Carrots are a common vegetable found on many dinner plates, and you may be wondering if it’s safe to feed them to your cat. The short answer is yes, carrots are healthy food for cats, but there are ways you can prepare them that are not so healthy.
Join us while we look at the different ways to prepare carrots to feed them to your cat. We’ll also look at the nutritional value and potential side effects of this natural food.
Are carrots bad for cats?
Carrots are not bad for cats; however, they are high in carbohydrates, and most of the carbohydrates come from sugar. Cats are carnivorous animals and do not require carbohydrates in their diet. Adding them increases the risk of obesity and other health problems associated with too many carbs in their diet.
Choking Hazard
One of the biggest problems with feeding your cat carrots is that they present a significant choking hazard. Because of this risk, you should never feed your cat raw carrots, and even cooked carrots should be chopped into small pieces or placed in the food processor to minimize the risk.
Butter and Spices
It’s very common to add butter, salt, pepper, and other spices to carrots when you cook them for dinner. However, these added ingredients are not good for cats, and you should only feed them plain, cooked carrots. Butter adds trans fats and saturated fats, which can quickly lead to obesity and other health problems.
Flavored Carrots
When shopping at the grocery store, you may notice several kinds of flavored carrots available. You can purchase brown sugar, honey glazed, ginger, and other types of premade, canned carrots. While some of these recipes may be healthy for your cat, we recommend sticking with plain carrots and adding ingredients yourself if you feel needs them. Brown sugar and honey are both sweeteners that can raise your cat’s blood sugar level, leading to health problems like diabetes and obesity.
Are carrots good for cats?
Carrots can be a great occasional treat for your cat because they provide plenty of nutrients to help your cat stay healthy. Carrots are also lower in fat and sugar than many treats you can purchase at the store. Carrots contain beta carotene, and your cat can turn beta carotene into vitamin A, an important nutrient that helps with eye development. Too little vitamin A can lead to blindness.
Carrots also contain vitamin K1, which helps with blood clotting and reduces the symptoms of the warfarin disease. Vitamin B6 helps with the production of plasma and helps fight inflammation, while potassium can help prevent hypokalemia, A leading cause of general muscle weakness in cats. Carrots also provide fiber, which helps balance the digestive system and can prevent constipation and diarrhea.
How do I feed my cat carrots?
The best way to feed carrots to your cat is to boil them and cut them into small bite-size pieces or blend them in a food processor. You can also create a healthy DIY cat treat, like the one shown in this next section.
Carrot and Catnip Kitty Cat Treats
We found the recipe for these fantastic carrots and catnip cat treats at Epicuricloud.com.
- 1¼ cups flour – wheat or oat
- ¾ cup finely shredded carrots
- One large egg
- Two tablespoon coconut or olive oil
- One tablespoon dried catnip
- Cold water as needed
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mix one cup of flour and oil.
- Stir in catnip and carrots.
- Stir in egg.
- If the mixture feels too dry, add a small amount of water. If it’s too wet, add flour.
- Move dough to a flat flour coated surface.
- Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, adding flour as needed.
- Use a small fork to prick the entire surface with small holes.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into half-inch pieces.
- Carefully transfer the pieces to the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow your cat treats to cool and store in an airtight container or freeze any extra.
Summary
When feeding your cat carrots, the best way is to boil them until they’re soft and then cut them into small, easily digested pieces or put them in a food processor and blend them into a baby food consistency. If you like to cook and experiment with new foods for your cat, there are many recipes online that use carrots to create healthy treats like the one we’ve provided here. Avoid using flavored canned carrots or adding butter, salt, pepper, or other seasonings to keep carrots healthy and beneficial to your pet’s health.
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Featured Image: Pexels, Pixabay
