Can Cats Have Blueberries? 5 Essential Benefits Of Blueberries For Your Cat

Can cats have blueberries? It is one of the popular questions among cat owners. Blueberries are simply wonderful as healthy snacks for us with numerous benefits for our bodies.

Whether it’s pleasant when chewing, the feeling of that tasty juice running, or the ton of nutrients hidden beneath, something has always drawn us toward blueberries. As a humble cat owner, you might want to share some of this indisputable pleasure with your fluffy friend.

However, if there is anything we’ve learned from our daily nutrition discussion, it would be that cats usually don’t share the same needs regarding what’s considered good food. Don’t blame them, though; if there is anyone to blame, it would be their digestive system.

A good cat owner usually splits blueberries with their cat, while a conservative one, on the other hand, would first ask, can cats have blueberries? To avoid any unnecessary health issues such as chocolate poisoning, if you feed your cat chocolate, as we discussed before.

Blueberries, The Super Fruit

Frederick Coville was the first to identify blueberries. When he discovered wild plants with desirable characteristics back in 1911, in 1916, Coville and a co-worker of him “White” sold the first commercial blueberries after harvesting it for 5 years.

With more than 100 years around, and, total production of about 593.6 million pounds in the average year. Blueberries market proved to be a huge one that you don’t want your cat to miss on, one that you would probably want it to have at least a bite of, which raises the same question again, can cats have blueberries?

?Health Benefits Of Blueberries For Your Cat

When people often call blueberries a “superfruit,” it’s not just a nickname. It’s a one that’s earned, a name which holds beneath a reputation that’s well deserved. 

Blueberries are rich with almost every major nutrient needed by your cat’s body, from fiber to vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, and manganese. They are also low in calories. But they help to lower blood pressure, reduce muscle damage, as well as DNA damage.

• High In Nutrients

You will be astonished of the considerable value is hidden within blueberries. Blueberries are known to be rich in many nutrients such as vitamins and fibers; the following are just a glimpse.

1. Vitamin K
2. Vitamin C
3. Manganese 
4. Fibers

Remember, your cat’s food should include such nutrients to give its body everything it requires to stay healthy.

• Reduce DNA Damage

If you own an old cat, then you may want to read this. DNA damage makes you and I age, and it’s surely what makes your cat becoming bad at playing and running around as it used to be.

How can blueberries help with that?

Due to the diversity of antioxidants found within blueberries (read more after this point), Blueberries helps to reduce the DNA damage by naturalizing some of the “free radicals” that acknowledged as the lead cause of DNA damage.

• No More High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure in cats might be the main reason your cat is weak and lacks the motivation to do anything. With regular eating of Blueberries, it will help your cat’s blood pressure be controlled and improved.

However, you must be aware that blueberries are not an alternative to the medications if your cat suffers from feline hypertension. Therefore, consult your vet about giving your cat blueberries while on medication.

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• Blueberries Help To Prevent Heart Conditions

LDL and High blood pressure are considered risk factors, among others, for different heart conditions in cats. Accordingly, reducing these risk factors will improve your cat’s healthy life and prevent heart diseases from developing. Blueberries may consequently mitigate or even prevent heart conditions from developing by giving various nutrients that will preserve your cat from those risk factors.

• Blueberries Are Rich In Antioxidants

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and hold various benefits for your cat’s body, like protecting your cat against free radicals.

However, even all these benefits don’t really mean anything, cause, if you remember, we’ve established a basic rule, one that says “Cats body and it’s biochemical balance, differs from ours,” that rule always forces us to re-ask the question can cats have blueberries? And that’s important for your cat to avoid health issues.

We already managed to discuss different food that is healthy and appealing for us but surprisingly harmful for your cats such as cheese, chocolate, and berries.

? Health Downsides Of Blueberries For Your Cat

Although blueberries have many benefits for your cat and might be a tasty snack every now and then, you might consider reading this before giving them to your cat.

