Food & Nutrition

Spinach is a common food found on healthy eaters’ plates, but does it have a place in your cat’s food bowl? Spinach isn’t toxic to our feline friends and can provide many health benefits. However, spinach isn’t food meant for every cat and should be given with caution to cats with specific health concerns.

What are Possible Issues With Feeding Cats Spinach?

With all of the positive nutrition that spinach can provide to cats, it’s hard to think that there may be a downside. The truth is, spinach can be very detrimental to cats with urinary tract issues. 

The main problem with feeding spinach to cats with previous urinary tract complications is that spinach contains calcium oxalate, one of the main culprits behind certain types of urinary stones formed in the feline bladder. The treatment for these stones is almost always surgery. If left untreated, they can lead to chronic urinary irritation and frequent bladder infections.

Another issue with cats eating spinach is getting too much fiber. Fiber can effectively relieve and prevent constipation, but too much of it can lead to diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.

How to Feed Your Cat Spinach

Unless your cat has a history of urinary tract issues, the occasional spinach treat will be alright. Also, don’t worry if your cat raids your salad plate and grabs a few tasty leaves. Giving small amounts of spinach is okay for the short term.

What you don’t want to do is try to make spinach a large part of your cat’s regular diet. After all, a cat’s digestive tract is perfectly honed to digest a high protein, primarily meat diet. It’s simply not made to digest a lot of greenery. With this in mind, keep the spinach content to under 10% of their daily food or only give it as an every-once-in-awhile treat to tide them over until the next meal.

Feeding spinach in larger amounts for the long-term is where cats can run into issues. If your kitty has previously had kidney or urinary tract problems, it’s best to steer clear of spinach. Also, if your cat is enjoying their senior years, spinach might not be the best option. That being said, the amounts of spinach present in commercial cat foods differ, and your cat may or may not be able to handle it there. Ask your veterinarian if you are concerned about spinach in your cat food.

What Are the Benefits of Spinach for Cats?

Spinach is a nutrition-packed superfood for humans, and in cats, it’s no different. Many commercial cat foods use spinach to provide necessary nutrients to hungry kitties. Some of those nutrients include:

• Vitamins and Minerals: Spinach is packed with vitamins A, E, C, and K, as well as many of the B vitamins. It also provides magnesium, calcium, and potassium, things your kitty uses every day.
• Fiber: The fiber content in spinach can help keep your cat’s digestive system in check. Fiber is important in preventing constipation and helping your cat feel full in between meals. However, large quantities of spinach can turn your cat’s digestion the other way and cause diarrhea, but this usually only happens in amounts that your cat won’t willingly eat.
• Low Calories: With high fiber and water content, spinach doesn’t have much room left for calories. This becomes especially important in the majority of our domestic cats. They don’t need additional calories making spinach an excellent food choice.
• Omega Fatty Acids: While not in the amount you would get from fish oil or flaxseed, spinach has enough omega fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and help promote a healthy hair coat and skin.
• Others: On top of all of the above, spinach also contains lutein and zeaxanthin for healthy vision and nitrates to promote blood flow. This goes a long way in preventing heart disease. It has some anti-cancer properties and antioxidants to help prevent and repair cellular damage.

Final Thoughts

Spinach is known as a human superfood, and it can act that way for cats as well. Feeding your cat small amounts of spinach can provide a nutrient punch that will help combat many health issues. However, spinach should not be a regular food for cats with urinary tract issues or given in large enough amounts to cause digestive problems. Still in question as to whether or how much spinach your cat can have? Speak to your veterinarian.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

As with most nuts, pistachios aren’t toxic to cats. But that doesn’t mean they should be a part of their regular diet. While they offer many health benefits to humans and are tasty to boot, they are NOT a great treat for your cat.

Why Your Cat Shouldn’t Have Pistachios

Pistachios shouldn’t be part of your cat’s regular diet. Too many pistachios can cause some real problems.

