Can cats eat cranberries?

This cat blog will answer the major question, “Can cats eat cranberries?” we will also discuss the major benefits of consuming cranberries, the major threats of consuming cranberries, and how you can give cranberries to your cat.

Can cats eat cranberries?

Yes, cats can eat cranberries. It is safe and healthy for your cats to eat cranberries but you need to make sure that you give the cranberries in the right way to your cat. Consuming raw cranberries can cause problems for your cat and you should avoid it.

What are the major health benefits of consuming cranberries for your cat?

Following are the major health benefits of consuming cranberries for your cat:

Vitamins

Following are the essential vitamins in cranberries:

  • The first vitamin is vitamin A which is helpful in capturing and killing the reactive oxidative species that can cause deadly conditions like cancer and heart problems. Vitamin A also acts as an immune booster and is helpful in the health of the coat and the skin. 
  • The major advantage of vitamin A is in eye health. A deficiency of vitamin A can lead to blindness in your cat.
  • The next vitamin is vitamin C which is not required in the diet of the cat because vitamin C is synthesized in the body of your cat. The benefits of vitamin C are very vast. Vitamin C acts as a strong antioxidant agent and is helpful in bone and cartilage health. Vitamin C is also helpful in the health of the immune system of the body.
  • The next vitamin is vitamin E which is helpful in reducing the aging process in the body. Vitamin E is also helpful in killing the reactive oxidative particles in the body of your cat and this will help your cat prevent deadly conditions such as cancer and chronic kidney problems.
  • The next vitamin is vitamin K which is helpful in the clotting of the blood in the body of your cat. It is very beneficial to give it to anemic cats.

Minerals

Following are the essential minerals in cranberries:

  • The first mineral is potassium which is helpful in controlling the blood pressure of the body by removing the excess sodium from the blood thereby relieving the symptoms of hypertension. The next benefit is healthy nerve conduction in the body of your cat. Healthy nerve conduction is helpful in coordination with the body.
  • The next mineral is magnesium which is required for the absorption of nutrients from the intestine of the body into the bloodstream. Magnesium is also required for various metabolic processes in the body of your cat.
  • The next mineral is iron which is required for the production of red blood cells in the body of your cat. The red blood cells are the carrier of oxygen and it will improve the oxygenation for the tissues in the body. A deficiency of iron can cause the destruction of red blood cells in the body. 

Fiber

The next healthy benefit is fiber which regulates the bowel movements of the body. Healthy bowel movements can lead to better absorption and health of the body.

Fiber also limits the food intake of your cat which impacts the weight gain in the body. The insoluble fiber is the major cause of limiting food intake. Fiber can also limit the sugar level in the blood because food intake is limited and it in turn produces limited sugar.

What are the major health hazards of consuming cranberries for your cat?

Following are the major health hazards of consuming cranberries for your cat:

  • The first one is that consuming raw berries can contract many bacterial infections in your cat. These bacteria may be deadly or can only cause a minor infection in your cat.
  • The next health hazard is stomach upset due to the indigestion of cranberries. Cats are obligate carnivores and they love to eat meat. They’re not specialized in consuming fruits.
  • The next is pesticide toxicity in your cat because the raw berries have pesticides on them in order to save them from pests.

How can you safely give cranberries to your cat?

Following are the tips you should follow to safely give cranberries to your cat:

  • Never give raw cranberries to your cat as it can cause stomach upset.
  • Never exceed the portion of cranberries in the diet. It should be around 10%.
  • You should give cranberries after washing them and reducing them to bite size so that your cat can eat them easily without choking problems.

Conclusion

In this cats blog, we entertained our important question, “Can cats eat cranberries?” we also covered the major benefits of consuming cranberries, the major threats of consuming cranberries, and how you can give cranberries to your cat.

References

https://www.redbarn.com/blogs/blog/can-dog-cats-eat-cranberries

https://www.petmd.com/cat/which-fruits-can-cats-eat

https://www.google.com/amp/s/cattime.com/cat-facts/health/40318-can-cats-eat-cranberries%3famp

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3280776/