Ever wondered whether it is safe for your felines to eat coconut? Find out if they can enjoy this tropical treat in our article, Can Cats Eat Coconut?
What can you eat, drink, and use to make a fire? Coconut! As evident from this riddle, coconut is a versatile fruit. But is it flexible enough to be fed to your cat, and Can Cats Eat Coconut? Let’s find out.
Can Cats Eat Nuts? Find out here
What Is Coconut?
The word coconut is derived from the Portugal word Coco, which means head, or skull, because of the three cavities on the topmost surface of the coconut. Coconut is a tropical fruit originating from the Central Indo-Pacific area.
Can Cats Eat Coconut?
Coconut is a multifaceted fruit. It is used not only for ingestion as food but also in care products for the human body. The bottom line is that coconut is safe for humans, but can we say the same about cats?
As domestic pets, cats love to eat almost anything their human parents eat.
Coconuts are safe for cats so they can have it as a treat. However, do not allow your pet to consume coconut regularly.
Is Coconut Toxic For Cats?
Coconut is non-toxic for cats. However, coconut in the form of desserts or a savory dish can cause trouble for your pet. Added ingredients like sugar, salt, cream, or flour may cause an adverse reaction in a feline. Additionally, anything in excess is bad.
Does Coconut Contain Any Nutritional Value For Cats?
Coconut contains proteins and minerals, along with saturated fats and calories. The former group helps the immune and digestive systems in the cat, while the latter results in weight gain and diarrhea.
How To Feed Coconut To Cats?
Coconut oil and meat can be occasionally served to cats. It has no taste or smell, so if your pet is a picky eater, it won’t identify the oil. You can give shredded coconut as a snack, while a few drops of coconut oil can be mixed into the cat food. Remember, a little goes a long way.
Can Cats Eat Coconut? A Few Concerns.
Even though it is safe for cats to eat coconut, pay attention to whether your cat even likes the taste of it. Do not force-feed it if the feline is unable to digest it.
Coconut has saturated fats that can result in liver disease, rapid weight gain, and diarrhea if consumed in large quantities.
Can Cats Eat Coconut Meat?
Feed small quantities of plain, shredded coconut meat to your pet as a snack once in a while. It contains nutrients and minerals to help improve the overall health of felines.
Can Cats Drink Coconut Milk?
Coconut milk is not a naturally occurring food item. The milk extracted from coconut meat contains high quantities of fats and calories, which is unsuitable for a cat. Even though coconut milk is non-toxic to cats, it is best to avoid giving it to them.
Can Cats Drink Coconut Water?
Coconut water is rich in potassium, sodium, and magnesium. While it is okay for a cat to consume it occasionally, increased consumption will result in gastrointestinal problems like indigestion and diarrhea.
Can Cats Drink Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is the next best product to give to cats. It helps with the hairball problem, improves bad breath, and results in a healthy gut. Mix a quarter or half a teaspoon of oil daily in the cat food. Take care of the quantity since the oil is also rich in fat and calories.
Can Cats Eat Coconut? Something Important!
It goes without saying to consult a vet before making any dietary changes.
Coconut contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT) – a type of fat that helps food absorption disorders. In other words, it helps in weight loss, obesity, and abdominal inflammation.
Note: It can be harmful to cats if consumed in large quantities as it can build up to cause liver diseases.
Can Cats Eat Coconut? Quick Takeaways!
In moderation, serve plain, shredded coconut, coconut oil, and coconut water as a treat to cats. Other coconut products, like pie, cream, and cookies do not suit the felines.
Excessive consumption of coconuts can cause liver disease, weight gain, and diarrheia in cats.
Consult the vet to confirm if your cat can digest coconut.
Can Cats Eat Cashews? Find out here