• Digestive Upset: The high-fat content in pistachios, and other nuts, can send your cat’s digestive system for a loop. After eating pistachios, your cat may experience vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Most of the time, these signs will only last for a day or two and require a little nursing care to get them feeling better. However, see your veterinarian if their digestive issues last longer than a couple of days or are severe.
• Obstructions: Pistachios are the perfect size where some cats will try to eat them whole without chewing. Eating too many whole pistachios (with or without the shell) can lead to obstructions in the stomach or intestine. Most of the time, these obstructions will need to be removed with surgery.
• Flavorings: You can rarely find pistachios that haven’t been flavored. Most of the time, they’re coated in salt, garlic, onion, or other seasonings. While these additional flavorings make them finger-licking good, they can be toxic to cats. Garlic and onion top the list of no-no’s for cats, and too much salt can also lead to severe problems.

Can Cats Eat Pistachios Found in Other Foods?

Pistachios are often included in other desserts and salads to boost their protein and flavor. Since they’re found in smaller quantities in these recipes, many cat parents may assume they’re safe. However, the pistachios are often not the problem here; it’s all the other ingredients.

Some common examples:

• Pistachio Pudding: A main component of pudding is milk, and even though a saucer of milk is the iconic food for cats, it’s not favorable. Most cats are lactose intolerant. Not only that, but pudding contains a lot of sugar that can have messy digestive consequences for your kitty.
• Pistachio Ice Cream: Like pudding, the milk and sugar in ice cream aren’t good for your kitty, let alone the pistachios.
• Snack Bars, Granola, and Other Products: Again, the other ingredients in these products are as or more problematic than pistachios. Products that are high in sugar or fats will not do your cat any favors.

What Should I Do If My Cat Eats a Pistachio?

If your cat happens to eat a shelled pistachio here and there, it’s usually no big deal. Just monitor them for a couple of days for vomiting and diarrhea. 

However, if your cat gets into your stash and consumes several pistachios in one sitting, a veterinary visit may be in order. Eating high amounts of fat can lead to a potentially serious condition called pancreatitis that requires veterinary care. Also, severe digestive upset can require veterinary care.

Health Benefits of Pistachios for Humans

Pistachios are packed with healthy unsaturated fats. These fats are important for reducing inflammation, improving heart health, and maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. They also contain minerals, potassium, and are high in fiber. On top of that, pistachios are a source of antioxidants and protein. They make great human snacks because they provide all of these nutrients and help keep you feeling full longer, preventing you from overeating.

You’re probably thinking, why wouldn’t pistachios make a great treat for your cat with all these health benefits? 

A cat’s digestive system just isn’t designed to digest things like nuts, whole grains, etc. They are made to eat meat. So, even though pistachios are packed with healthy nutrition, a cat can’t reap the benefits as well as humans can. Feeding a cat nuts, such as pistachios, can actually cause digestive upset.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a healthy snack for your feline friend, take a pass on the pistachios. While the occasional pistachio treat usually won’t hurt them, this isn’t a food you’ll want to give them for the long run. Instead, look for one of the many other healthy snack options out there for your cat.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

Besides being a tasty topping for pizza or a salad, olives by themselves make a great snack for us humans. But should your feline friend be privy to this black or green fruit? Olives are not considered toxic to cats, but they’re not considered an everyday treat either. Should olives become a part of your cat’s diet? Read on to find out.

Possible Issues With Feeding Cats Olives

Besides not providing your kitty any real nutrients, eating olives in large amounts may be dangerous. 

Immature olives are green and either ripen to black or stay green. Sometimes olives may be harvested green and cured in a salt brine to remove the bitter taste. This adds a lot of sodium, making them a risk for cats with heart or kidney disease. Eating too much sodium can also lead to sodium toxicity, which can be severe if left untreated.

Olives are also high in fat. In humans, that fat is used to produce the very healthy dietary staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil. Olive oil carries many benefits, such as decreased inflammation, heart health, and anti-cancer properties. However, in cats, too much fat or oil can lead to an upset stomach.

Cats fed high amounts of olives may experience diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps for a couple of days following consumption. If this is your cat’s first taste of olives, keep the amount small and monitor for these negative effects to help you decide if further olive snacking is in their future.

