Can cats eat Cherries?


Can cats eat cherries? Are they beneficial to your cat or can they harm your cat’s health? Let’s find out together.

Felines are known to be picky when it comes to feeding. However, they are also very curious animals, which can easily steal something from the table when we are about to prepare a snack or dinner.

In fact, almost all cats, as well as dogs, love human food. But not all of our foods may be safe for our four-legged friends.

For this reason today we will see together if cats can eat cherries or not.


Can cats eat cherries?

Cats are carnivorous animals, so their digestive system is developed to process meat.

However, very often it is decided to give the cat a little vegetable or fruit from time to time. Among the fruit to choose from, we also find cherries. But can the cat eat them?

The answer to that question is yes, but you need to be very careful with the quantities. In addition, there are parts of the fruit and of the plant that must absolutely be forbidden to the feline. However, cats can also benefit from eating cherries.

Possible benefits of cherries for felines

Cherries can be good not only for humans, but also for our four-legged friends. The benefits that this fruit can bring to the cat are the following:

  • Manage cat arthritis: Studies show that cherries can help improve symptoms of gout in cats, a severe form of arthritis;
  • Reduces the risk of chronic diseases: thanks to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances that cherry is rich in;
  • Improves Heart Health: Thanks to the polyphenol and potassium antioxidants that cherries contain, the cat has a reduced risk of heart disease. In addition, potassium also eliminates sodium from the cat’s body;
  • Improves sleep and digestion: this fruit increases the melatonin levels in the cat, promoting a peaceful sleep. In addition, the cherry also contains fiber and water, which are useful for helping a cat with digestive problems.

Although your cat can eat cherries, it is important not to replace the cat’s basic diet with these fruits, it should only be an occasional treat.

Risks of cherries in cats

Even if the fruit is not harmful to the health of the cat, always if given in moderation, we cannot say the same about the plant, the cherry tree.

In fact, the latter belongs to the category of plants toxic to cats, as it contains traces of cyanide. So it is very important that the feline has no contact with the following parts of the cherry tree:

  • Leaves;
  • Roots;
  • Stems;
  • Fruit kernel.

In the event that the feline feeds on one of these parts of the cherry tree, it could present with cyanide poisoning. The cat will exhibit the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Discolored gums
  • Dilated pupils of the cat
  • Irritability;
  • Death.

Furthermore, the stone of the fruit in addition to causing poisoning could also cause choking in the cat.

It is important to be careful to give your cat small pieces of cherry, as if the fruit is ingested whole it could also cause constipation or diarrhea in the cat.

Can kittens eat cherries?

Unlike adult cats who can eat cherries in small quantities and paying attention to the modalities, kittens cannot eat these fruits.

This is because our little feline friends are very sensitive to human food which can be potentially harmful to cats.

In this case, being small, kittens can easily choke by eating a cherry. Furthermore, any cyanide poisoning can easily and quickly lead to the death of the kitten.


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