Can Cats eat Cashews?


Autumn is the season of dried fruit, from pistachios to almonds, from walnuts to hazelnuts. Can cats eat cashews? Here is the opinion of the experts.

Autumn brings with it not only the first seasonal colds, but also a great variety of dried fruit: pistachios, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts are the masters in our autumn snacks. We often share our food with pets: can cats eat cashews? Let’s find out together!


The cat and the fruit

The cat and fruit are not exactly the ideal combination. This does not mean that the little feline cannot really eat it, but basically we are talking about a food that is not essential to its diet. In nature, in fact, the wild cat totally does without it.

The situation is different with regard to the domestic cat: it is a habit that the animal has acquired just by being next to man, but this has not changed its DNA. In fact, the feline is an obligate carnivore. The cat’s diet must be based almost exclusively on meat.

Among the incursions of the other categories of food we can find fish, eggs, cereals, and to a very limited extent fruit.


Can cats eat cashews?

There are numerous fruits that are forbidden to cats: because they are toxic, such as citrus fruits, or plums; others because they cannot bring any caloric benefit to the animal, causing only weight gain, with the related negative consequences.

Can cats eat cashews? The answer is no, but some important clarifications are needed. We are not talking about a toxic fruit for the cat: eating one or two of them does not run any risk of poisoning. But this does not mean that the cat can eat cashews.

First of all, there is a risk, albeit rare, of suffocation. Second, it is a food with a high protein and fat content. But the cat’s stomach is not able to adequately absorb these nutritional values, not being able to do it with plant foods.

The danger therefore is that of weight gain, with all the consequences related to cat obesity; all without having the nutritional contribution it needs. The cat cannot eat cashews, because the long-term risk is that of developing feline pancreatitis.

Excessive but occasional consumption could still lead to problems such as vomiting, or other gastrointestinal disturbances of an occasional nature.


What to do if the cat has eaten cashew nuts

If the cat has eaten cashew nuts, it may not necessarily be necessary to seek treatment. It all depends on the quality ingested. A few pieces of dried fruit should not cause any problems in the animal. If, on the other hand, he has eaten a lot of cashews, it is a good idea to take him to visit your trusted veterinarian.

If the cat has vomited, it may be helpful to collect a sample of the rejected substance to facilitate the practitioner’s diagnosis, especially if you are not sure if he ate cashew nuts.

As always, prevention is the best cure: avoid leaving the cashew nuts in a place accessible to the feline, so as to be able to exclude, where he feels bad, that he has ingested this autumn fruit.


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