We’re all aware that the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” holds some truth for us, and apple slices can be healthy for dogs to eat on occasion! But do you know if cats can eat apples, too? We always want to provide our feline friends with the healthiest and most nutritious foods, so do apples make the cut?

In this article, we are going to cover whether or not apples are safe to give your cat as a snack, and how to safely share apples with your cat as some parts can be dangerous.

Table of Contents:

• Can cats eat apples?
• Risks with feeding cats apples
• Can kittens eat apples?
• How to feed cats apples
• Key Takeaways

Pro Tip: More than seven million cats and dogs have become sick because they ate something toxic. REMEMBER, pet insurance is the best way to protect your pet against poison-related illness, without breaking the bank.

Can cats eat apples?

Yes, cats can eat apples for the most part.

Besides being high in minerals and nutrients like vitamin C, A and K, apples are also a good source of dietary fiber and antioxidants; these properties can reduce cholesterol levels and prevent growth of cancer cells in the human body. But cats aren’t humans, so their digestive system should not be alike to humans’, and their diet, if designed properly, should not be one humans eat.

Cats are something called obligate carnivores, which is to say they require the nutrients only found in animal products. The best way to provide for their nutritional needs is to feed them specialized cat food. As long as your pet is getting all of its nutritional needs met from its base diet, there is no need for vegetables (fruit is biologically very similar to sugar and doesn’t play a part in many beneficial recipes).

Also, there is little known about how well cats can metabolize and absorb the nutrients in this type of fruit or vegetable. As carnivores, their digestive system may prevent cats from processing the nutrition in apples as efficiently as we can.

The good news is, you don’t have to panic about your cat munching on apples. Because they are obligate carnivores, felines do not have taste receptors specifically for sweetness, so they won’t typically be too thrilled with sweet treats of any kind, apples included. That said, if your cat appears to like the flavor, and isn’t experiencing adverse effects, consuming apples in moderation is probably not going to hurt them.

Risks with feeding cats apples

While apples are generally safe for cats, there are some things that pet parents need to keep in mind:

Apple stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanide and are toxic for cats. Though the levels of cyanide are small, you still shouldn’t let your cat eat these parts of the fruit. Remember also that cats are tiny compared with humans, it takes hardly any of a particular poison to damage a cat compared with a person. If your kitty does ingest the seeds, leaves, or stems of your apples, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435), pronto.

Pro Tip: Nothing can be scarier for a pet parent than seeing your cat sick. To be on the safe side, it’s always a good idea to have pet insurance in case you wind up needing to pay unexpected vet bills.

Felines with obesity and diabetes shouldn’t be fed with Apples, due to its high content of sugar. In addition, cats suffering from gastroenteritis or IBD should be given apples carefully because cats suffering from gastroenteritis and IBD are more likely to experience the adverse effects of apple ingestion. The fruit is high in dietary fiber which can be tough for a cat to digest and lead to diarrhea, stomach upset or too much gas.

Some cats may have an allergic reaction to apples and may cause diarrhea, vomiting or some other negative side effect.

Although apples and dried apple are safe for cats to eat, too much apple can lead to an upset stomach in cats. 1 only occasional apples for them in small amounts. They are not nutritionally complete and balanced, and so should only be fed as a treat, i.e. they should not make up over 10% of your pet’s daily calorie intake.

Can kittens eat apples?

Kittens, like other adult cats, can eat apples, but with a few basic precautions! It’s also crucial to carefully monitor your kitten’s diet. Growing kittens have special nutritional needs, and a kitten-specific diet is important to make sure they’re getting everything they need.

So, kittens can eat small bits of apple, but you should be very certain they are eating a healthy diet.

Can cats eat green apples?

Green apples like Granny Smiths are really as much a type of apple as any other apple and only that they are firm and sourer than others. Yes, you can feed your cat bits of seedless green apple in moderation (a few small pieces once or twice a week).

Can cats eat cooked apples?

