Updated: August 9, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
Celery is becoming very popular these days. A new trend of including celery or celery juice in all kinds of weight-loss diets is spreading through social media and it’s all over the internet. Celery juice is a new superfood that possibly reduces inflammation, reduces blood pressure, reduces the risk of cancer, and makes you slender and fit. So, is this ‘superfood’ super for our cats or not? Can cats eat celery and is it good for them?
It is only natural to wish the best for our furry companions. So, including new superfoods into your cat’s diet is natural as well. Before I get to the point I have a question for you. If you have a cat or cats, you most certainly love them. But, how much do you know about their nutritional needs? Knowledge is the greatest wealth and only if you know what cats need, you’ll be able to provide the best for your Fluffy. So, let’s see how it goes with cats, celery, superfoods, and cats food in general.
Celery Basic Facts
I am sorry to disappoint you but celery is not ‘superfood’. Yes, it is low in calories and high in fiber, which makes it a great addition to your low-calorie diet. But, that’s about it. Celery is not superior to other vegetables in any other way. Don’t get me wrong here, celery is a healthy food with moderate amounts of several vitamins and it is rich in vitamin K. I am just saying that it is not a magical herb. It is, like most healthy foods, just – healthy. All other alleged properties aren’t proven.
Beside low-calorie benefits all the fuss originated from a study that has shown that apigenin, a compound found in celery and parsley, has slowed down breast cancer development. In mice. While this celery study may be promising, there is a long way before we can be sure about its effects. And we are talking about high doses of extracted apigenin.
So, celery is decent and healthy food, good to eat, just as many other veggies. And veggies are good for us, humans. But, not so good for our cats.
Cats and Celery
Cats can eat some veggies in moderate, well, actually, small amounts. But some veggies like onions and garlic are toxic to our feline companions. Fortunately, celery is on the safe side. Nibbling celery is safe for our cats. So, the short answer to our question of the day is that cats can eat celery. Don’t panic if your cat gets into the crudite platter (yes, bell peppers are safe too).
But, that’s not the whole story and please keep reading.
The truth is that your cat can eat celery, but it is in no way beneficial to your cat’s health. Well, a little bit of fiber can help digestion a little bit. But, mostly, celery is empty calories for cats. It is low in calories, so there’s no harm in eating some celery at least when it comes to calories.
Cats are true obligate carnivores. These fancy words mean that cats need meat to thrive. Their stomachs are designed to process the meat and extract almost all they need from it.
Energy, vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, fatty acids – cats needs all of them to be healthy. And they are very efficient in obtaining all of it from animal food sources or in other words, from meat. They are very inefficient to get it from plant sources or in other words, from veggies, grains, and fruits. Last time I checked, celery was classified as a veggie.
So, we can conclude that your cat can’t thrive on veggies, celery included. If your cat happens to like celery, it is safe to indulge her. But, remember that it’s just a treat without any benefits. Also, make sure that your Fluffy doesn’t eat a lot of celery. It can cause some light stomach problems.
Proper Diet for Cats
It doesn’t matter how much you like veggies, cats are not meant to go vegan. Generally, it is important to keep in your mind that your nutritional needs have almost nothing in common with cat’s nutritional needs. Cats can’t use plant-based nutrients efficiently. There are several vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids that cats can’t use at all unless they come from an animal source.
So, cats need a lot of meat and a tiny little bit of everything else. Any complete formula cat food will provide all that your cat needs. Complete formula means high protein, moderate fat and low, if any, carb content. It also must contain essential amino acids and fatty acids coming from animal sources.
As for celery, it is the same as with other safe veggies. Vegetables are mostly high carb and high fiber food. Cats don’t need carbs to thrive at all. Some fiber every once in a while is okay, maybe even helpful. But only small quantities and only occasionally. So, celery should not be a regular part of your cat’s diet. As I have already said, you can feed your cat celery only occasionally and as a treat.
Conclusion – Can Cats Eat Celery?
It is hard not to obey our cat masters when they ask for human food. However, you should know better than that. After all, masters never eat the same food as their faithful servants. So, don’t think too much when it comes to cat food. There are experts to do that for you.
There are many cat foods on the market that provide the perfect nutrition for your Fluffy. And if you do share an occasional treat with your cat, make sure that it is safe for your cat. The golden rule is to be moderate. If you really want to indulge your cat, love her and play with her. It is more important and more beneficial than sharing any of your food with your cat.