Along with those downsides to giving your cat olives, there is always the chance that they may choke. Olives happen to be the right size where a cat might consider eating them whole or with minimal chewing. And since they’re a fairly firm fruit, they may become lodged in the esophagus, creating discomfort and possibly even an emergency trip to the vet. Always supervise your kitty when eating olives and consider chopping them into more manageable pieces. 

How to Give Your Cat Olives

If you’ve decided to give olives to your cat, keep a few things in mind:

1. First of all, always run it by your vet first. This will help ensure that your cat isn’t at risk for kidney or heart disease that might be further exacerbated by a high sodium snack like olives.
2. Keep the portion size small. We’re talking less than one olive once or twice a week. This will not only reduce the amount of sodium that your kitty is eating, but it will also help ensure that they aren’t getting a fat overload that could send the digestive tract for a messy loop. On top of all that, giving less than one olive per treat session will cut the risk of choking down significantly since it will be a more bite-sized portion.
3. Stick with plain olives. Even though the hole in olives left when removing the pit invites for stuffing with pepper, cream cheese, or hummus, it’s best to leave that out of your feline friend’s olive snacks. Seasonings like garlic and onion, found in some olive fillings are toxic to cats, and of course, they don’t need the extra fats and calories that these tasty additives contain.
4. Always monitor your cat for adverse reactions after eating olives. This can be choking or digestive issues. If your kitty shows any problems after eating olives, it’s best to find a different treat the next time they come begging.

The Benefits of Olives for Cats

Olives are a stone fruit (fruits with a pit, or “stone” in the middle) like lychee, cherries, peaches, and mangos. All of these fruits are packed with health benefits for humans, including:

• Antioxidants like vitamin E to boost the immune system and repair cellular damage
• Iron, copper, and calcium
• Oleic acid for anti-inflammatory effects, helps the heart, and may fight cancer and osteoporosis

However, cats don’t get many of these benefits from eating olives, other than a pleasing taste and even a little bit of a high. Olives, especially green ones, contain a similar compound to nepetalactone, the enticing oil found in catnip. This may make your kitty do their happy dance anytime you open a can of olives.

Final Thoughts

Whether due to the pleasing taste or the euphoric feeling, your cat may crave olives and beg for them anytime they’re available. However, olives shouldn’t be considered a main part of their diet and should only be given in minimal amounts infrequently. This is to prevent excessive sodium consumption, digestive upset, and even weight gain. Give your kitty olive treats only under supervision.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

Ketchup may be an all-American human food that we love to douse our hamburgers in or slop over our french fries. Some people may even eat ketchup at every meal. Even though ketchup is a popular condiment for us, it should not be a part of your cat’s diet. While ketchup isn’t necessarily toxic to cats, it’s not healthy for them either. 

Can Cats Eat Ketchup?

Ketchup provides no positive nutritional value to your cat’s diet. But that doesn’t mean that it does nothing for your cat. Ketchup can be quite harmful to them if consumed in high enough amounts.

• High Sugar: Believe it or not, ketchup is high in sugar. Cup for cup, ketchup contains more sugar than vanilla ice cream! Giving your cat a lot of sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes that are not only difficult to treat but can also be life-threatening.
• High Salt: Ketchup also has more than its fair share of salt. While small amounts of salt are usually no big deal, lots of salt can lead to heart and blood pressure issues long-term and salt toxicity short-term. Cats that eat an overload of salt may have vomiting and diarrhea, a decreased appetite, tremors, or seizures.
• Garlic and Onion: These ingredients may give ketchup a tasty touch, but they are very toxic to our kitties. Both onion and garlic seasoning can lead to a blood disorder called Heinz body anemia which can potentially be very serious.
• High in Calories: This goes along with high sugar content, but it’s still important to reiterate. Ketchup contains plenty of empty calories, meaning calories that don’t provide any other nutritional benefit. This means that giving your cat ketchup can put them on the fast track to obesity and all of the complications that come with it.

What Happens if My Cat Eats Ketchup?

