Updated: August 11, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
Berries — blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries — are among the healthiest fruits in the world and they are thus considered a super food. But if your cat were in the wild they probably wouldn’t touch these small round things. Does this mean that they shouldn’t eat them? Can cats eat blueberries and if so do they gain any benefits from them? Let us find out together!
Nutritional Value
They are extremely beneficial for us but cats don’t actually need them. They might contain iron and plenty of vitamin C but most of the cats who lived up to now didn’t eat one single blueberry and had a healthy and satisfying life nonetheless.
Antioxidants are taken by us prevent aging and diseases such as cancer but we need them mostly due to the stress we have in our lives, the processed foods we eat and bad habits such as smoking. Cats don’t do these things so it doesn’t make too much sense to add these fruits to their diet.
That being said, blueberries don’t contain anything that is toxic or poisonous for cats, so if you really want to then you can use these as occasional treats. They have a lot of vitamin C but cats can create their own supply unlike us.
Possible Benefits
If the immune system of your cat is compromised by cancer, asthma or heart disease then these can provide some of the needed amount but it is always recommended to check with you veterinarian before modifying a pet’s diet, especially when they are sick.
As they don’t have too many calories and almost no fat at all, this helps with a cat’s weight control and the fiber contained in blueberries can reduce the risk of heart disease or diabetes.
Serving and Side-Effects
Make sure you wash the fruits before feeding them, just as if you were to eat them. These should only be given as occasional treats and a couple of them each day should be sufficient. Remember that the cat’s digestive system isn’t used to process fruits and thus they can lead to an upset stomach.
Other problems that can arise are allergies, as some of us have to blueberries, and if they show symptoms of sneezing, skin rashes or other typical signs of allergy then you should definitely stop feeding them to your cat.
Commercial Cat Food
Many commercial foods use these fruits but the reason might surprise you. Most products won’t contain just meat, but they require some filler as well and this is exactly what blueberries are. Since they contain so many antioxidants this means that they help the canned food be preserved for a longer time so this is the actual reason instead of the fact that they are good for the pet.
Short Answer:
They are safe in small quantities but they don’t provide a healthy cat with too many benefits so it’s better not to offer them even as treats.
