Can Cats eat Artichokes?


Can cats eat artichokes? Let’s see what the possible benefits or risks that are related to the consumption of this vegetable.

There are many food products that we would like to share with our petBut as we all know, not all foods can be beneficial for our cat’s health.

With regard to this, precisely because we know that in every food category there are products that may or may not be suitable for the diet of our cat, today we will try to understand whether artichokes, belonging to the vegetable category, can or cannot be administered. to our cat.

Let’s find out in the next paragraphs, if the cat can eat artichokes, if and what are the possible benefits or disadvantages of this vegetable and in what quantities they can be administered to our cat.


Vegetables for the cat

At the basis of good health and a long life of every human being and in this case of the cat, there is always a good and healthy diet.

Providing the animal with the right amount of everything it needs for its health is essential and vital. A varied, healthy and balanced diet includes: lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water.

Without forgetting that the cat was born as a carnivorous animal but over time with the transition from wild cat to domestic cat it has also managed to accept food of plant origin.

This acceptance is particularly successful if the animal is accustomed from an early age, especially if used from a puppy immediately after weaning, to a feeding regime that can include all healthy and nutritious foods.

In this article we will discuss a food belonging to the vegetable category, that is artichokes. Vegetables for cats generate various benefits for the animal’s body such as: a correct functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, favoring its capacity for hydration, the speed of food transit and the functionality of the digestive tract.

However, let’s not forget that vegetables should only be an addition to a balanced feline diet and that not all vegetables are suitable for our cat.

Therefore, as in all foods, there are certain vegetables that are toxic to cats and should be avoided, for example: onion, garlic, green tomatoes, raw or unripe potatoes, shallots and leeks.

And the artichokes? Can cats eat artichokes? Let’s find out in the next paragraph.


Can cats eat artichokes?

Regardless of whether or not the cat can eat artichokes, you must first contact your veterinarian to find out specifically if your cat can eat artichokes.

As we all know every animal, every individual is different from another and hides his allergies and intolerances and who better than the vet knows our cat.

The doctor will certainly advise us to give a small piece of any new food product for the animal, so that it can taste it and can allow us to see the effects of any intolerance.

In the case of artichokes it is a product with very few calories, fat and sodium. They also provide a good dose of vitamins C and K but unfortunately only for humans.

Plant-based fiber, in fact, is a good thing but only for human digestion, while it can cause diarrhea in cats. A cat’s digestive system is unsuitable for processing or destroying plant matter.

Excessive plant-based carbohydrates are a potential health risk for cats.

Having said that, albeit in very small doses, the cat can taste the cooked artichokes and without enriching them with seasonings, as it is a beneficial food rich in: a source of fiber; mineral salts; source of iron; purifying properties; remineralizing properties; antioxidants and flavonoids; source of beta-carotene and Vitamin C.

Therefore, without letting ourselves be taken by an excess but only on rare occasions and in small doses we can give a taste of artichokes to the cat without damaging its health.

Risks

Regarding the risks, as we have previously mentioned, we must not exaggerate with the doses. And although it is true that they contain nutrients and many benefits for humans as well as for cats, abuse or excess can cause diarrhea in cats.

Furthermore, the intake of artichokes by the cat can also generate another danger and that is that they eat the rind. The crust of artichokes or the outer leaves are very hard and when the cat crushes them with his teeth the debris can remain between them and cause cavities in the cat’s mouth.


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