It is important to remember, that a cat's stomach is not well equipped to digest fruits. Cats can eat mangoes, however only in controlled small amount, otherwise your cat may get diarrhea or another form of stomach pain.
Everyone loves mangoes, and it's so easy to see why. This yellow tropical fruit is delicious and healthy as it is loaded with nutrients and minerals.
However, can cats eat mango too? Fruits such as mangoes are integral parts of a person’s diet due to their nutritional value that is highly beneficial to humans.
Can cats eat mango to gain these nutrients too? Felines and mangoes don't seem to go well together.
Moreover, it's seldom to see kitties that are showing interest to fruits.
However, you probably notice them gazing at it when you're slicing up a juicy mango.
That's when you wonder if it's okay to share this juicy fruit to your furry friend.
Sometimes, we are quick to assume that what's healthy for us is also healthy for our pets.
Also, we often fail to recognize the vast difference between the nutritional needs of our feline pets to ours.
Cats are obligate carnivores, and they solely rely on a strict meat diet. Just thinking about it may give you a notion that eating only meat is not healthy.
However, that's how a carnivore's body works. Their body is designed to absorb and process all essential nutrients from the meat they eat.
As obligate carnivores, they are required to consume mostly meat because this diet is their biological necessity.
This means that their only way of survival is to consume meat. However, this doesn’t mean that they are not allowed to eat foods other than meat.
They can still eat plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables but only in small amounts and in moderation.
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So, Can Cats Have Mango?
Can cats eat mango? Fortunately, mango is one of the fruits that are non-toxic to felines.
Although this tropical fruit is a little more exotic than bananas and pineapples, it is known to be safe for cats to eat. So, can cats eat mango?
Since felines are pure meat-eaters and don’t require fruits in their diet, it is not recommended to include this tropical fruit into their regular meal.
However, giving your kitty little pieces of mango as an occasional treat should be fine. Remember, feline's digestive system cannot correctly handle fruit in large amounts.
Can cats have mango? Yes, they can. However, they can't have a lot of it. Giving too much of it can cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea in your pet.
Despite being strict meat-eaters, felines sometimes would like to try something new other than meat. This mainly happens if you don't offer variations in their diet.
Eating the same food with the same taste and the same texture every single day could get them sick of it.
When they get bored with their usual diet, they tend to show interest in other foods.
That explains those wide-opened pleasing eyes when they see you indulging on a juicy mango.
Naturally, you don't have the power to resist your pet's demand. As mentioned earlier, a small chunk of the fruit's flesh now and then should be beautiful for your kitty. However, don't go overboard.
There are specific considerations to remember before giving your feline pet any foods that are inappropriate for them.
If your pet is suffering from any medical condition or is undergoing some treatment, you need to consult the vet before giving mangoes.
For healthy kitties, having small pieces of mango as a rare treat should be safe. This low-calorie could be a great alternative to high-caloric treats that you usually give to your pet.
If, and only if, you decide to give mangoes, can your furball benefit from this fruit’s nutritional value?
How Mango Could Benefit Your Cat
Many pet owners are asking ‘can cats eat mango?' As much as we don't want to make it more complicated, the answer just can't simply be answered with a direct ‘yes' or ‘no.'
When it comes to plant-based foods such as fruits and veggies, knowing what is safe and dangerous for felines is of utmost importance.
Please take note that our pet's life is at stake here. It would be nice to offer a refreshing variation in their routine diet by adding some bits of fruits.
However, we must do this without compromising the health of our furry pet. It's important to point out that certain plant-based foods are toxic to felines.
Ingesting large amounts of these toxic foods can give fatal side effects to your kitty. Fortunately, mangoes are considered safe and non-toxic to felines.
However, just like any other fruits that are safe for cats, it can also give ill effects if your pet eats it in large quantities.
As an occasional treat, it can provide a lot of new food experience for your kitty. Given in moderation, this healthy tropical fruit can be used as a substitute for a high-calorie snack for your pet.
