Can Cats Eat Peaches?
Peaches were domesticated in what is now China. After which, they spread outwards with the result that they can now be found on every single inhabited continent. Having said that, peaches are limited to certain climates because they have a number of important requirements. To name an example, they can’t grow in either tropical or subtropical regions because of their chilling requirement, though there are exceptions to this rule at high altitudes where the temperatures are cooler. Despite this, peaches are popular enough that the world produces millions and millions of tons on an annual basis. Unsurprisingly, that means that peaches are very popular. A lot of these fruits are eaten as they are. However, it is very common for peaches to be used to make a wide range of other foods as well. As such, chances are very good that cat owners have eaten either peaches or something made using peaches at some point. If they enjoyed that, well, it is natural for them to wonder whether they can feed peaches to their cats as well.
Can Cats Eat Peaches?
Like a lot of things, the answer is complicated. Generally speaking, cats can eat the flesh of peaches. They can’t eat too much though. Otherwise, there is a very good chance of cats experiencing issues in both the short run and the long run. Beyond that, cat owners should keep their cats away from peaches. This is because every other part of the fruit contains cyanide. Suffice to say that cats don’t react any better to cyanide than humans do.
Consult a Veterinarian
Cats should be able to eat peaches just as how humans should be able to eat peaches. Unfortunately, that is no guarantee that a particular cat will be able to eat peaches just as how that is no guarantee that a particular human will be able to eat peaches. Feeding a cat peaches is the simplest way to figure out whether they can eat the fruit or not. However, it isn’t the most sensible. Instead, the cat owner should contact their veterinarian to ask if there are any issues or potential issues to keep in mind. Said professional isn’t guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate. Even so, they should be a very useful source of information for making sure that a cat is eating well.
Watch Out For Allergies
We aren’t necessarily born with all of our allergies. Instead, it is very much possible for us to develop them out of seemingly nowhere. This is as true for cats as this is for humans. As such, it is a good idea for interested individuals to keep a watchful eye out for allergic reactions whenever they feed their cats something new. Common symptoms include but are not limited to coughing, sneezing, wheezing, itchiness, inflammation, and gastrointestinal distress.
Feed the Cat in Moderation
Speaking of which, a peach allergy isn’t the only thing that can cause a cat to have issues when eating peaches. Due to this, a cat owner should start out by feeding their cat a very small amount of peaches. If there is an issue, that should reduce the severity of the reaction, thus reducing the chances of serious complications.
Cats Aren’t Well-Suited For Eating Peaches
Having said that, interested individuals should never feed cats a lot of peaches. Simply put, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they aren’t very good at digesting plant matter. As a result, while they won’t be poisoned by eating certain fruits and vegetables, they can still experience gastrointestinal distress when they eat too much. Peaches are no exception to this rule. Thanks to that, eating too much of the fruit can cause cats to suffer an upset stomach as well as similar symptoms.
Remove the Skin of Peaches
The skin of peaches contains a lot of nutrients. As a result, cat owners might be tempted to feed it to their cats. However, it might be a better idea for them to remove the skin instead. This is because the skin can sometimes have pesticides on it. Interested individuals should be able to remove any problematic substances with some thorough washing. Still, just removing the skin makes for the surest option. Other than that, the skin of peaches is harder to digest than the flesh of peaches, so this is a good way to reduce the risk of digestive problems.
Non-Flesh Parts of Peaches Should Be Avoided
Every non-flesh part of peaches should be avoided. The pits would be the worst for a number of reasons. For example, they are a choking hazard when they are whole. Similarly, they can cause irritation, obstructions, and other problems when they have been broken up into pieces. The worst part is that the pits contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when it is digested. This is the reason that cat owners are sometimes recommended to just avoid feeding their cats peaches altogether because it might not be the best idea to get their cats to associate peaches with food. After all, both the stems and the leaves of peaches contain amygdalin as well. If cat owners live somewhere with a peach tree, they will need to do their best to prevent their cats from coming into contact with these parts of peaches because even a small amount of amgydalin can have very dangerous consequences.
Avoid Canned Peaches
Canned peaches can be surprisingly tasty. Unfortunately, they are terrible for cats. Canned peaches tend to have a lot of sugar. Eating too much sugar can cause various problems for cats. For example, it can cause tooth decay. Similarly, it can cause weight gain. Other kinds of preserved peaches should be avoided by cats as well. They may or may not have a lot of sugar in them but it is very common for them to contain preservatives.
Avoid Anything Made Using Peaches
On a final note, just because cats can eat peaches, that doesn’t mean that cats can eat foods made using peaches. Those foods can contain other ingredients that are either toxic or otherwise problematic, so it is much simpler to feed cats normal peaches if cat owners insist on doing so.
