{"id":32065,"date":"2018-10-08T20:06:30","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T20:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/?p=32065"},"modified":"2020-04-13T05:50:56","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T05:50:56","slug":"can-cats-eat-raspberries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/can-cats-eat-raspberries\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Cats Eat Raspberries?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Raspberries are one of the top ten most popular fruits consumed in the United States. Eaten fresh, frozen, or in jams and preserves, raspberries are a tasty and versatile fruit that are even used in popular liqueurs.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, raspberries are great for you since they&#8217;re full of essential vitamins and minerals. Since raspberries are so healthy for people, you may be wondering: can cats eat raspberries?<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, cats can have small amounts of raspberries from time to time. However, as we&#8217;ll see, they aren\u2019t really a health food for cats like they are for people.<\/p>\n<p>In this article we\u2019ll cover the following;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cats and Raspberries, What You Need to Know<\/li>\n<li>Can Cats Eat Raspberries?<\/li>\n<li>Can Kittens Eat Raspberries?<\/li>\n<li>Benefits\/Drawbacks to Cats Eating Raspberries<\/li>\n<li>Healthy Alternatives to Raspberries for Cats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Cats and Raspberries, What You Need to Know<\/h2>\n<p>Raspberries are the cultivated fruit of a domesticated flowering plant that&#8217;s part of the rose family. Archeological evidence shows raspberries were eaten by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.indepthinfo.com\/raspberries\/history.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prehistoric humans<\/a>\u00a0and have been cultivated since at least the 4th\u00a0century.<\/p>\n<p>Raspberries, like strawberries and blackberries, are not actually berries, but are aggregate fruits. Unlike <a href=\"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/can-cats-eat-berries\/\">true berries<\/a>, raspberries actually contain many seeds in one fruit.<\/p>\n<p>Raspberries are considered to be a healthy food for people. They contain high levels of vitamin C and manganese, along with lesser amounts of many other nutrients.<\/p>\n<p>As far as cats go, many do enjoy the taste of raspberries, as we can see in this video:<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content-asset videofit\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"cat eating raspberries\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EUNB2HTeEIE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>Can Cats Eat Raspberries?<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s safe for your cat to eat raspberries in moderation.<\/p>\n<p>The more important question is whether or not raspberries are healthy for them. The truth is that while they&#8217;re almost never harmful, cats don\u2019t really get many health benefits from eating raspberries.<\/p>\n<p>This is because cats are obligate carnivores. All they really need is meat. While raspberries do contain vitamins and antioxidants, cats actually aren&#8217;t good at deriving nutrition from plant-based foods.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ve much better off feeding your cat meat-based treats that contain bits of fruit, like <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2yBQ0Di\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wellness Kittles Salmon and Cranberry Cat Treats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While a lot of cats do enjoy the smell and occasional taste of raspberries, some cats seem to get pretty offended when you try to give them one:<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content-asset videofit\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Fluffy hates raspberries\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZDpw3rH-FPQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Okay, different type of raspberry. The point is that there are certain <a href=\"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/what-do-cats-hate\/\">things cats hate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Can Kittens Eat Raspberries?<\/h2>\n<p>Kittens tend to be even more susceptible than adult cats. They&#8217;re more prone to indigestion and diarrhea if they eat too much of something. Besides that, any pathogens contaminating raspberries are more likely to affect a kitten than an adult cat.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, since kittens don&#8217;t have as much experience with different food items, they should be monitored when eating raspberries to make sure they don\u2019t choke on them.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to kittens, it&#8217;s always best to stick to a high-quality kitten food which they can derive all of their nutrients from, like <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2ihpPMb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blue Wilderness Kitten Food<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Benefits\/Drawbacks to Cats Eating Raspberries<\/h2>\n<p>Even though cats can eat raspberries, are they good for cats?<\/p>\n<p>For people, \u2018health foods\u2019 supply nutrients that are essential for our well-being. Many times, cats don\u2019t require the same dietary sources of specific nutrients that people rely on.<\/p>\n<p>For example, all mammals need sufficient vitamin C to survive, and most manufacture it in their livers. Because humans don\u2019t produce enough vitamin C in their livers, they must eat vitamin C-rich foods or they&#8217;ll get scurvy.