Is Mango Good for Cats? Any Health Benefits?
Fruits are good sources of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fibers.
This is why it is essential for us humans to consume fruits to obtain these nutrients. Can cats eat mango to gain the same nutrients?
It's hard to believe, but carnivores do not require fruits to meet their daily needs of nutrition. Most of the nutrients they need are derived from the meat they eat.
However, wait? Meat is generally known for its high protein content, and it is not a good source of vitamins. If anything, meat contains no dietary fibers and has a very high-fat content.
So, how can cats maintain their health with this ‘unhealthy’ diet? For sure, an all-meat diet is considered unhealthy for a human's point of view.
However, let us remind you that felines are carnivores and their body is designed to thrive on meat alone.
Mango, in particular, is rich in vitamins A, C, and B6. Apart from vitamin B6, meat doesn't contain any vitamin A and vitamin C.
Both vitamins A and C are essential for feline health. Felines need vitamin A to keep their muscles and nerves properly functioning.
Moreover, they require vitamin C to boost their immune system to fight viruses and bacterial infections. If they don’t eat fruits, where can they get these nutrients?
Liver and fish liver oil are excellent sources of vitamin A. So, if your kitty loves to gorge on these foods, you don’t have to worry about vitamin A deficiency anymore.
How about vitamin C? Surprisingly, felines can manufacture their own vitamin C.
This means that they don't need foods to supplement them with this vitamin because they can produce their own.
Let’s try to move on to antioxidants and dietary fibers then. Antioxidants play an important role in protecting the cells from harmful toxins in both humans and animals.
Grass-fed beef and free-range poultry are excellent sources of carotenoids and selenium, both known for their antioxidant properties.
Salmon, krill, mackerel, and halibut all contain astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant that is more powerful than beta-carotene and lycopene.
Cooked egg contains many antioxidants as an apple. Raw eggs are dangerous for felines, but when prepared, it can provide carotenoids, selenium, and peptides.
Felines don't need mangoes to supplement them with antioxidants as long as they are given a well-balanced meat diet. How about dietary fibers?
Contrary to what we know, plant-based foods are not the only sources of dietary fibers. Carnivores obtain fibers from the intestinal tracts of their prey.
This is because fibers are mostly found in the intestines. Anything that passes through the digestive tract that goes undigested can act as fibers such as bones, tendons, ligaments, and fur from their prey.
Taking all of these facts into consideration, you’ll come to realize that mango and other fruits have no nutritional value to felines.
This tropical fruit is no doubt nutritious for us humans, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is also nutritious for our feline friends.
The only thing that they can benefit from this fruit is its low-calorie content. Giving it as an occasional treat can help your kitty control its weight while satisfying its craving for something unusual.
How Many mangoes Should You Give To Your Cat?
Can cats eat mango? As long as it is in moderate amount, you furry buddy can safely eat it without worries.
We recommend giving your kitty ripened flesh of the fruit and make sure to avoid including any part of the skin and the seed.
One chunk (1 tsp) of the sweet flesh should be enough to satisfy your kitty's craving. Also, don't give it on a regular basis.
The recommended amount of mango should only be given twice or thrice a week. Remember not to go beyond that.
Aside from that fact that feline’s digestive system can’t handle large quantities of fruits, mangoes are also high in sugar.
It is one of the fruits with the highest sugar content as it contains almost three times as much sugar as a banana.
So, you may want to moderate this food if you're going to prevent your pet from suffering from diabetes and high blood sugar.
Before you even decide to give this fruit as a treat for your favorite feline, consult your veterinarian first.
Is Mango Safe for Cats?
Can cats eat mango? This juicy fruit is generally safe for felines, and they can benefit from its low-calorie content.
However, there are precautions that you need to keep in mind when feeding mangoes to your kitty.
Mango pits (seeds) are not only choking hazards, but they also contain the poison cyanide which can harm or kill your feline pet.
The skin of this tropical fruit was found to contain phenolic compounds. Phenols are particularly toxic to cats because they can't wholly process phenols well.
