Yes… cats can eat carrots and safer to eat if you serve your cat in very small chops. Some of the vegetables are very much essential for a cat to have. Mainly cats require vitamin E and vitamin A which is adequately available in carrots. Thus, helping your cat to be healthy and active.
In general, we know that cats are carnivores, they are meat-eating pets thus having its internal system in such a manner to support the meat consumption. Meat is always a better choice for cats than vegetables. Vegetables are not toxic to cats but feeding only veggies can make your cat weaken as veggies alone cannot meet the demand of protein intake for cats which is possible by feeding meat or appropriate cat foods.
How healthy carrots are for cats?
If we look deep, Carrot constitutes of:
Water – 88%
Carbohydrates – 9%
Protein – 0.9%
Fibre – 2.8%
Ash – 1%
Fat – 0.2%
Carrots are even packed with lots of nutrients, vitamins plus an additional advantage is the presence of healthy amount beta-carotene in it, which is very important supplement for cat. This beta-carotene scavenges free radicals that is, neutralizing the capacity to damage the cells in the cat body and supports the vitamin E functioning.
Carrots are genuinely very good for eyes and cholesterol free thus no risk of your pet getting fat by including carrots in their regular diet. Fibre content is high in carrots which is great for cat’s digestive system and can avoid your cat from having constipation problem. Moreover, the carrots have potential to enhance the immune system in cats.
Raw carrots or cooked carrots good for cats?
Raw carrots are not avoidable, but cooked carrots are much preferable for cats because cooked carrots are soft and easy for the pet to consume. whereas, Boiling the carrots also eliminates the dust and showered pesticides or chemicals if any thus evades the risk of reactions for cats.
Cooked carrots after boiling may lose some of its nutritional value. If you do not want to lose it then serve your pet raw carrots but only after you clean it properly and chopping it into very fine pieces so that there will not be any choking risk. Be sure while you serve your pet a boiled carrot there is no additional oil or spices are added to it. Never ever feed your cat a whole carrot which is way riskier to it.
Non-benefits of cats eating carrot:
- Carrots must not be served raw because of its rigid nature it may cause choking risk for your pet.
- Carrots contain carbohydrates in it and mostly from sugar for about 9-11% which is not required for cats being carnivores in nature.
- Carrots can never be a replaceable meal because animal protein is the only protein that can full fill a cat’s nutritional needs so feeding more of carrots to cats is of not much use.
- Cats do not have taste buds to taste the sweetness of carrot so, probably it tastes a bit different to them, and do not like eating carrots more often.
Summary:
In a nutshell, I would say carrots are not harmful to cats and can be included in their diet occasionally, as you should not replace cat’s meat plan with a vegetable plan. If so sufficient minerals and vitamins will not be supplied to the cat thus result in weakening cat. It is always advisable to consult your vet before you feed or change any diet of cat