Can Cats Eat Dragon Fruit ? This is the answer!
We will never know what cats do while in the house. When a cat is curious, it will play with objects around it. In fact, not infrequently he eats the object when he feels it can be eaten. That's why it's important for us as cat owners to be aware of the potential dangers in our homes.
Because objects and food in the house may be safe for us humans but for cats it can be the other way around. Both of these can harm the cat or damage its health. Talking about food, one of the foods that is sometimes at home is dragon fruit. Dragon fruit is a fruit that was once popular.
This one fruit is a very delicious tropical fruit. When we eat dragon fruit, it must have crossed our minds to give dragon fruit to pet cats. So is it okay to give dragon fruit to eat in cats ? Let's find out the answer by reading Angora's article below to the end.
What Is Dragon Fruit ?
Why is this fruit named dragon fruit? He was given the name dragon fruit because based on its green scaly shape and red skin so that this fruit looks like a scaly dragon. In the past, dragon fruit is a fruit that was very popular in Australia.
Because of the popularity of this fruit, in the past there were many types of snacks made from dragon fruit, which were sold in the market. Did you know that dragon fruit itself is actually a tropical fruit, which is a fruit that only grows in areas with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or more.
Where did this fruit come from ? This exotic fruit comes from Mexico and Central America. The fruit grows on the cactus Hylocereus, commonly referred to as the queen of Honolulu. The most unique thing about this cactus is that the flowers only open at night.
Besides being called by the name of dragon fruit, this fruit also has other names, namely strawberry pear, pitahaya and pitaya. At this time dragon fruit is not only cultivated in one particular place but now in various parts of the world with common varieties of white flesh and black seeds.
Actually there are other varieties such as red meat, yellow skin and others but this variety is quite rare. Dragon fruit is a fruit that has no doubt its health benefits for the human body if consumed. Some of the benefits of dragon fruit for humans include :
Prebiotics
Rich in vitamin C
Rich in fiber
Rich in antioxidants
Beneficial in lowering blood sugar levels in the body
Increase endurance
Increase iron levels in the body
Although dragon fruit has good health benefits for the human body, that does not mean the same thing applies when cats consume it.
Then Can Cats Eat Dragon Fruit ?
Yes, cats can eat dragon fruit but this food can only be given as a snack. Dragon fruit cannot be given as a cat's main food. Dragon fruit is also not a poisonous fruit. So, if the cat accidentally eats the dragon fruit lying on the table, this is not a problem.
For humans dragon fruit may be a very nutritious fruit but for cats who are carnivorous animals, this food is not good food for their bodies. This is because cats cannot digest nutrients from plants properly.
The nutrients that are easy for them to digest are only nutrients that come from meat and all the nutritional needs needed by the cat's body are also only found in meat. So there is no point in supplementing the cat's diet with dragon fruit.
What About Other Fruits ? Can Cats Eat It ? Basically cats are carnivorous animals so we can conclude that fruits are not good for consumption by cats. Not only because of a lack of nutrition but also due to a cat's digestion that is difficult to digest.
But when it comes to fruits that are just non-toxic and safe when eaten by our furry friends, then there are several types of fruits that they can eat. But cats should only eat these fruits in small portions. If the cat eats it in large quantities, it is feared that it will interfere with his health.
Digestive tract health problems such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation can occur if the cat eats this fruit in large portions. Here are some fruits that are safe for consumption by cats when given in small portions and not too often :
Whew
Watermelon
Mango
Apricot
Blackberries
Strawberry
Blueberries
Cucumber
Banana
Pear
Pineapple
Raspberries
Fruits That Can't Be Eaten By Cats
Apart from the fruit above, there are also other fruits that cats are not allowed to eat. These fruits are very unsafe if eaten by cats because they can cause poisoning. If your cat eats it, you should immediately contact a doctor to get help.
To prevent cats from poisoning, it is mandatory for us to know what fruits are poisonous when eaten by cats. Fruits that should not be eaten include :
Grape
Raisins
Lime
Lemons
Conclusion
Dragon fruit can be given to our pet cats and dragon fruit is safe for consumption by beloved cats because it does not cause poisoning problems. Even though it can be eaten, dragon fruit should not be given too often and in large portions to cats.
The reason is because dragon fruit does not contain the nutrients that a cat's body needs at all. In addition, dragon fruit is also a type of food derived from plants, this makes dragon fruit difficult for cats to digest.
So it can be concluded that dragon fruit can be eaten by cats as long as dragon fruit is only given in small portions.
Maybe that's all the discussion about whether cats can eat dragon fruit. Hopefully this article can help you answer your questions on this matter. As well as add insight and can be useful for you.
