Over the past few years, cats have become wildly popular on the internet. They’re cute and cuddly—and many don’t mind being dressed up for Instagram pics or having their butts posted as profile pictures on Twitter.

But even so, there are still plenty of questions about felines that many cat owners don’t know the answer to—like whether or not cats can eat avocados.

You may have heard a few different stories about whether your cat eating avocado will kill them or make them sick (or even give them diarrhea), so we decided to get the scoop from some veterinarians who would know best.

The avocado is a delicious fruit that offers many health benefits. It’s also very high in calories due to its high-fat content, so here we’ll find out if cats can eat avocados or not.

What are avocados?

What is an avocado, exactly?

Avocados are a fruit. Like all fruits, they’re part of a flowering plant that contains seeds. But the avocado is unique because it has its own special place in nature: it’s part of the flowering plant family, yet also belongs to the tree family—which means that it grows on trees!

The avocado has been around for centuries and is one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium, as well as dietary fiber that helps, keeps the digestive system healthy. 

It also provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (the same ones found in olive oil), so eating avocados regularly may help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease or stroke.

Can cats eat avocados?

Cats should not eat avocados. You may have heard that avocado is bad for cats. While this may be true, it’s not as simple as saying that avocados are toxic to cats. Instead, we’re going to take a look at the pros and cons of whether or not your cat should eat avocado.

Before we dive into the science of how avocado affects cats, let’s talk about your furry friend’s nutritional needs. Cats are carnivores who need meat in their diet; they can’t get all the nutrients they need from plants (or at least not efficiently). 

A cat’s body is designed to digest animal protein and fat; if you feed them a vegetarian diet, they’ll just end up putting on extra weight because their bodies aren’t getting enough nutrients from plants!

Why can’t cats eat avocados?

Now that you understand why feeding your kitty an all-plant diet isn’t great for them healthwise… let’s talk about avocados specifically!

If you’ve been thinking about feeding your cat avocado, you might want to think again. Avocados are actually harmful to cats, and the reason has to do with their persin content.

What is persin? Well, it’s an organic compound that’s found in a lot of plants—including avocados—and it can be toxic to animals when consumed in large quantities. It’s not technically classified as a poison or toxin, but it can cause gastrointestinal upset and other issues of varying severity if too much is ingested by your pet.

The problem is that there isn’t really a safe amount for cats to eat of this fruit, so we recommend against letting them have any at all. If you do happen to notice your cat eating an avocado, don’t panic! It may not be enough to cause any lasting damage unless it was eaten in large amounts over a short period of time. But still… why risk it?

Cats can actually eat avocado in very small quantities, but it is not recommended for them. Avocados are very high in fat and can cause gastrointestinal upset in cats. 

According to a study conducted by the ASPCA, the substance persin in avocados can cause “toxicity and even death in some animals.” The study goes on to say that “persin is toxic to most species of birds, causes abortions in horses, and can be fatal to dogs.”

In short: don’t let your cat eat avocado.

Why are avocados bad for cats?

The main reason why you shouldn’t feed your cat avocado is because of persin. Persin is a toxic compound found in avocados and can make both cats and dogs very ill, or even fatal. If you’re wondering whether it’s safe to give your cat avocado, the answer is no—avocado contains persin and can be harmful to cats.

If you’re worried about your pet being exposed to persin but still want to give them some healthy fats and vitamins, consider substituting another fruit or vegetable with similar benefits—such as replacing avocado with pumpkin.

List of side-effects of avocados on cats

  • Anemia
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Jaundice 
  • liver damage
  • Kidney failure
  • Seizures 

Will eating avocado kill a cat?

A lot of people have been asking whether avocado is poisonous to cats, and the answer is generally no. However, it can be toxic in high quantities—and even then, it’s usually not life-threatening.

What happens if your cat eats too much avocado?

The most common symptom of avocado toxicity is vomiting. It can also cause diarrhea, increased thirst, increased urination, and lethargy. If you see any of these symptoms in your cat after eating avocado, take them to the vet immediately!

In rare cases, a cat might eat enough avocado to cause severe health effects like kidney failure or even death. In these extreme cases, it’s important that you take your kitty to a vet right away so she can get treatment before things get worse.

What to do if your cat has consumed avocados?

If your cat has eaten avocado, call the vet. Avocado is toxic to cats and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration if consumed in large amounts. Feeding your cat a small amount of avocado once won’t harm him or her, but it may not be good for them either.

If you happen to find out that your cat has eaten avocado and begins showing signs of illness—such as lethargy or bleeding from the rectum—take her to the vet immediately; she could have eaten larger portions than you thought!

What are the alternatives to avocados for cats?

Most cats are carnivores, meaning that their natural diet consists of meat. Because of this, it’s important to feed cats the right kinds of foods.

Cats are carnivores, which means their diet should be primarily meat-based. Cats need a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. They also need a balanced amount of vitamins and minerals to support their metabolism and keep them healthy.

Cats can eat a variety of foods, including:

  • -Meat: Chicken, turkey, beef and fish are all good options for cats. 
  • -Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein for your cat to enjoy! Try scrambled eggs or hardboiled eggs as treats for your cat!
  • -Vegetables: Try feeding your cat some veggies like carrots or pumpkin! These veggies don’t contain much nutritional value so they shouldn’t make up the majority of your cat’s diet but they’re great as a treat!
  • -Commercial Cat Food: Cats should be fed high-quality cat food that contains animal protein as its first ingredient. Cat food should also contain at least 18% crude protein, with no more than 8% crude fat and no more than 4% crude fiber. Cats also need vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and taurine, as well as zinc and iron.

The best time to feed your cat is once a day in the evening before bedtime. If you have an indoor-only cat, they will need less food than an outdoor cat because they expend less energy hunting prey.

Avocados can cause big problems in both cats and dogs.

It’s important to note that avocado can cause big problems in both cats and dogs. While no one knows exactly how much is too much, you should definitely keep your cats away from avocados—and keep an eye on your pooch as well!

The main reason why avocados are dangerous for pets is due to persin. Persin is a toxin that’s found in the leaves of tropical plants like avocado trees. It has been known to cause anaphylactic shock in animals who eat it, as well as vomiting and diarrheal symptoms. In severe cases, persin may cause kidney and liver failure in animals that consume large amounts of this fruit or vegetable.

If you have an avocado tree outside, keep your pets away from it.

It is important to keep your cat away from your avocado tree if you have one. The fruit can be toxic to cats, but the leaves and bark are also dangerous.

An avocado tree should never be located within reach of a cat when the fruit is ripening on the branches. If possible, keep cats away from your tree when it’s in flower as well.

Final verdict: can cats eat avocados?

The final verdict: Cats cannot eat avocado. Your cat might get sick if he or she eats avocado. This is because avocados contain persin, which can affect a cat’s heart and nervous system. If your cat does eat avocado and gets sick, get her to the vet immediately.

It’s important that you keep your avocados away from your cat at all times! Avocado toxicity can occur when a kitty eats any part of this fruit—the skin, flesh, or pit. 

Persin is what causes most of the problems with cats eating avocados (and other foods), so be sure not to let any parts of the fruit come into contact with the kitty’s mouth or paws.

We hope this blog post has answered any nutrition-related questions you had about whether cats can eat avocados or not! If there is anything else we didn’t cover in detail or if you still have more specific questions on this topic, feel free to reach out with your concerns by clicking the contact button below.

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Meow For Now 😉

XoXo

Genie