Carrots are one of the vegetables that cats can eat without any problem, what's more, many diets for cats include them in their formulation. Carrots are a very nutritious food and provide many he alth benefits thanks to their vitamin content. Cats that consume carrots from time to time can have an extra supply of these nutrients such as vitamin A, important for their correct vision. Of course, a raw carrot for cats is never a good idea since these must be cooked when testing whether your little feline likes them or not because they present a lower risk of choking and greater palatability.
Continue reading this article on our site to find out if cats can eat carrots, the benefits they can have, how to give them and the possible contraindications.
Is carrot good for cats?
The carrot is a plant that can be found in the markets all year round, the root of the plant is consumed very rich in nutrientsand their precursors, always orange in color but with different shapes and flavors depending on the variety. Asia is the largest producer of carrots, followed by Europe and the United States. It is used both for fresh consumption and for industry, where it is an ingredient for purees, preparations, creams and even cat food
Now, while some feline diets, especially some soft food packets, may contain some carrots, cats are strict carnivores, basing their diet on the consumption of animal meat protein, not being able to subsist on a vegetarian or vegan diet based on carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins from fruits and vegetables.
This does not mean that carrots are bad for cats but that their consumption should not be daily, but sporadic in the case that they like it, as an extra vitamin supplement but never as a necessity.
Now that you know if carrots are good for cats, let's see what benefits they offer.
Benefits of carrots for cats
Carrots are vegetables rich in important nutrients such as the vitamins of group B, specifically vitamin B6, which is important for reducing inflammation and promote the production of plasma, vitamin C and its contribution of beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, so important for:
- The development and growth of bones.
- The development of tissues.
- Sight maintenance.
- The endocrine and reproductive system.
It is also a food rich in fiber that prevents constipation and protects against cancer and contains vitamin K, which is involved in the process of blood coagulation. Another beneficial nutrient for cats that carrots contain is potassium important to prevent muscle weakness resulting from hypophosphatemia in cats.
Therefore, the main benefits that carrots provide to cats are the prevention of constipation or constipation, the good function prevention of vision problems, good hormonal and reproductive system, tumor prevention, good blood coagulative function and prevention of muscle weakness derived from low potassium concentration in the blood.
How to give carrot to my cat?
Our cats are not very likely to try new things, much less those that don't taste like meat or have enough fat. However, some cats may show interest in consuming other types of food. If you want to try giving carrots to your cat, you should know that you should cook them first using a cooking and they should not have any type of seasoningsuch as spices or added s alt.
raw carrots are not toxic to cats but are more dangerous as they increase the risk of choking and be more difficult to chew due to their hardness.
So, the way to give carrots to a cat will be previously peeled, cooked and cut into small pieces so that they are more palatable and easier for your digestive system to chew and digest. Do not leave your cat after the offer because you must be alert to any possible allergic reaction that may occur.
Carrot contraindications for cats
We have already stated that cats can eat carrots, but due to their amount of carbohydrates and sugar they will not be a suitable food for all our cats. For example, carrots should not be given:
- To cats Overweight, Obesity or diabetics: for promoting weight gain and increasing blood glucose in our little felines.
- To cats that are suffering from any episode of diarrhea or loose stools: due to the considerable amount of fiber they contain, since which could worsen your cat's digestive condition and slow healing.
Finally, although it is not common, some cats may suffer an allergic reaction to carrot ingestion with respiratory and/or skin symptoms, while other cats, especially if we offer them raw, can be frightened by ingesting them and some piece passes into the respiratory system, causing suffocation. For this reason, if your cat is prone to allergies, is very energetic or skittish, or does not tolerate very hard foods, you should not offer carrots either.