A lick of ketchup here and there shouldn’t affect your cat much. So don’t worry if your feline friend sneaks a bit off of your burger wrapper or plate. The real trouble comes if your cat decides to gorge itself on ketchup behind your back. 

If that’s the case, carefully monitor your kitty for signs of stomach irritation, most commonly vomiting and diarrhea. Most of the time, these signs will resolve on their own in a couple of days, but if your cat is having trouble for longer than that or their symptoms are severe enough to cause dehydration, tremors, or seizures, see your veterinarian immediately.

Most of the time, cats won’t want more than a taste or two of ketchup, but if you happen to have a ketchup addict on your hand, be sure to keep any ketchup containing foods out of your cat’s reach and remember to lock up the garbage to prevent them from getting at the fast-food wrappers.

Are There any Health Benefits to Ketchup?

Tomatoes are the main ingredient in ketchup, and they pack an antioxidant and fiber punch. However, ketchup tends to be lacking in those nutrients due to its highly processed nature. Ketchup is mostly empty calories with no nutritional value other than providing a tasty pep for most of our fast foods.

Final Thoughts

Ketchup is a tasty condiment that most humans can’t live without. However, it has no place in your cat’s diet. More than a couple of licks of ketchup may be quite detrimental to your cat by potentially leading to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or digestive upset.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

Parsley is a popular herb that is used to flavor a wide variety of human dishes. Not only does it add a tasty touch to food, but it also has some surprising health benefits. But should your cat partake in parsley as part of their regular meal? 

While parsley in small quantities is ok for your feline friend to eat, it should be avoided in large amounts and should not be fed frequently, even in small amounts.

Should Cats Eat Parsley?

When it comes to parsley, a little goes a long way. Parsley consumed in high amounts can be toxic to your feline friend. So, if you’re looking to boost their antioxidant levels or freshen their breath, keep it small and infrequent. It’s also important to know that different types of parsley have different toxicity levels. Generally speaking, any parsley you buy in the grocery store is fine, but if you’re prone to gathering your own, it’s spring parsley that can be more detrimental.

Parsley contains furanocoumarins which can cause photosensitization, which is an oversensitivity to sunlight. While it’s not quite the same as a sunburn, the effects are similar. When exposed to sunlight, cats with photosensitization will experience a chemical burn due to reactions within their skin. It is quite painful and can lead to severe damage and even death if severe enough and left untreated.

Let’s keep in mind that a cat would have to graze pretty readily on parsley to eat an amount that can cause photosensitization, but the risk is still there regardless. 

How to Feed Parsley to Your Cat

Again, moderation is key when it comes to parsley and your cat. If you want to use it as a nutritional boost for your feline friend, be sure to use small amounts and don’t make it an everyday addition. 

You may find parsley as an ingredient in commercial cat foods. It’s there to provide those nutrients as well as enhance the flavor and freshen breath. You’ll also notice that there isn’t much of it in there. That’s to ensure that the cat food is safe and won’t cause any detrimental effects.

A safer way to enhance your cat’s diet with parsley is through parsley water. This can be made by adding a couple of pinches of parsley to one cup of boiling water, letting it cool, and then draining off the water. You can give this to your kitty every day as an antioxidant supplement or to boost their vitamin A and K for overall health.

If you have parsley growing in your herb garden and an overly curious cat, you may want to find a way to limit your cat’s access to the plant to keep them safe. This is only if your cat likes to sample things from your garden, and there’s a possibility they might consume more than they should. 

What Are the Health Benefits of Parsley?

Humans have long used parsley as a natural spice. It is native to the Mediterranean region, so it’s no surprise that meats and pasta from this region often contain some parsley. But along with that flavor, parsley also supplies the body with quite a list of benefits.

