Can cats eat tomatoes? It’s unbelievable that a cat can eat tomatoes, right? If you have a pet cat, you can silently observe what food your feline friend likes or dislikes to eat. From the very start, if you have trained your feline by feeding it with ripe tomato, your cat will get used to its taste.
Our cats in my mother-in-law’s house will eat tomatoes, bell peppers, Lanzone, and papaya fruit. Also spices like onion bulb and garlic. They also eat bread. How lovely they are as you are watching them eating that kind of spices and fruits compared to another kitty who does not like to eat fruits, veggies, and spices.
Consistently, felines like eating fish or tuna or any other cat food which is pleasant to their smell. Without a doubt, there is some cat food that contains ripe tomato as one of the ingredients.
Therefore, it’s not harmful to your kitty. To answer the query if cats can eat tomatoes, absolutely Yes! They can securely eat tomatoes but the ripe ones. It can never affect the health of your cat.
If you are going to feed your feline with tomato, be sure to feed it with ripe tomato because it has no level of toxins that can cause your cat to feel unwell. The unripe or green tomatoes, the stems, plus the leaves are risky to your pet.
For further assistance, you can directly go to the veterinarian and ask what is good for your kitty’s nutritional requirements.
Are Tomatoes Bad for Cats?
If tomatoes are cooked when feeding your cat, it is safe and good for your felines to avert poisoning according to Dr. Basko. He added also that there is no historical problem with nourishing your cats with some fruits like natural tomatoes.
Another veterinarian named Dr. Marie Haynes who is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada said in her blog that “she never perceived any news that a cat becomes ailing as a result of eating tomatoes”.
What part of tomato plants is toxic to the cat?
The green parts of the tomato plant including the stem, the leaves, and the green fruit or the unripe one have toxic levels called solanine which is a name as glycoalkaloid that is considered poisonous. Though solanine is not the principal poisonous substance in tomatoes, the tomatine is alternatively.
Tomatine can be found in the green fruit, nevertheless, if the tomato fruit becomes ripe, the level of toxins will lessen or decrease. Tomatine is not as poisonous compared to solanine. However, the absorption of tomatine in tomato fruit is diminished when the fruit ripens.
Ripe Tomato As An Ingredient for Cat Food
As tomato ripens, the level of toxins also diminishes. Consequently, ripe tomatoes can be eaten fresh (ripe) by your kitty or mixed with a cat food recipe as one of the ingredients for your feline.
There is a manufacturer of cat food products all over the world that includes tomatoes in their recipe. For sure they had been conducting some experiments to prove that red ripe tomato is no danger to your kitty. It is proven and tested that red, ripe tomato is safe for your cat.
Good News and Bad News to cats and tomatoes
It can’t be avoided when you have trained to feed your cat with commercial cat food, and suddenly you feed him with leftover foods or in short, change the dietary flow of the cat’s feeding. Usually, it will primarily cause agitation such as diarrhea or vomiting.
On the other side, the bad news is the alkaloids of tomato plants cannot be shattered by means of dehydrating or boiling at very high temperatures. Seemingly, cooking will eradicate the stimulant that forms more alkaloids, yet not the toxin itself.
Unlike humans, poison can’t immediately travel to all body parts. In the cat’s petite body, a small amount of contamination will directly affect the cat’s body.
The good news is that glycoalkaloids, the poisonous substances hold approximately multiple amounts to cause disease. In addition to that, poisonous chemicals called glycoalkaloids cannot be properly digested in the mammal’s entrails.
As a result, a few glycoalkaloids are transformed into aglycones, a less poisonous substance, and are discharged in feces and urine.
Above them all, the veterinarian will suggest what is best for your cat. Let’s site for an example if ever your cat will eat the green fruit of a tomato or the leaves and the stem of the tomato plant, have a keen observation of your pet and if something’s going wrong, just address it to the expert veterinarian.
Cats are good at smelling too, they know what food is poisonous or not. As I observe, cats do self-medication too if they are not feeling well. They will go to the backyard and look for a plant that can cure their bad feelings.
So, Can Cats Eat Tomatoes? Final Thoughts.
Being a pet lover, you should consider first what kind of food to feed your kitty to eschew gastrointestinal disorders, loose bowels, too much weakness, regurgitation, and sudden changes of behavior. To avoid those cat troubles, a keen observation must be followed.
You can try the food for your pet that they often like to eat and you can make some variations or mixtures to make it tasty for them. You can serve them with commercial cat food or include recipes in your cat’s diet that can be found on the internet.
Tomato, specifically red and ripe, is one of the ingredients of most cat food recipes. For that reason, serving your cat with red, ripe tomato is fine. Provided that it is not excessive. Do take note that the green part of the tomato plant such as the leaves and the stem is poisonous.
If ever your cat accidentally eats the leaves or the stem, you can refer to an expert veterinarian near you. The veterinarian has a wide knowledge and understanding of your pet cat.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the question “Can Cats Eat Tomatoes?” finds a nuanced answer in this comprehensive exploration of feline dietary habits. While ripe tomatoes, when fed in moderation, can be a safe and even beneficial addition to a cat’s diet, caution is advised.
The green parts of the tomato plant, including stems and leaves, contain toxic levels of solanine, posing a potential threat to your feline companion.
The article emphasizes the importance of feeding cats cooked tomatoes to avoid poisoning, as cooking diminishes the level of toxins.