<\/p>\n<p>Cats, on the other hand, make plenty of vitamin C in their own <a href=\"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/best-cat-food-for-cats-with-liver-problems\/\">livers<\/a>, so they don\u2019t need to eat raspberries to get enough vitamin C. It won\u2019t hurt a cat to get a little extra of these water soluble vitamins; they just don\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, raspberries contain fiber, and cats <a href=\"http:\/\/feline-nutrition.org\/answers\/answers-do-cats-need-dietary-fiber\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">don\u2019t need fiber<\/a> in their diet. In fact, food containing fiber can have a laxative effect on cats.<\/p>\n<p>Another potential drawback to feeding your cat raspberries is that it is that there have been rare cases of allergic reactions in humans after they ate raspberries. This includes anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that can result in loss of blood pressure and breathing difficulties.<\/p>\n<p>Although similar anaphylactic reactions to raspberries in cats are not well-documented, food allergies are not uncommon for our feline friends. In fact, food allergens are the third most common cause of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vet.cornell.edu\/fhc\/Health_Information\/foodallergies.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">allergies in cats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms of food allergies in cats include itchy and irritated skin, vomiting, and diarrhea in 10 to 15 percent of affected cats. If you think your cat is having an allergic reaction from eating raspberries, take them to your veterinarian immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, while raspberries are not toxic to cats, foodborne pathogens such as\u00a0<em>E. Coli, Norovirus,<\/em> and <em>Salmonella<\/em>\u00a0have been found as contaminates on raspberries.<\/p>\n<p>While <em>Salmonella <\/em>doesn&#8217;t seem to affect cats as severely as humans, they can still suffer from a variety of symptoms when sickened by the bacteria, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High fever<\/li>\n<li>Lack of appetite<\/li>\n<li>Vomiting<\/li>\n<li>Diarrhea<\/li>\n<li>Abdominal pain<\/li>\n<li>Dehydration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In severe cases, life-threatening septicaemia and endotoxemia may develop.\u00a0Infection with <em>E. coli<\/em>, known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petmd.com\/cat\/conditions\/digestive\/c_ct_e_coli_infection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Colibacillosis<\/a>, produces similar symptoms to <em>Salmonella<\/em> poisoning and is primarily seen in young cats, but can also affect older cats, though usually not as severely.<\/p>\n<p>To be safe, make sure you thoroughly wash raspberries before giving it them to your cat.<\/p>\n<h2>Healthy Alternatives to Raspberries for Cats<\/h2>\n<p>Although you can certainly give your cat a taste of your raspberries every once and a while, there&#8217;s really no need to. There are plenty of healthy alternatives for your cat to enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>As an alternative to fresh raspberries, you can try cat foods such as <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2z1knXO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Farmina Natural<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2yBM5q0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FirstMate Pet Foods Renaissance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Berries are also used in <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2hzIzsR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Solid Gold Strawberry Balance Supplements<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2AKlJUo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Uri Natural Care For Cats<\/a> made just for your cat.<\/p>\n<h4>So, Can Cats Eat Raspberries?<\/h4>\n<p>Cats are fine to have a small amount of raspberries from time to time. Just make sure you thoroughly wash them before giving them to your cat.<\/p>\n<p>As long as your cat&#8217;s diet is primarily well-balanced <a href=\"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/best-cat-food-for-older-cats-that-vomit\/\">cat foods<\/a> like those listed above, a little variety can be a fun way to spice up your cat&#8217;s life!<\/p>\n<p><em>If you have any questions or would like to share a story about your cat eating, or just playing with raspberries, please tell us in the comments below. We\u2019d love to hear from you!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Raspberries are one of the top ten most popular fruits consumed in the United States. Eaten fresh, frozen, or in jams and preserves, raspberries are a tasty and versatile fruit&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":32146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":5,"label":"Nutrition"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Can-Cats-Eat-Raspberries.png",800,578,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Phil Ruth","author_link":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/author\/ruth_phil\/"},"comment_info":5,"category_info":[{"term_id":5,"name":"Nutrition","slug":"nutrition","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":108,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5,"category_count":108,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Nutrition","category_nicename":"nutrition","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32065"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catkingpin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}