Even though cats are carnivorous animals, they still need to get a balanced blend of nutrition in their diet to get and stay healthy and fit. Most cat foods will include everything a cat needs to maintain a balanced diet. But some cats just enjoy people food too. Maybe it’s that fabled curiosity thing which maybe has you wondering can cats eat bananas?
The fact is cats can eat bananas because they are safe for them to eat. Most cats though will probably turn their feline noses up at bananas and wait patiently for you to offer something more to their liking.
Can Cats Eat Banana Chips?
When it comes to whether cats can eat banana chips, the answer is a little different. Banana chips will likely be more appealing to cats which means your cat may not turn their nose up at them. If your cat wants to eat banana chips on occasion it’s likely safe enough.
Keep in mind though that banana chips are typically fried in oil which means higher fat content which isn’t good for your cat. So, on occasion as a treat is okay but to avoid problems associated with too much fat content, certainly don’t make it a regular habit. If your cat really loves banana chips, consider offering dehydrated banana chips you make yourself without frying in oil.
Can Cats Eat Banana Peels?
Even though banana peels are technically not toxic for cats, you will want to think twice about whether cats can eat banana peels. The peel of bananas is very fibrous plant material. Since cats are carnivorous in nature, their digestive systems are not equipped to digest plant material very well at all.
So, letting cats eat banana peels is really just cruel because it will likely cause them pain during the digestive process. For some cats, it could even cause vomiting and possibly other gastrointestinal issues.
Can Cats Eat Too Much Banana?
Since most cats won’t find the taste of bananas appealing, it’s not likely that cats can eat too much banana. But if you do have a cat who prances to his own tune and simply loves banana, be careful they don’t eat too much. Bananas are laden with heavy carbs which aren’t good for cats in large amounts at all. In fact, less than 2% of a cat’s regular diet should be non-meat foods.
Believe it or not, cats are similar to raptors and alligators when it comes to their diet. Cats rely on a meat diet to survive which means they don’t need and shouldn’t have a lot of other non-meat foods on a regular basis. This type of animal diet is known as “obligate carnivorous”. Other animals that rely on meat only diets for survival include dolphins and minks. Dogs, on the other hand are not obligate carnivorous and therefore could exist on a diet that includes very little meat at all if they needed to for some reason.