Cucumber is a popular snack and an excellent source of nutrition for humans, which may leave you wondering, can cats eat cucumber?
Made up o 90% water, cucumber is also great for hydration, but with cats being obligate carnivores, will cats even eat cucumber and are they even safe for cats to eat?
With thorough research and advice from top veterinarians, we have found the answer. Can cats eat cucumber? let’s dive straight in and find out.
Can Cats Eat Cucumber?
The short answer is yes, cats can eat cucumber and they can even benefit from some of the important nutrients that cucumber offers, as well as providing water to hydrate your cat. As vegetables are not required as part of a cats diet, too much cucumber can cause digestive issues, so only feed in moderation.
This can be as an occasional treat or on a hot summers day when your cat requires more water. We will go more in-depth on the dangers of cucumber for cats, and how to properly prepare it a bit further down in this article.
Can Cats Drink Cucumber Water?
When it comes to cucumber water, the actual cucumber itself is made up of around 90% water. The water content of cucumbers makes it a great source to hydrate both cats and humans alike. This is why many pet owners also allow their pets to eat cucumber as well.
Do Cats Like Cucumbers?
Although cats can benefit from the nutrition of a cucumber, do cats like cucumber and will they even eat it in the first place?
The simple answer is yes, cats may like to eat cucumber as they are attracted to the taste and smell of it. It isn’t recommended though that you feed your cat the whole fresh cucumber because once it has been cut up, it begins to lose its nutritional value.
As cats are all very unique with their own individual personality, not all cats will like cucumber. Some will eat it, whilst others will just turn their nose away at it.
Health Benefits Of Cucumber For Cats
Let’s take a look at the health benefits that a cat can gain from eating cucumber.
- 1.Cucumbers, in small amounts are a great source of vitamin K and fiber. If you were to feed your cat cucumber, they would benefit from the glucosinolates and flavonoids found within the cucumber that is known for reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
- With around 90% water which does an excellent job of keeping a cat hydrated.
- The cucumber is also a great source of vitamin C and many of the B group vitamins that help maintain a healthy digestive system.
- Cucumbers contain silica which contributes to the production of collagen in order to keep cats fur and nails strong, healthy, shiny and smooth.
- Unripe cucumbers are also known for being a fantastic aid in cases where you need to get your cat an upset tummy back on track as they serve as a gentle diuretic which helps pass motion through the digestive system without causing dehydration or irritation.
- A great source of a trace mineral called molybdenum that helps with a cats metabolism.
- Magnesium, potassium, and copper that are all great for the health and well-being of a cat.
- With only 15kcal per 100 grams, cucumber is is very low on calories which means it is a great snack for cats suffering with weight issues.
- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help protect against heart disease and cancer.
Dangers Of Feeding Cats Cucumber
Although eating cucumber provides some great benefits for a cat, it doesn’t come without some kind of risk. Let’s take a look at the dangers of feeding cucumber to a cat.
- Digestive Issues: Although the occasional chunk of cucumber isn’t likely to cause any type of digestive problems, if you continuously feed your cat this vegetable it might change their eating habits when it comes to other vegetables which can lead to digestion issues.
- Urinary Tract Issues: Cucumbers contain certain types of compounds that work as a natural diuretic and could cause irritation within the urinary tract due to its heaviness because of the water content as well as other minerals and chemicals it contains.
- High Water Content: The high water content in cucumbers also makes them very dangerous for cats suffering from a condition where they are unable to drink enough liquids or develop kidney disease because they will be more susceptible to dehydration due to the diuretic these vegetables have on their bodies.
- Lack Of Certain Nutrients: Although cucumber is packed with nutrients, it is also missing certain nutrients that cats usually consume from a meat-based meal. This is why it is important to never use cucumber as a meal replacement.
- Skin/Pesticides: The skin of a cucumber can potentially contain pesticides.
- Allergies: Cats can have an allergic reaction when trying new foods, and develop symptoms such as red eyes, itchy skin, diarrhea, and vomiting. Always test with a very small amount of cucumber first, and see how they react to it.
How Can I Safely Give Cucumber To My Cat?
If you are going to feed cucumber to your cat, here are some tips on how to safely prepare it.
1. Make sure you use only the inner fleshy part of cucumber that does not contain seeds or skin.
2. Cut it into very small pieces and only give your cats a few bites at a time as a treat in order to monitor their reaction to the vegetable and to avoid stomach aches, diarrhoea, or vomiting from occurring.
3. Remember never to feed them any cucumber that comes from a garden with chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers) used on them because this may cause more harm than good even if your cat is healthy.
How much cucumber can a cat eat?
It’s important not to overfeed your cat with cucumber, but you may be wondering, how much cucumber can a cat eat? Well
One or two thin slices of cucumber around once per week is all your cat needs. Even though they are not toxic to cats, some vegetables contain more nutrients than others and too much of them can cause stomach aches and diarrhoea.
Can kittens eat cucumbers?
So after answering the question of “can cats eat cucumber?”, you may now be wondering “can kittens eat cucumber?”.
Unfortunately, kittens aren’t allowed to eat cucumber. Their digestive system is not ready for vegetables yet and this can cause diarrhoea, so it is important not to introduce new foods at such a young age.
Always stick with properly formulated cat food that is essential for growth and will provide a kitten with all of the required nutrients.
What Other Vegetables Or Foods Can A Cat Eat?
As well as cucumber, here are some other vegetables that are safe to feed to your cat:
- Steamed asparagus
- Cooked carrots
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Steamed carrots
- Cooked butternut squash
- Steamed broccoli or green beans
- Melon
- Peas
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
Are Cats Afraid Of Cucumber
If you are a cat lover, you have more than likely saw the viral videos floating around online of cats leaping into the air after seeing a cucumber. There are a number of things that cats are afraid of, nut why are cats afraid of cucumber.
Cats are only able to see the colours blue, green and yellow which means many things that appear normal to us is very eye catching to them. Cats have an acute sense of hearing, so they can probably hear the cucumber drop before they even see it!
Cat behaviorists think that a cucumber can look like a snake to a cat, and that the jumping is just a cats survival mode kicking in. Not all cats will do this or be scared of the cucumber.
Although people find the videos online extremely funny, it can actually cause a cat to become highly stressed. So we advice against doing this in the first place.
Can Cats Eat Cucumber Conclusion
Can cats eat cucumber? To summarize, cucumber is not poisonous to cats and can be part of their diet, but you should consult with your veterinarian before introducing it. Cucumbers have a high water content which can cause diarrhoea issues in some kittens or older cats.
There are other vegetables that cats can eat, such as carrots. If you want to give your cat a treat, try mixing its regular food with some canned pumpkin! Pumpkin is delicious for humans and also very healthy for felines.
Does your cat eat cucumber? Let us know in the comments section below.
