Cats are picky creatures and there are also many foods out there that can do them serious harm, from common household flowers to some of the more common stuff you have in your spice rack. Vegetables can also fall into this category, but does that include peas? Can cats eat these sweet little green vegetables or should you keep them well away?
Can Cats Eat Peas?
There is nothing in peas that will cause your cat or your kitten harm and many dry cat food mixes actually contain a mixture of chopped and dried vegetables. You will also find them in premium wet foods, especially the ones that are created for vegetarian and vegan cats.
There are a few reasons for this and contrary to what you might think, it has nothing to do with the fact that they are one of the sweetest vegetables, because cats can’t detect sweetness like we do. The main reason is because peas are high in protein, with pea protein powder used as an abundant and cheap protein source by everyone from animal feed manufacturers to bodybuilders.
By adding peas they are adding a host of vitamins and minerals as well as a thickness that can form and bind and a protein that can help to meet a cat’s nutrient needs. And this is very important, because cats need a diet that is rich in protein, with minimal fat and even less carbs and fibre.
How Much Peas Should I Feed my Cat?
If you want to try your cat on a vegan or vegetarian diet then we won’t judge. If done properly it can be healthy and the cat can go on to live a long and healthy life. However, it’s difficult to do right and because we have no experience with this and because we believe a diet like this should be judged on each individual cat (taking into account, size, sex, breed and activity level) we don’t want to advise either way.
So instead we will stick to the status quo, which suggests that peas and other vegetables should form a very small part of your cat’s diet, if any. If you feed them on a diet that contains a premium dry food mix then there will likely be some peas in that already and there is no need to add more. If you feed them on a quality wet food that offers a comprehensive nutrient profile and not a complementary one, then you should also have all bases covered.
However, if you’re just curious because your cat has eaten a few peas off your plate then there is nothing to worry about. If you want to give him or her a few while you eat and they stare, then go for it. Just make sure that you don’t load those peas with salt or butter beforehand, because that turns something harmless and bordering on healthy into something that can do harm and something that could be very unhealthy.
If you’re not sure what dry food or wet food to buy then take a look at our many sections on the best cat food. We’re unbiased animal lovers and cat owners who are offering advice, as opposed to website owners with serious connections to a single product, so we can provide honest assistance on this matter.