Almonds are a practical and healthy snack for humans but not for your cats. Although they may not get sick right away if they eat them, they do pose a risk to their health. They are not considered to be toxic to cats if they eat a small amount or a portion of food that has almonds in it. It is advisable that you do not let your cat eat even a small amount of almonds because of the other problems that they can cause.
For humans, almonds are loaded with vitamin E and antioxidants, very nutritious, and very healthy. They are rich in healthy fats, protein, and fiber but this is not true for cats. Almonds are not really nuts but instead, they are the seeds of the Prunus dulcis tree. This is a domesticated tree found in the Middle East. Most cats are not really interested in eating almonds but they might find them fun to push around on the floor.
Things that almonds can cause
One thing that is in almonds is Cyanogenic Glycosides, which is a natural toxin found in almonds. If your cat eats a lot of this natural toxin it could cause them to suffer from a type of cyanide poisoning. Some of the symptoms they might exhibit would be an upset stomach, hyperventilating, or dilated pupils.
Consuming almonds, even a small quantity, can upset your cat’s digestive system. It can be upset by the fats in the nuts and lead to loose bowel movements or vomiting. If there is a high level of this type of fat in their body it could lead to the cat developing pancreatitis.
The almonds that most humans enjoying eating are covered in a topping like chocolate or salt, which are not for a cat and can cause problems. Too much salt can cause the cat to develop sodium-ion toxicosis and can happen if they eat too much salt without drinking enough water. Of course, chocolate is toxic to cats. Cats are very sensitive to sodium imbalances due to their small size and how much salt they can have. On average, a cat needs per kilogram of bodyweight-only about 0.8 grams of sodium. Just a few salted almonds can have more than fifteen percent more than the daily allowance of salt for a cat.
Health benefits
Cats are carnivores and need meat to give them proteins that they need to keep their body fit and healthy. With almonds, they offer no health benefits to cats. The only thing that might be healthy for a cat is that if they like milk, almond milk can be a healthy alternative.
Can cats eat almonds?
Cats can eat a small amount but one thing to remember is that their digestive system is very different from a human. As a result, they process foods much differently than a human does. Cat’s digestive systems are poor at deriving nutrition from foods other than meats so even though they can eat almonds they will not get any nutrients that their body will need. They do not need fiber and if they eat food with the fiber it can cause a laxative effect. Cats also process fat differently than humans so they can have a diet that is proportionately higher in lipids. These include saturated fats and not have any negative effects. The only problem with eating a diet that is high in fat is that the cat can become overweight.
It is very important that your kitten never is given almonds as their bodies have not developed fully. The tiny bit of cyanide in sweet almonds can negatively affect a kitten. They can also pose a choking hazard for a kitten. They do not have a lot of experience with different foods so they may try to swallow one whole.
Can cats drink almond milk?
Yes, this safe for cats but only in moderation. With almond milk there is no lactose or any toxic ingredients so as most cats are lactose intolerant, this is a good type of milk to feed them if they want milk. Just make sure that you do not give them too much.
In conclusion
Many people have this misconception that if it is good for a human then it has to be good for our cats to eat. In many cases, this is not true. In fact, some of the things that are good for a human are toxic for cats, chocolate being one of them. In other things, it can cause a lot of issues as their digestive system is so unlike a human and cannot digest a lot of what our systems can.
Cats are carnivores and thrive on a meat diet. Other foods have little to no nutritional value for a cat. Almonds, for example, have no nutritional value at all so there is no reason to give them any. Cats need a well-balanced diet with a lot of protein, which meat provides. In the wild, a cat would bypass almonds and look for meat. They do not care for almonds because of their hardness. To them, it is more of a toy to bat around.
Remember that almonds do contain a toxic substance that can give them symptoms of cyanide poisoning if they are given too many. It would be in the best interest if you do not feed your cats’ almonds. If a cat gets cyanide poisoning it can cause its red blood cells to be impaired and not have the ability to carry oxygen to its body. For a cat that weighs around 10 pounds under seven milligrams can be fatal.
Your cats depend on their owner to keep them safe from harm so remember this when you want to offer your cat something of whatever you are eating. Offer them a suitable snack that is just for cats if you want them to have a snack while you have one. Cats do not chew their food very well so they could also choke on a small piece of almond.