- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Whether you’re grabbing a snack or a lunchtime treat, grapes are hailed as an easy-breezy way to get our daily fruit serving without needing to peel or chop. Sweet and juicy, grapes provide sustenance for humans. Oh, and they’re often a beautiful centerpiece to many still-life paintings as well.
This bite-sized fruit is a popular snack among humans, but what about for our feline friends? Some human foods can be beneficial to a cat’s diet while others can cause immediate problems that may have long term effects. In general, fruits are digested completely differently in a cat’s stomach, but grapes particularly have other, more serious issues.
Here’s what you need to know about whether cats can eat grapes.
Health Benefits of Grapes
Aside from being convenient and delicious, grapes are rich with vitamins and minerals for humans. Most notably, they have vitamin C and K, but grapes also have quite a bit of fiber and potassium in their tiny frame.
More importantly, grapes are found to be high in a plant compound called Resveratrol. This compound has been linked to inflammation reduction and studies suggest it helps block cancer cells from spreading throughout the body.
Lastly, grape juice extracts have been directly linked to breaking down the toxins that create colon cancer cells. This convenient fruit is an excellent source of all things good.
Can Cats Eat Grapes?
As good as grapes are for humans, we’re sad to say—you absolutely should not feed your cat grapes. The health benefits that we get from grapes do not transfer to a cat, and grapes are actually quite toxic for them.
According to ASPCA, scientists haven’t figured out the specifics, but grapes can cause immediate acute kidney failure in dogs. Veterinarians recommend not feeding grapes to cats, as there are signs it can affect cats and ferrets similarly.
Pet Poison Helpline states that grapes, raisins, and currants all have similar compounds and are classified as “moderate to severe” in toxicity levels. If you do see your pet ingesting grapes by accident, here are signs to watch out for:
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- Pain in abdominal area
- Over drinking water
- Urinating frequently
Even if your cat does not experience the symptoms of toxicity, grapes and grape seeds pose a choking hazard. To keep grapes out of reach of your cat, place them in places like the refrigerator so they are not accessible. Even high shelves and cupboards can sometimes be reached by a cat that likes high places.
Can Cats Eat Raisins?
Similar to grapes, raisins have similar levels of toxicity, even when dried. Often added to other foods like granola bars and cookies, raisins can sometimes go unnoticed. While eating your treat, be aware of the ingredients just in case your cat takes a curious nibble.
Can Cats Eat Fruit?
There is a silver lining though. In general, cats are not particularly interested in fruit due to being obligate carnivores. “Fruits are not problematic for cats although most won’t really eat fruit in any quantity,” Gary Richter, DVM, owner and medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, California and Holistic Veterinary Care, tells Rover.
There are some fruits that are not toxic to cats. Strawberries or bananas are okay in small doses if your cat is watching you with interest, while others are not okay for a variety of reasons.
Besides grapes, here is a list of fruits that cats should stay away from:
- Citrus (all citrus contains some level of citric acid, which can cause central nervous system issues in large enough doses; it causes stomach upset in smaller amounts, according to the ASPCA)
- Raisins and currants (toxic to cats, according to the ASPCA)
- Coconut or coconut oil (technically a seed, but we’ll include it here — coconut can cause an upset stomach in cats, per the ASPCA)
The general issue of feeding fruit to a cat is the sugar and carbohydrate content. Experts suggest that cats should only eat 10% carbohydrates per day. “Since they are not going to eat large amounts of fruit anyway, the sugar content is not a major concern,” Dr. Richter says.
If you’re worried that your cat may be eating too many carbohydrates, check your food packaging. Some companies may use grains when cat food should mostly be protein-based.
Alternative Healthy Snacks
If you’d like to avoid fruit altogether, try vegetables instead. “Pet owners can always try to give vegetables to cats in food or treats. Not all will eat them,” Dr. Richter says. “There certainly are good nutrients in vegetables when part of a balanced meal.”
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
Notoriously, most cats aren’t exactly keen on new foods. If you want them to try something new for a little variety in their diet, introduce them to it sparingly.
More importantly, having full meals replaced from their regular diet will cause them to miss out on vital nutrients of properly formulated cat food. “The large majority of what cats eat should be a balanced diet,” Dr. Richter says. “In general, treats are not balanced and should not make up a significant portion of their daily intake.”