People eat cabbage raw, cooked, and boiled. It is nutritious for us human beings. But is it the same case for cats? Cats can eat carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, and some other vegetables in small quantities. However, can cats eat cabbage?
Yes, they can. As every human food comes with some implications, feeding cabbage to cats also requires some rules. You’ll find them in this article.
Can Cats Eat Cabbage?
Cabbage doesn’t have much taste of its own. It has a rubbery surface and a bland flavor. However, it is crunchy when eaten raw. So, it makes any snack crunchier and presentable. But what about cats?
Cats are obligate carnivores and get most of their nutrients from meat. They can eat plant food, but it doesn’t provide them with many nutrients. Moreover, high quantities of plant food can even lead to malnutrition. Cabbage does provide health benefits to cats, but large amounts can harm.
You need to know how to give cabbage to cats. You should avoid giving raw cabbage as it can be hard for the cats to digest them. It is better to cook or boil the cabbage. Cut it in shreds, cook it properly, and then let your cat eat it.
Here, the crucial thing is the quantity. Small amounts of cabbage occasionally will not cause any harm to your cat. It will be healthy. But larger quantities can lead to issues that will make your cat uncomfortable.
So, can cats eat cabbage? Yes, but in moderate and controlled quantities. It is always best to take the advice of a veterinarian. So, if you want to know what cabbage can do to cats? Keep reading.
What’s Good in Giving Cabbage?
Firstly, it acts as an anti-inflammatory vegetable due to the antioxidants present in it. However, like humans, cats are also vulnerable to chronic inflammation. So, cabbage helps in reducing the chronic inflammation your cat might have.
Coronary heart ailments and high blood pressure are the causes of heart issues. Certain cabbages have anthocyanins that help in reducing this risk drastically. It is also rich in potassium, which further helps in controlling the blood pressure in cats.
Cabbage also contains high amounts of dietary fiber. Fiber helps in regulating your cat’s bowel movements and improving digestion at the same time. In addition, they promote good gut bacteria, resulting in better absorption of minerals and vitamins.
What’s Bad in Giving Cabbage to Cats?
The benefits stated above are more prominent in humans than in cats. It is because they are obligate carnivores, and their needs are different. For example, plant food might be a constant diet for humans, but it is unnecessary for cats.
A cat’s diet is made up of animal protein, and a cat’s parent should follow that. Giving large amounts of cabbage can only harm your cat. It won’t be able to digest the high carbohydrates and fiber, thus resulting in gastrointestinal issues.
In severe cases, thiocyanate present in cabbages can impact the thyroid function in cats. This results in sudden weight increase, lethargy and weakness. Hence, controlling the cabbage intake is necessary.
How To Serve Cabbage to Cats?
Raw cabbage is more beneficial as the nutrients remain preserved. However, cats can face difficulty in chewing and digesting raw cabbage. It may choke your cat or cause constipation due to indigestion.
Thus, you should avoid giving raw cabbage and prefer cooked cabbage. Doctors recommend boiling the cabbage and then offering it to cats. Make sure that you cook or boil the cabbage without any additional salt, garlic, or other ingredients, as they are dangerous.
Summary
Can cats eat cabbage? Yes. Should you give cabbage to your cat? Yes, but track the portions you serve. Only small quantities of cabbage are healthy for cats.
Also, don’t force your cat to eat cabbage. Instead, try giving a minute quantity and see if the cat likes it. If it does, you can offer cabbage on some occasions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Vegetables Can Cats Eat?
Just like vegetables are beneficial to humans, they are healthy for cats as well. Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, lettuce, green beans, spinach, corn, squash, and pumpkin are good for them. Cook them or boil them properly so that it’s easy for cats to digest the veggies.
What Vegetables Are Bad for Cats?
Since cats are obligate carnivores, plant food provides them with little to no nutrients. Before offering them any vegetable out of their diet, you should research whether it is harmful or not. Onion, garlic, chives, shallots, and scallions are some examples that can cause digestive problems to your cat. They should be avoided.
Why Are Cats Afraid of Cucumbers?
You might have seen videos of cats getting scared of cucumbers. It generates some laughs and raises the question of why they get scared.
Cats have an inherent fear of snakes. Since cucumbers look like snakes, the cat’s instinct kicks in, and they jump away. They look at cucumbers as curvy snakes and get afraid.
