Cats get curious about everything you are eating and celery is no exception. If you have ever had celery and your cat gets a bit curious about it you might ask yourself if it is even safe for them to eat and if you should give them some of it.
To answer this question, Though most cats won’t really want to eat it, yes, it’s perfectly safe for your cat to consume celery. In fact it may even be beneficial to their health if they happen to enjoy the long green vegetable. However, it can cause some problems if eaten in excess.
Can Kittens Eat Celery?
This is something you probably don’t want to do as they are more susceptible to the laxative effects that celery can potentially have. If they have a lot of diarrhea them they are more likely to be more dehydrated.
Benefits Of Your Cat Eating Celery
Nutritional Value: Raw celery has a slew of nutritional value if your cat eats this vegetable. Its mainly really high in vitamin k but it has small amounts of other nutrients as well. This vegetable also is low in fat and calories. So as you can see, it has many vitamins and minerals and other benefits that can be good for them. Some of them which include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol)
- Vitamin K
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Vitamin B12
- Pantothenic Acid
- Choline
- Betaine
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Fluoride
For more information you can go to this link here https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2396/2
Diuretic: Celery is also a great diuretic. It can be useful if you want to flush out your cats system.
Appetite Stimulant: If your cat has a problem eating less than what they should this can potentially help them eat more.
Can Cats Drink Celery Juice?
Cats can drink celery juice but you should only give them a small amount of this in moderation as it is very concentrated. A small amount can equal to a whole stick to them so its best to figure out how much they can handle and go from there.
Cons Of Your Cat Eating Celery
Though this tasty vegetable has its health benefits it can also cause some problems to your cats digestive system, skin and eyes which is why you should only give them celery in moderation. To avoid problems your cats diet should only have about 5% of celery.
Diarrhea: Celery has a lot of fiber in it. Cats don’t really need fiber in their diet so if they ingest celery it can cause a laxative effect. Most greens do not agree with cats stomachs very well and as a result they can get diarrhea if they consume too much of it. Its a good idea to have a probiotic if this happens to your cat which can get rid of this problem.
Contamination: Though a rare occurrence, this is not only a drawback for humans but cats as well. Listeria monocytogenes, E. Coli, and Norovirus can all be potentially found on celery if it happens to be contaminated with it. these can cause
- High fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Dehydration
Are Celery Leaves Poisonous To Cats?
Though they react in the same way as catnip to the leaves (which lasts roughly about 10 minutes) it can cause some problems that you should really avoid.
Skin Irritant: The leaves of celery can potentially cause skin irritation to your cat if they come into contact with them.
Sneezing: The leaves on the celery can potentially make your cat sneeze. If your cat starts sneezing out of nowhere this can potentially be the culprit.
Eye Problems: If they come into contact with the leaves it can also cause problems with their eyes as well.
though these aren’t severe problems its best to avoid them all together as your cat obviously won’t like it.
What Other Vegetables Can Cats Eat?
Cats can chow down on celery but they can also eat other types of vegetables as well. These include:
- Pumpkin
- Squash
- Cucumber
- Peas
- Carrots
- Green Beans
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Spinach (unless they have urinary or kidney problems)
Cats Don’t Really Need Vegetables
Greens can be beneficial to your cats health but cats are carnivorous animals. They can survive without any form of vegetable and get all the nutrients they need just from they prey that they kill or whatever food you normally give them like dry or wet food.
Conclusion
You can feed your cat celery if your cat really wants to eat it and you will have little to no problems but remember to not give them too much or let them come into contact with the leaves as it can be potentially bad for them. It should be looked at as an occasional treat.
