Hey Pet Parents & Pet Lovers,
Is it just me, or does your cat come up to you and sniff you every time you eat a banana? Our first cat Walker used to love eating bananas and while Beau was never a huge fan of bananas if he saw Walker eat one he would immediately start begging us to feed him some. So, this brings up the question… are bananas safe for cats to eat? If so, how much banana should you feed your cat at a time? Are there ever any times you shouldn’t feed your cat bananas? Let’s dive into it!
Short Answer
Bananas are a good treat for cats as long as they aren’t overfed.
Are Bananas Toxic To Cats?
Absolutely not!
What’s In a Banana?
Well, bananas are filled with potassium, which will help promote healthy kidneys and a healthy heart. Although this is true, bananas are also filled with carbohydrates (or carbs), which are unnecessary for cats. Bananas are also filled with a good amount of fibre, vitamins and natural sugars (although, natural sugars can potentially be harmful to a cat if fed too much.)
Can Cats Absorb All of the Nutrients in Bananas?
Unfortunately not. Bananas wouldn’t be considered a good supplement for cats as they cannot break down a number of the nutrients found in bananas. Cats would only really benefit from the fibre found in bananas, so if your kitty is showing signs of constipation, this sweet treat may be helpful for your cat. That being said, there are plenty of other alternatives that are helpful for constipation such as pumpkin.
What Happens if Cats Get Overfed Carbs?
Well, since cats can’t fully digest certain carbs they become at risk of obesity.
Can Cats Taste the Sweet in Bananas?
No, which makes it a bit weird that Walker is so obsessed with Bananas. We can safely assume that Walker just enjoys the texture of the banana.
Can Cats Become Obese or Develop Diabetes from Bananas?
Absolutely! This is another reason why you’d want to make sure not to overfeed bananas or feed bananas too regularly. I would also recommend avoiding feeding bananas to overweight cats as they are at higher risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure and other long-term conditions.
Can Cats Be Allergic to Bananas?
As is with most foods, yes. Although rare, allergies may appear as rashes, diarrhea and vomiting. To ensure that your cat does not have an allergy to bananas, only feed your cat a very, very minimal amount and begin feeding more over time. As mentioned, you wouldn’t want to feed your cat too much banana anyways, so allergies, in general, are commonly avoided.
Can Cats Eat Banana Peels?
No, they cannot. Banana peels are too thick for cats to digest and can also be a choking hazard for cats. I would avoid feeding banana peels to your cat at all costs.
So Why Would You Feed a Banana to a Cat, Johnny?
Honestly, I would only feed my cat a banana if they deserved a treat and I was already eating one. We don’t usually keep cat treats in the apartment, so for us, it’s a great alternative although I will admit it’s usually a treat I only give once a month.
When You Do Feed Your Cats Banana, how much do you feed?
I personally only feed about half of the top knuckle of my pinky. I wish I had a better way to measure out how much that is, but the most important thing is it’s not very much.
Other foods you might be curious if cats can or can’t eat:
Nuts/Legumes: Peanuts | Cashews | Pecans
Fruits/Vegetables: Olives | Watermelon | Bananas
Treats/Liquids: Ice Cream | Almond Milk | Coffee | Soy Milk
Never had any cat here that even was remotely interested in banana…and not the dogs either, though both MJF & Dalton want(ed) to see/smell what we were having. And strange, petcretary herself has issues with Banana. She cannot even try to eat an unripe one, she will get swelling in her lips and mouth. The riper the less trouble…but…even then raw banana will give her huge digestive issues. Cooked ones as in banana bread, etc, causes no trouble. Go figure. And now we hardly have them in the huse on account of the high carb content which on Paleo/keto styles of eating are not good…
Oh no (in regards to your petcretary having issues with bananas!) We’re huge banana fans in our household. I have at least 2 or 3 a day. (That might be too much now that I think about it!)
Glad to hear you can eat banana bread though! My partner makes a mean banana bread! If you’re ever in town I’ll ask him to make you some!
Every cat we have will sniff a banana, then back away from it like the smell came from the outhouse, and not from the tropics! Cauliflower, is another story, which is weird in itself…
Yeah, that’s Beau usually. Walker immediately opens his mouth and tries to take a bite!