Cashew nuts and all kinds of nuts are healthy, tasty, and convenient snacks that are allowed in most diets. These are snacks that are constantly present in our homes and if one hits the floor, your curious feline friend will be the first to get to it. So you might be wondering can cats eat cashews and are they healthy for them?
If you’re a cat owner you know that they will always follow you around and cry for treats before their next meal. It’s no wonder that they stumble upon your food and you can’t just munch away and not give them their share. However, you might be concerned that the nuts might be poisonous to your feline friend. When it comes to feeding human foods to your cat, it depends on whether you can and should feed your cat. Cats can eat cashews, buts it’s advisable not to feed them any sort of nuts.
Cashews aren’t poisonous to your cat, don’t start panicking, but the fact that they’re not toxic doesn’t mean they’re healthy for your cat. However, if your cat swallows a nut or two, don’t worry as it doesn’t pose a threat. If you’re planning on giving your feline friend some cashew treats, you should do it once in a while if you don’t want your cat to develop obesity and heart problems.
What are a cashew nut and its nutritional value?
Cashew nuts are very popular and healthy nuts that are eaten all around the world. They have very high nutritional benefits and are a very convenient snack to carry around. The fat amount in these nuts is significantly lower than in other nuts. They contain monounsaturated fat that helps to lower the levels of triglycerides in your body and improve your cardiovascular health. If you suffer from diabetes, eating foods rich in these fats help to lower your blood sugar levels.
Cashews also contain copper, a mineral that helps your body detox and keeps you energized throughout the day. Copper is also important for your bone health and the cleaning of your blood vessels. Magnesium is also another mineral that is found in cashews. It helps to reduce your blood pressure and reduce migraines and helping your body in controlling your muscle tone and nerves. Cashews are very good at helping to regulate your weight gain and in helping to regulate the fat in your body.
Benefits of cashews to your cat
Cashews have a lot of health-boosting properties with their B vitamins, potassium, proteins, and healthy fats that are all beneficial to you and can be to your cat. However, your cat may not reap the same health benefits from the cashews as you since cats are obligate carnivores like dogs. Carnivorous animals extract nutrients from their animal prey. This means that cats are biologically equipped to process meat which provides them with animal protein and not plant foods so most of the nutritional benefits in cashews are lost.
Since your cat’s digestive system isn’t well equipped to handle plant foods, you should make sure you include meat as the main food in her diet. And since cats can’t convert some of the vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals in plant foods into a form that their body can use, they don’t get most of the nutritional benefits in cashews.
Cats and cashews
Cashews aren’t poisonous to cats but they’re also not very beneficial. All nuts are loaded with fats that can cause digestion problems in your cat, so you should remember not to feed them too much. However, cashews are very rich in a variety of beneficial components that can be beneficial to your cat’s health. Cats need the same vitamins and minerals your body needs but nuts aren’t the best option to provide them with these. Cat food contains everything your cat needs, so if you want to give your cat a treat only one cashew would be enough.
Are cashews toxic to cats?
Cashews don’t contain any ingredients that can be toxic to your feline friend, so you shouldn’t worry about your cats picking a few nuts on the table. However, if the nuts are salted or seasoned, your cat may have an allergic reaction and it’s advisable to visit a vet to contain the response. Too much salt isn’t good for your cat as it affects her heart’s proper functions and bone development. So, avoid feeding your cat seasoned cashews and stick to recommended cat food.
If your cat eats too many cashews it can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. She might also have stomach pains, sleep a lot, or avoid eating. If this happens, it’s good to take her to see a vet before the situation gets worse. Weight gain is also another possibility, but if your cat loves eating cashews and doesn’t seem to have any problem, you can give it a treat a few times a week.
Can cats drink cashew milk?
You can give cashew milk to your cat, but in small quantities, because the high-fat content can be unhealthy for your feline friend. The best thing about cashew milk is it doesn’t contain lactose, the natural sugar component. You can introduce the cashew milk gradually into your cat’s diet so that you can look for any allergic reactions. Cats have a very sensitive stomach especially when it comes to processing new proteins and foods that’s why you need to have a better understanding of your cat’s dietary needs before introducing any new foods into her diet.
So, can cats eat cashews?
Cashews aren’t poisonous to cats, but they’re also not recommended as cat food. For humans, cashews can be part of a healthy diet if eaten in moderation, but cats don’t need cashews either as a snack or in their diet. However, a small bite of cashew here and a lick of cashew milk there will not do any harm in the long run. If you decide to give your cat nuts as a treat, one nut will be enough as it’s neither a healthy nor beneficial snack for your cat.