It is, therefore, crucial to make sure to only give mango flesh with no skin or pits included.
Can Cats Eat Dried Mango?
Giving fresh, juicy mango to your feline pet is already risky on its own. Letting them eat dried mango will make it more difficult to digest the fruit.
Not to mention, the added sugars and preservatives that could harm your kitty.
Furthermore, the drying process also leeches away some of the nutrients in the fruit.
If you even think about giving mangoes to your feline buddy, choose the ripened fresh one and not the processed dried one.
Can Cats Have Mango Ice Cream?
Mango is one of our favorite flavors in our ice cream. However, can cats eat mango ice cream to help it cool down on a hot summer day?
The answer is ‘no.' Most felines are lactose intolerant, and since ice cream contains milk, they cannot digest it properly.
Typically, they can't produce lactase enzyme to break down lactose. If they ingest anything that contains milk, it becomes undigested and could result to upset stomach and vomiting.
How can we explain newborn kittens that solely rely on their mother’s milk?
Young kittens have sufficient lactase enzymes that can adequately digest lactose. However, the production of lactase decreases as they grow up.
When they reach adulthood, the production of lactase eventually stops, and this is when they become lactose intolerant.
Additionally, eating ice cream can get your kitty in a brain freeze. A kitty that looks stunned after eating ice cream may look cute and funny from the surface.
However, the pain and discomfort that your pet is suffering from within is not a laughing matter.
Can cats have mango ice cream? For your pet's safety, we don't recommend feeding your kitty with any ice cream.
Does Your Cat Like Mangoes?
Now you already understood that mango is not mandatory in a cat’s diet. It’s now just a matter of whether your pet likes the taste of this fruit or not.
Some kitties may find the sweet taste of mangoes acceptable, but it's not a guarantee that your particular pet would like it too.
If by chance that they show interest in this fruit, it is mainly because they are curious about the foods you're eating.
Felines are not fond of fruits, but they won't hesitate to give it a try when curiosity gets the best of them.
What Fruits Are Safe For Cats to Eat?
Take a look at the list of fruits that are considered safe for cats:
However, then again, moderation should always be observed when feeding these fruits to your feline companion. Moreover, never give them too much of these fruits in one go.
More importantly, the seeds of these fruits mostly contain cyanide that can lead to poisoning in feline if ingested in large amounts.
What Fruits Are Dangerous For Cats to Eat?
As a responsible pet owner, you should be aware of the foods that are dangerous for your pet to eat.
When it comes to fruits, make sure to steer clear of the following:
Can Kittens Eat Mango?
Newborn kittens should NOT be given anything aside from their mother's milk for the first four weeks.
For adopted kittens, we recommend that you give only milk replacement formula.
After four weeks, you can start introducing solid foods as preparation for weaning.
During this phase, you should only give premium baby cat food and don’t introduce anything new to its diet.
Kittens are usually fully weaned when they're about ten weeks of age. Only give appropriate cat food after weaning because their digestive tract is still at a delicate level.
You can finally introduce other foods such as mangoes until it reaches 18 months.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the answer to the question ‘can cats eat mango’ is fully understood.
Cats can eat mango in small quantity and moderation. However, be aware of the adverse side effects it could bring when too much of it is consumed.
If you've already decided to give this tropical fruit as an occasional treat, make sure to provide only the flesh part.
Avoid including the pits and the skin of the fruits as these parts can harm your feline pet.
It is always wise to choose foods that are appropriate for carnivorous animals such as cats.
Since carnivores do not require fruits in their diet, it is not recommended to feed them with fruits.
However, if your kitty insists on having some of your mangoes, then a small chunk won't do any harm.
After giving a small piece of mango to your pet for the first time, observe any adverse reactions.
Digestive discomfort is one of the most commonly encountered problems after feeding fruits to felines.
Stop giving mangoes to your pet if this happens and bring it to the vet right away.
If your furry friend doesn't show any adverse reactions to mango, then you may consider it as an occasional treat.
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