This cat blog will answer the major question, “Can cats eat aloe?” we will also discuss the major health benefits of aloe vera gel for your cat, the health hazards of aloe vera for your cat, and how your vet will treat aloe vera poisoning in your cat.
Can cats eat aloe?
No, cats cannot eat aloe. It is not safe for your cat to consume aloe because it has saponins which can cause toxicity in your cat. The toxicity can lead to stomach upset and other problems in your cat. Aloe vera latex is not healthy for your cat but aloe vera gel is not only safe but also healthy for your cat to eat.
What are the major health hazards of consuming aloe for your cat?
Following are the major health hazards of consuming aloe for your cat:
Stomach upset
The first problem your cat will face is stomach upset in your cat. Stomach upset is due to the indigestion of the aloe in the stomach of your cat. Consuming more and more aloe can cause stomach upset in your cat.
Following are the major clinical signs of stomach upset in your cat:
- Decreased appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
Abdominal cramps
This is due to the compound present in aloe vera which is the saponins. Saponins can increase mucus production in the large intestine of your cat which can cause abdominal cramps in your cat.
The saponins will also increase the water content in the large intestine of the body so it will lead to diarrhea in your cat.
Toxicity
The next thing is the toxicity in your cat. The compounds in the aloe vera latex can cause toxicity in your cat. The aloe vera compound can build up in the body of your cat which is not clearly removed from the body. This can cause toxicity in your cat.
Following are the major clinical signs of toxicity in your cat:
- Decreased appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Imbalance
- Excessive salivation
- Pale mucous membrane
- Abdominal pain
What are the major health benefits of consuming aloe vera gel for your cat?
Following are the major health benefits of consuming aloe vera gel for your cat:
Skin health
Aloe vera gel can significantly improve the health of the skin and fur. Aloe vera has a high moisture content which helps to improve the health of the skin and decrease the chances of skin-related problems in your cat such as rashes, itching, and swelling.
Antioxidant property
The next benefit of consuming aloe vera gel is the antioxidant agents in the body. Aloe vera gel has many antioxidants and they help to keep the body clean from reactive species.
These reactive free radicals can react with healthy cells and can cause oxidative damage to the cells of the body. This can lead to deadly conditions like heart, kidney, and liver problems in your cat.
If these reactive free radicals continue to oxidize cells then it can lead to cancer in the body of your cat.
Improve wound healing
The next thing is wound healing. Aloe vera can also improve the process of wound healing in the body. Moreover, it can also support the local immune system to prevent the entry of pathogens into the wound in this way it acts as an antiseptic agent and protects the wound healing process from disruption in the body.
How can your vet diagnose aloe vera poisoning in your cat?
If you suspect that your cat has consumed aloe vera latex then you should take your cat to the vet. Make sure you also bring the sample of aloe vera your cat has consumed in the house.
Your vet will go for a clinical exam on your cat and will perform some tests to check the internal condition of the body.
After that, your vet will combine the findings of the clinical exam, tests, and history to conclude that your cat is suffering from aloe vera poisoning. Your vet will also tell you about the prognosis.
How can your vet treat this type of poisoning?
Your vet can treat this type of poisoning through symptomatic therapy. Your vet will go for a chelating agent if your cat has recently consumed aloe vera. Your vet might also go for vomiting in your cat. The vomiting will remove the undigested aloe vera from the body.
After that, your vet will also go for fluid therapy in your cat to dilute the toxins in the blood.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answered the major question, “Can cats eat aloe?” we also discussed the major health benefits of aloe vera gel, the health hazards of aloe vera, and how your vet will treat aloe vera poisoning in your cat.
References
https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/common-cat-skin-conditions
https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/true-aloe-poisoning
https://askmycats.com/can-cats-eat-aloe-plant/#can-cats-eat-aloe-vera-gel
https://www.insider.com/things-that-are-toxic-to-cats-2019-2
