Can cats eat nuts?
The simple answer is no, nuts aren’t safe for cats. Although most types aren’t strictly toxic (unlike onions and garlic), they’re still dangerous for a number of reasons, so it’s best to avoid them. On the other hand, macadamia nuts should be totally avoided since they are toxic to cats and can result in gastrointestinal problems, tremors, and lethargy.
Let’s start off with the choking hazard. Cats are accustomed to eating relatively soft food, such as cooked fish and meat from cat-specific food or tiny biscuit chunks that your cat can easily break down. Conversely, nuts are tough and can be challenging for our feline companions to chew, which increases the risk of choking or obstructions in the stomach or intestines. Because cats’ teeth are so strong, they can also harm them.
Now let’s talk about fat content. Due to their infamously high fat content, cats should never eat nuts, but humans should only eat a small amount of them. Like other high-fat foods, cats cannot eat them due to their excessive calorie content and still get all the other nutrients they require from other meals. Thus, while nuts do not pose a hazard to cats, their high fat content may lead to significant weight gain and even pancreatitis or diabetes.
Are nuts safe for cats if they’re cooked into a meal?
While it may seem like a sensible approach to avoid the choking risks that nuts present, chopping them into small pieces and cooking them into a meal is not a good idea for a number of reasons. The first is that the nut could be too hard for your cat to chew through, causing them to choke, clog their digestive tract, or break their teeth. The other is fat content; nuts contain too much fat for our feline friends to benefit nutritionally from them. Finally, since many human foods are unsafe for cats (see below! ), it’s likely that the dish you’re preparing with the nuts contains something that will make them sick or be toxic to cats.
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With more than 20 years of experience, Beth Turner is a veterinarian. After earning her degree from North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, she started working as an associate veterinarian and closely collaborated with the nearby shelter.
2007 saw her realize her dream of opening her own clinic by creating and constructing it. In addition to operating her clinic, she fulfilled a significant role as the county’s shelter veterinarian. This allowed her to work with the rescue she loved and contribute to the betterment of many animal lives in her community. In 2019, she closed her practice to relocate across the nation.