Can Cats Eat Berries?

Yes, cats can eat berries in moderation.

Berries are a type of edible fruit that have a sweet, sour, or tart taste and do not come with hard stones or pits. Popular fruit berries consumed around the world include strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. All these varieties may be eaten by your pet kitty as a treat as long as they do not go beyond 10% of her daily calorie intake. 

Though berries are packed with vitamins and minerals, they are also high in carbohydrates, which are not needed by cats to function properly. Fresh berries should be given occasionally and in small amounts as overfeeding may result in digestive complications. Diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal upset, abdominal pain, kidney damage or toxicity, dehydration, and decrease in appetite are some of the symptoms your cat may manifest. 

How to feed berries to your cat: Wash a piece of fresh berry thoroughly under cold running water. Be sure to remove dirt, bacteria, molds, and rotten parts before feeding a small portion to your cat. Observe her reaction to the fruit in the next 24 hours, then add it to her diet if she shows no adverse reactions. 

Here are three ideas for berry treats your cat will love:

1. Make use of raspberry and pineapple for this frozen treat.
2. Give ½ piece of strawberry as a post-training reward. 
3. Try baking tuna and blueberry scones for your cat. 

In summary: Get your veterinarian’s approval before including berries in your cat’s diet. Follow the prescribed amount of each berry variety to prevent long-term health complications such as obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. 

Aside from berries, find out which other fruits and vegetables you can safely feed to your cat. You can also check out our blog’s “can cats eat” category.

References: 

Berry

Which Fruits Can Cats Eat?