Apples are an exceptionally healthy fruit and very popular amongst humans, which may leave cat owners asking, “can cats eat apples?”.
As well as providing us with a variety of tasty snacks such as apple pie and slices of apple topped with peanut butter, apples are also packed with fiber and vitamins, but how well does this nutrition pass over into a cats diet?
With cats being obligate carnivores, they have very different dietary requirements and their digestive system processes foods very different in comparison to a human. So can cats eat apples or are they toxic? Through thorough research, we will give you all of the information you need to know on the subject.
Can Cats Eat Apples?
Although apples are on the ASPCA’s list of toxic foods for pets, cats technical can still eat apples, depending upon how they are prepared. The reason they are classed as toxic is due to the leaves, stems, and seeds of the apple which all need to be removed if you are going to feed it to your cat.
The seed of the apple is especially dangerous as it contains a poison called cyanide which can cause significant problems if consumed by a cat. If your cat does consume apple seeds, leaves, or stems, then contact a veterinarian immediately.
Another issue is that like many other fruits, apples contain natural levels of sugar. As cats are obligate carnivores, they do not require apples as part of their diet, and too much sugar can lead to long term health complications such as diabetes. For this reason, cats who already have diabetes should never be given apples.
The truth is, you may never have to worry about this in the first place, because it is highly unlikely that a cat will even be attracted to an apple. A cats lack of taste receptors for sweetness means they more than likely won’t even attempt to eat apples in the first place.
Can Cats Eat Applesauce?
You may think applesauce is the same as mashing a solid apple but it’s not. The kind of applesauce found in supermarkets contain added chemicals and preservatives that are very bad for your cats health.
Can Cats Eat Apple Pie?
Although you may feel that this is not too much different to solid apples, apple pie can be high in sugar and other spices that are very bad for your cats health. As previously mentioned, cats lack of taste receptors for sweetness, so the chances are that they won’t even go near it in the first place. Our advice is, don’t even attempt to feed it to them.
Can Kittens Eat Apples?
Everything we have covered so far on can cats eat apples? concludes that they are safe to eat, providing they are prepared in a certain way and not given in large quantities. The same could apply for kittens, but our advice is to just not feed them apples.
The reason for this is a kitten is a lot more delicate than an adult cat because they are still growing. The best thing to do is to just stick with a specially formulated kitten diet to provide all of the crucial nutrients they need.
Can Cats Eat Apple Cider Vinegar
If you’ve ever had apple cider vinegar, you will know how strong the smell is which can put cats off. Cats also shouldn’t consume apple cider vinegar as it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Some cats may also have allergies towards it which can irritate their skin and lead to itching and rashes.
Health Benefits of Apples
As they old saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Let’s take a look at the huge amount of minerals and vitamins an apple contains and see why this super fruit is so beneficial:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Copper and Magnesium
- Rich in polyphenols
Not only are apples rich in a number of vitamins, they also help to curb hunger pangs and even combat digestive issues such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Concerns With Apples And How To Properly Serve
Rotten fruit
You wouldn’t eat rotten fruit yourself so you shouldn’t expect your cat to eat it. Cats will actually be more sensitive to rotten fruit than a human which can lead to sickness or diarrhea.
Make sure to wash the fruits
Keep in mind that some apples are treated with fungicides or pesticides. Always make sure to rinse the apple in clean water before you feed any to your cat. An even better and more safer option is to just peel the skin off.
Remove apple seeds, leaves, and stems
Before serving you should remove any seeds, leaves, and stems. Apple seeds contain a dangerous poison called cyanide. There is only a small amount of this in apple seeds but consuming can still result in health problems. If your cat does consume any seeds, leaves, or stems then be on the safe side and consult with a vet.
How to serve apple to your cat?
As we mentioned above, it’s important to remove seeds, leaves, and stems. Make sure o either wash the apple in clean water or completely remove the peel. Slice the apple up into small edible pieces and mix in with their normal meals.
How Much Is Too Much?
Even if you follow the correct serving procedure as described above, you still shouldn’t feed too much apple to your kitty. Although great at combating diabetes in humans, it can have the opposite effect with cats due to the way cats digest fruit sugar very differently to ours.
Symptoms of feline diabetes include:
- Excessive thirst
- Constant urination
- Lack of appetite
- Inability to jump
- Vomiting
Only feed a very small amount on the odd occasion as a treat.
Alternative Healthy Snacks
To mix up your cats diet and offer something a bit different, you can also try vegetables. Vegetables offer very good nutrients if given in moderation. Although not all cats will eat them, you could mix small amounts into their regular food.
These veggies are not toxic to cats, according to the ASPCA:
- Zucchini
- Celery (they love the crunch!)
- Carrots
- Green bell peppers
- Spinach (Filled with vitamins A, C, and K!)
- Peas (Often found in many prepackaged foods for cats and dogs as a vitamin-filled addition)
- Pumpkin (Pumpkin is used often as a way to get fiber in your cat’s diet)
- Broccoli
Can Cats Eat Apples Conclusion
Can cats eat apples? If you are going to feed apple to your cat, it’s important to first of all remove seeds, leaves, and stems from the apple as this can be toxic. As cats are obligate carnivores, when it comes to apples, they offer no nutritional values at all to a cat.
Our advice would be to just leave this one alone and never feed apple to your cat. There are plenty of other tasty snacks out there to offer your cat as a treat. When it comes to food and meals, just stick with properly formulated cat food that contains all of the protein and goodness that a healthy cat needs.
Have you given apple or other alternatives to your cat? Let us know in the comments below.
- Apple WRITTEN BY: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Apples – The World’s Healthiest Foods
- Feeding Your Cat Cornell Feline Health Center Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits Nutr J. 2004; 3: 5.
Published online 2004 May 12. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-3-5 by Jeanelle Boyer and Rui Hai Liu - Cats Lack a Sweet Taste Receptor J Nutr. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2007 Nov 5.
Published in final edited form as: J Nutr. 2006 Jul; 136(7 Suppl): 1932S–1934S. by Xia Li, Weihua Li, Hong Wang, Douglas L. Bayley, Jie Cao, Danielle R. Reed, Alexander A. Bachmanov, Liquan Huang, Véronique Legrand-Defretin, Gary K. Beauchamp, and Joseph G. Brand