1. Antioxidants:  Parsley is chock full of antioxidants, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C. These antioxidants are essential to prevent and repair damage at the cellular level, helping to boost the immune system and help the body age healthily.
2. Vitamins:  Along with vitamin C, parsley also contains vitamins A, K, and folate. These are important for bone health, normal blood clotting, immune function, and vision.
3. Cancer-Fighting:  hose antioxidants and other nutrients present in parsley can help decrease the risk of certain cancers, specifically colon cancer. 
4. Antibacterial:  Parsley extract has some antimicrobial properties that help prevent the growth of some bacteria, yeasts, and molds. It could play a role in future homeopathic remedies.
5. Low Fat:  A couple of things that parsley is not high in is fat and calories. Instead, parsley contains lots of fiber to help you feel full longer and regulate your digestive system without adding unwanted weight.
6. Freshens Breath:  If you’re looking for a natural way to freshen your cat’s breath with no toothbrush required, parsley may do the trick.

Final Thoughts

Parsley is a popular plant for both chefs and gardeners alike. It provides flavor and many health benefits to the food that we eat. It can do the same for your cat if given in moderation. Care should be taken to limit the amount of parsley that your cat consumes by feeding only small amounts infrequently or by giving your cat parsley water instead.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

No, your cat doesn’t get any nutritional value from mayonnaise. They may eat it, like it, and even beg for it, but it doesn’t provide much in the way of boosting their diet. Sure, the main ingredients of mayonnaise are eggs and oils, which are great sources of protein and unsaturated fats, but there are far better foods to get those nutrients from.

One possible use for mayonnaise in cats is as a laxative or to aid giving pills. In addition, the oil content of mayonnaise may help grease up the intestinal contents of a constipated cat, and it may help a pill slide down the esophagus. But, again, there are better products available to do this.

Can Cats Eat Mayonnaise At All?

If your kitty gets a quick lick of your sandwich or a bite of macaroni salad, it shouldn’t hurt them. What you don’t want is your cat ingesting mayonnaise regularly. It shouldn’t be used as a snack or meal topper due to the caloric content and amount of oil.

That being said, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it for the occasional appetite stimulant or to get one of those pesky pills that your vet gave you down a little easier. However, if you choose to do this, look for healthier, low-fat options. 

If your cat eats more than a couple of licks of mayonnaise, monitor them for signs of digestive upset and make sure that they stay hydrated. If they have vomiting or diarrhea that lasts longer than 24-48 hours or have severe abdominal pain and do not eat or drink, see your vet.

Possible Side Effects of Feeding Mayonnaise to a Cat

Again, mayonnaise is made primarily of oil and eggs. That means that it’s also high in fat. Most domestic housecats don’t need a caloric dense food like mayonnaise. Even a small amount of mayonnaise adds significant calories to a cat’s daily intake and can put your kitty on the fast track to obesity.

On top of the fat content, mayonnaise may also contain a lot of salt. Salt toxicity is a real issue in animals that can damage multiple organ systems and even cause death. Along with salt, other seasonings present in mayonnaise-based salads can create toxicities as well. Spices to stay away from include garlic and onion.

The oils in mayonnaise can also cause digestive upset. High fat or oil foods can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in cats, especially when they aren’t used to such foods. On top of that, high-fat foods can lead to a serious condition called pancreatitis.

Cats are also at risk for food-borne illnesses such as Salmonella and Listeria. While it’s not necessarily the temperature of the mayonnaise that’s the problem, it’s how long it took to get there. Heating mayonnaise in the oven or microwave doesn’t cause food poisoning. The problem comes in when you leave mayonnaise out on the counter or picnic table for more than an hour, allowing those nasty stomach bacteria to grow.

Final Thoughts

Mayonnaise is a common ingredient in many summer dishes, but that doesn’t mean it should show up in your cat’s food dish. Instead of giving your cat mayonnaise as a treat or letting them snack on food with mayonnaise in it, look for healthier, more feline-friendly options. 

If your cat happens to eat more than its fair share of mayonnaise, expect to see some short-lived digestive issues, and be sure to consult your vet if your kitty doesn’t get over it within a couple of days.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.

A delicious, crunchy snack for humans, cashews are also packed with healthy nutrients. If you’ve ever wondered if your cat can eat cashews, know that they are not toxic but aren’t necessary either. Even though your kitty might enjoy a cashew now and then, there are other healthier snacks for your feline friend out there.