After all, if it’s served too often, “too much of good things can lead to bad things,” blueberries usually lead to specific problems, such as for overweight, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. They still aren’t regular diet for your cat, and hence, some precautions must be considered.

• Blueberries Might Contain Pesticides 

If blueberries aren’t cleaned probably or checked for mold, this will raise many different set of troubles, so, make sure to double-check. Organic blueberries are usually excellent. However, is there anything natural left to eat in today’s world? It’s troublesome to determine whether your blueberries are organic or not, and the answer might usually be the second.

There are some concerns you must be aware of, as most of today’s fruits in stores are commercial ones, that are sprayed with poisonous chemicals such as pesticides, that will do even more harm for your cat than benefits.

• Fast Chewing 

If your cat was a wreath, it might chew those purple magic balls all in one big bite. This, of course, might often lead to choking or other severe problems.

• Allergy

Cats might suffer from blueberries’ allergy. Yup, I know it’s a silly name, but there is such thing as blueberries’ allergy. It’s as real as milk allergy, or any food allergy out there. Suppose you’ve spotted any gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea, inflammation, chronic gas) on your little cat. Then, it’s probably the time to cut the service and call the nearest veterinarian for a quick check-up.

• Choking Hazards

Although blueberries are marvelous treats for your cat, feeding it just like that may cause undesired incidents such as choking hazards, which may need an urgent intervention from your veterinarian or an animal hospital to manage this case. 

However, because blueberries are soft and small, it is uncommon to cause this problem. Still, due to its taste and popularity, people often purchase and store blueberries in several packs at a time. For blueberries to stay in perfect condition, it had to be frozen, which could also increase the probability of choking. Hence, to avoid such a threat, be 100% sure to defrost blueberries before feeding your cat.

• Blueberries Affect Your Cat’s Blood Sugar Levels

Overeating of blueberries can change your cat’s blood sugar levels, cause health issues like diabetes in cats. Additionally, if your cat already has diabetes, it is best to ask your veterinarian before serving your cat blueberries as they may cause health problems. Consequently, you might reconsider the good old meat for a treat alternatively.

Can Cats Have Blueberries? The Answer You’ve Waited For

Yes, they can.

But, it would be best if you fed your cat blueberries in moderation and occasionally as a treat only, and here is why.

Cats are carnivores, which means they often rely on other animal products (meat) as a vital part of their daily diet, fruits, on the other hand, aren’t part of their natural food, neither they eat it frequently. 

Also, their digestive system processes sugar differently compared to our bodies, and a small amount of sugar that might be more than what they need. Cats also don’t share the same feelings toward sweets, so don’t be surprised if your kitty didn’t complete its bowl of blueberries.

Alternatives To Blueberries

After answering today’s question, can cats have blueberries? It is time to state some of the alternatives to blueberries if your cat is allergic to it. Bananas, Watermelon, and Apples would be delicious alternatives if your cat were allergic to blueberries.

The same “Regulation” rules apply to almost all fruits. Wherever there is sugar, there is a risk, and to ensure your cat’s health, you need to take all the precautions and pay more attention to your cat’s food.

However, there are certain fruits that your cat must stay away from; these include; Citrus, Grapes, Raisins, and Currants, among others.

But, generally, we recommend every cat owner to pre-check for each fruit, its benefits, and its harms before serving their cat, which is the only way to guarantee a perfectly healthy diet.

My Opinion About Blueberries To Answer The Question, Can Cats Have Blueberries?

Can Cats Have Blueberries? Blueberries are just marvelous, with many benefits for your cat (and yourself). I love blueberries because they can protect my cats from different health issues and give them the needed elements to keep them strong and healthy. 

However, it is still not their regular food, and consequently, I favor not to feed my cats blueberries frequently and keep it only as a treat. Whether you decide to feed your cat blueberries or not, remember that balance is the key to keep your cat’s diet as healthful as possible.

Finally, I hope you found this article useful and informative enough to answer the question, can cats have blueberries?

Let me know your answer down below. Do you have more information about blueberries for cats?

Also, If you have any other questions or different opinions about it, leave a comment below.

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