Yes. Cooked and uncooked apples are alike to cats, although cooked, they tend to make the apple denser and chewier for your cat to eat.

Cook the apples with nothing added. Us, humans, love to sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon over an apple to make it taste even better, but too much sugar or cinnamon can upset your cat’s stomach.

Can cats eat applesauce?

Commercial applesauce might include preservatives and chemicals that you wouldn’t find in a whole apple. It may also contain added sugars** and, as the apples themselves are already relatively high in sugar, adding more to your cat’s diet isn’t necessarily the best idea.

Conversely, if you are making homemade applesauce, a lick or two of applesauce will most likely not cause any damage, as the pureed food is more digestible for the cat.

Can cats eat apple pie?

You should probably avoid feeding your cat apple pie. Baked apples should be no issue for your kitty but other ingredients could be. In addition to sugar, it may contain cinnamon or apple pie spice, butter and lemon juice – all of which can upset your cat’s stomach.

Are cats allowed to eat dried or candied apples?

Dried apples are far worse for you than regular apples. Which is a problem because when the water gets wrung out, what you’re almost left with is sugar that your cat doesn’t need. Put another way, your pet would have to eat only a small quantity of dried apple to ingest large amounts of sugar into their system.

Candied apples are dangerous for cats as well. Candying is the process made about to make candied fruit, common in many cultures.

Can cats drink apple juice?

Yes, your cat can have a little bit of apple juice, but it has to be homemade and 100% natural. The apple juice you purchase from the store comes with added sugar, chemicals, and preservatives—all the kinds of things that are bad for your kitty’s stomach.

Can cats eat apple peel?

Cats can have difficulties in chewing apple peel, which is also hard and thick. If your cat has consumed small amount of peel, you probably have nothing to worry about, but too much peel can cause stomach upset. We would not advise that your pet eats apple peel, it’s best to safe rather than sorry and dispose of it safely away from your pet.

How to feed apples to cats

If you do choose to let your cat eat apples, the following tips and precautions can help ensure your pet stays safe:

Make sure to wash the apple really good. Some apples are either coated in pesticide or sprayed with a substance made from a raisin, called shellac, to achieve a shiny appearance. Even better, peel and skin it, for the fruit to be easier to chew on and digest for your cat.

Chop part of the apple into small bite-sized pieces that your cat can handle (about the size of it’s kibble) and make sure to remove the seeds, stem, and leaves.

An ounce of chopped pieces should be enough to feed the cat for one meal As with all new foods, when giving a cat apple for the first time it is good to give just a small amount at first and keep an eye out for any negative reaction. Keep an eye on your furry friend for 24 to 48 hours after serving bug out to ensure they don’t experience any bad side effects like vomiting or diarrhea. Call your vet if they have signs of gastrointestinal upset.

The best way to feed cat apples is as a hand-fed treat or by mixing a small amount of apple purée in with your cat’s food. Like I said before, make sure they’re not consuming more than 10% of their overall calorie intake from treats. That means it’s okay for an average 10-pound cat to eat unsweetened applesauce in moderation, like a quarter of an apple or a tablespoon of apple puree in a single day.

Again, that’s just the odd apple now and then, in order to ensure the high sugar content doesn’t start to play havoc with your pet’s health and his weight. One or two times a week ought to do the trick, and in the modest portion sizes described earlier.

Under no circumstance ever feed your cat rotten apples, as the latter is much more sensitive than humans when it comes to consuming spoiled fruits. A bad apple can give you diarrhea and other digestive ails, and fermented fruits can lead to an alcohol-fueled coma. As a rule, if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t feed it to your cat in the form of fruit.

Source Vetstreet, consult your vet prior to giving your cat new human foods, even ones that are touted as being OK for cats.

Key Takeaways

Cats can eat a little bit of apple as a rare sweet treat.

Don’t ever offer your cat apple seeds, leaves or stems, because these contain cyanide, which is poisonous to cats.

If your cat is throwing up, having diarrhea after eating apples, or has swallowed other parts of the fruit, be sure to call your vet immediately.