Should Cats Eat Cashews?

Even though cashews aren’t considered toxic to cats and have an impressive nutrient profile, that doesn’t mean your cat should eat many of them. Giving your cat a large number of cashews can have some harmful effects.

• Not the Best Type of Protein: Cats require a high protein diet, and cashews are high in protein, so they should be the perfect food, right? Not exactly. Plant-based protein sources, like nuts, aren’t as good for cats as animal-based protein sources. That’s because a cat’s digestive system just isn’t set up to handle the digestion of plants as efficiently as it can handle meat.
• High Fat: The majority of the fat found in cashews is considered healthy fat, but to a cat, it’s fat all the same. Again, a cat’s digestive system is made to digest lean meat, not a pile of fat. Giving your kitty too much fat can lead to digestive upset in the form of diarrhea and vomiting. More seriously, it can lead to obesity and pancreatitis.
• Too Much Salt: Raw unsalted cashews are better for your cat than the roasted, salted kind. That’s because too much salt can cause problems, especially in the long run.
• Choking Hazard: Finally, cashews are the perfect size for your cat to choke on, especially if feeding them whole. If a cat doesn’t thoroughly chew a cashew, it can become lodged in the throat or intestine, which would require an emergency veterinary visit.

How to Feed Cashews to Your Cat

If you’re a sucker for your cat’s begging face and you can’t resist giving them an occasional cashew, don’t worry. Treating your feline friend to one or two cashews every once in a while won’t hurt. If you start giving it to them all the time, that may cause some trouble.

If you have a cat that tends to inhale their food rather than chew it, it’s best to crunch or break up the cashews before you give it to them to prevent choking and intestinal blockages. You may consider sprinkling the crushed seed over food. Just be sure to supervise your cat while they eat cashews to ensure no problems.

Stick with unsalted varieties to help reduce your cat’s salt intake as well. It’s also essential to reduce the amount of cat food that you feed if giving your cat cashews regularly. This will help decrease the overall number of calories that they are getting to prevent weight gain. Just be sure that cashews aren’t taking over too much of your cat’s diet so that they do not lack any essential nutrients.

Can Cats Have Cashew Milk?

Cashew milk is becoming a popular choice as a dairy alternative, but it’s not meant for your cat. Cashew milk is still high in fat, and it just isn’t a necessary part of a cat’s healthy diet.

The Health Benefits of Cashews

Cashews are often referred to as a tree nut due to their similar composition. However, they are actually seeds of the cashew tree. They are a popular human snack or addition to many dishes due to their taste and nutrient profile. Cashews are good sources of the following:

• Protein: Cashews are very high in protein. They go head to head with meat when it comes to protein content. This makes them a great alternative for someone looking for plant-based sources of protein.
• Unsaturated fats: These are known as healthy fats and have been linked to decreasing the risk of heart disease.
• Fiber: Fiber is essential for digestive regularity and the feeling of being full to decrease the amount of food you eat.
• Minerals: Copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and iron, to name a few, are all found in significant amounts in cashews. These minerals are important for bone and brain health, immune function, and energy production.
• Antioxidants: The antioxidant pair of polyphenols and carotenoids that are found in cashews help to reduce inflammation, boost immune function, and repair cellular injury for a longer, healthier life.
• Low in Sugar: While a significant source of many healthy nutrients, what cashews lack is sugar. This makes them an important snack for humans with diabetes or those who are watching their sugar intake. 

As you can see, cashews are a nutritional superfood. They pack a lot of nutrients into a small package. However, they don’t necessarily provide all these benefits to our feline friends.

Final Thoughts

Cashews make great human snacks that are tasty, crunchy, and healthy. However, they are not the best snack option for our cats. Cats aren’t engineered to get a lot of healthy nutrition from cashews, and what they can get instead is a lot of fat and salt that they don’t need. If you decide to give your cat a cashew treat, make sure they only get one or two, and it only happens every once in a while.

Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Dr. Chyrle Bonk has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two sons, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors that is right in their backyard.