In recent years, cats have become increasingly popular, and it’s not unusual for them to be in memes and everywhere on social media. Their rise in popularity caused many pet lovers to consider getting one as their furry companions, and it’s a life-changing decision for many. Some cat lovers even take the experience to the next level by treating their cats as their kids by buying them clothes, building them cat towers, grooming them, and feeding them the best possible food to ensure they’re healthy. These reasons are why there is one common question that many cat owners have asked: “Can cats eat cucumbers?”
Of course, many cat owners assume that if cucumbers are good for humans for their antioxidant, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, which promote hydration, weight loss, and lower blood sugar, they must be suitable for their pets. Well, that logic isn’t necessarily correct, as many healthy foods aren’t safe for your pets to eat.
So, let’s explore the answer to the question, “Can cats eat cucumbers?” and find out more about the benefits – if there are any – of feeding cucumbers to your cats. Will they like it? Will it be healthy for them? Keep scrolling to know the answers.
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Table of Contents
Cats And Cucumbers
If you’re wondering why we are exploring the answer to the question, “Can cats eat cucumbers?” and why it’s not “Can chickens eat cucumbers?” instead, there is a simple explanation for the popularity of this strange question. Since cats are everywhere on the internet these days, there seems to be a trend of cat owners uploading videos of their cats getting surprised by random objects, and some of them are cucumbers and bananas.
But why are cats scared of cucumbers and bananas? Well, there really isn’t a simple explanation for this one, as no one knows what goes on in the minds of one of the weirdest pets in the world. Some speculate that cats just get scared of anything they’re not used to, hence the term “scaredy-cat”. Some also think that it’s the smell and the shape of cucumbers and bananas that cats find repugnant.
Whatever the reason cats are scared of these random things, it’s worth exploring if they can eat them. Of course, watching their reactions when they get surprised by cucumbers and bananas is funny, but we also need to know if they’re safe.
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TOP 100 CATS vs. CUCUMBERS
Yes, Cats Can Eat Cucumbers!
Simply put: yes, cucumbers are safe to be part of your cat’s diet. The vegetable has many notable health benefits, although it might be tricky to get your cat to eat them as they are not as inviting as your cat’s usual canned food. So, if you really want your furry friend to eat some cucumbers, you can slice and dice them into smaller pieces and mix them with their usual canned food. Doing this would trick your cats into thinking that it’s not cucumber in their food but just another processed meat.
The natural skin of cucumbers should not be toxic to cats, but to be safe, you should peel them off, as they may have remnants of pesticides. Cucumbers usually have a natural wax layer that protects them from pesticides, but these chemicals can sometimes penetrate this layer and make it difficult to rinse off. So, it will be safer to peel the cucumber before serving them to your cats.
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Cucumbers are healthy and easy to prepare snacks for your cat because of their moderate flavor and high water content. So, yes, it would mean that the vegetable can help in hydration, which is similar to the benefits it can give humans. But what are the other benefits of letting your cat eat cucumbers?
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Cucumbers And Their Benefits To Your Feline Friends
While cucumbers are 95% water, too much might cause your cat to have diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems, so you should only add them in moderate amounts. Beta Carotene, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Potassium are abundant in cucumbers, though, so it would make your cats look and feel healthier. Unfortunately, the cucumber’s peel and seeds contain most of these nutrients, so if you feed peeled cucumber slices to your cat, the nutrition will be lower. Still, it’s better than them ingesting pesticides.
Of course, all the nutrients your cat needs are in their regular diet of wet and dry cat food, which means that cucumbers are not something they need in their diets. But if you want them to have a variation in their food, they could be a perfect addition to their usual snacks.
It would help if you also remembered that no matter how cute your cats are, they are carnivores, and they need a protein-rich diet to stay healthy. Despite some cats enjoying fruits and vegetables, they do not require them to have a proper diet.
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Serve And Observe
Now that you know the answer to the question, “Can cats eat cucumbers?” then you should think if you want to feed them the vegetable regularly or only as their treats. Again, you should also find ways to put them in their food discreetly – they’re not like dogs that would eat anything from broccoli and lettuce to shoes and books.
Cats tend to be picky with what you put in their food bowls, and any noticeable changes in their diet would cause them to have some tantrums and not eat their food. But you would be lucky if they don’t mind you mixing the food in their food or if they eat them without any cat food. It could be just another one of the many mysteries that would make more humans obsessed with cats. So, don’t forget to take a video of your cat’s reactions when you serve them cucumbers; maybe your cat will be the next viral cat meme out there.
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