can aid digestion
Despite the low proportion of vegetables in a cat’s diet, the fiber in plant-based nutrients can support healthy digestion and provide essential vitamins. This is important for the cat to maintain a healthy body and life. For those who value high quality and a tailored diet for their cat, it is advisable to prepare the food themselves or to follow a biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) diet. Here, it is possible to feed raw or cooked vegetables and create specific rations of meat, fish, vegetables, herbs, dairy products, fruit, and oils.
If you feed ready-made complete cat food (wet or dry), vegetables can be added as desired or fed separately as a snack. Or try a green smoothie. Many cats love smoothies!
Which vegetables can I feed my cat?
Ideal vegetables for cats are:
- Carrots
- Broccoli (steamed and pureed)
- Sweet potatoes
- Parsnips
- Parsley
- Beetroot
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Zucchini (try it yourself, it shouldn’t be bitter)
- Celery
- Salsify
- Cucumber
- Pumpkin
- Tomatoes (only ripe, in small quantities, and not regularly)
- Lettuce: lamb’s lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, and lollo rosso
Cats don’t like to eat large pieces and have difficulty digesting them, so the vegetables should be pureed or lightly steamed. This also makes it easier to mix into the food. Vegetables with a high starch content, such as sweet potatoes, should be cooked so the cat can easily digest them. The daily starch content should not exceed 5 g per kilogram of body weight. But be careful – vegetables or fruit should not make up more than five percent of the total food ration.
You should not feed your cat these vegetables
Vegetables such as cabbage, raw potatoes, and pulses should not be fed to your cat. It depends on how they are processed, as their digestibility is only guaranteed in processed form, for example, in ready-made food. They should also not be fed:
- Allium plants such as garlic, onions, or chives (caution: risk of visual confusion with cat grass)
- Nightshade plants such as zucchini, eggplant, or peppers
- Raw beans or potatoes
- Peas
- Avocado
- Radish
What happens if the cat eats too many vegetables?
Even if the cat only eats vegetables, which are actually healthy, too much can still be harmful. This is because cats’ intestines are not designed to break down large amounts of carbohydrates. This can lead to flatulence or diarrhea.
Another effect can be obesity. Vegetables such as carrots, in particular, contain a lot of sugar. In excess, this not only leads to obesity but also diabetes in cats. For this reason, you should feed your cat a precise dose of vegetables and not use them excessively as a treat – even if your cat really likes them.
Does cat grass count as a vegetable?
Every cat, especially indoor cats, loves to eat cat grass. But is it a vegetable, and is it healthy for my cat? No, cat grass is not a vegetable and is a dietary supplement. It is used to cleanse the stomach and mainly helps to bind and expel the hairballs typical of cats. However, cat grass provides folic acid for blood formation; chewing it is a great pleasure for many cats and should not be missing in any cat household.
Are vegetables healthy for my cat?
With their wide range of nutrients, vegetables can positively influence healthy skin and a beautiful, shiny coat. Vitamin A, vitamin B2, riboflavin, and folic acid are natural nutrients present in all of the vegetables mentioned and provide your cat with optimal nutrition. As cats generally attach great importance to grooming, vegetables can have a positive effect on the animal.
If your cat cannot tolerate something and suffers from acute diarrhea and flatulence, we have another tip for an old home recipe. In 1908, Professor Dr. Ernst Moro invented “Moro’s Carrot Soup” for children and adults. It was so well tolerated that it can also be used for dogs and cats. The soup is based solely on one of the most popular and valuable vegetables, namely the good old carrot.
Recipe for Moro’s Carrot Soup:
- Peel 500 g carrots and cut into medium-sized pieces
- Put 1 liter of water in a pot and bring to the boil
- Add carrots and simmer the soup at low temperature for at least 1-1.5 hours
Preparation: puree the soup, add a small pinch of salt, and fill up again to 1 liter with water
Serve the finished soup to your cat several times daily in small portions. Small but more frequent doses can bring about a rapid improvement in acute diarrhea. If necessary, the soup can also be portioned and frozen (for example, in ice cube trays) and used immediately in acute cases, potentially saving a trip to the vet.
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Conclusion
Feel free to offer your cat a piece of vegetable or a smoothie. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet for cats can be straightforward. Superfoods have not been reinvented but can be found easily and conveniently in our garden or vegetable drawer!