Five big reasons to avoid letting your cat try pistachios.
As a cat owner, you’re likely to have pondered over the suitability of sharing your favorite snack with your feline friend. One such snack is the pistachio. Can cats eat pistachios? The simple answer is no. While pistachios aren’t inherently toxic to cats, they offer no nutritional benefits and can present several risks.
Pistachios offer many health benefits for humans, but for our feline companions, they can be quite problematic. Let’s explore some of these risks:
Pistachios contain a high amount of fat, which can lead to obesity in cats if consumed regularly. Over time, this can contribute to serious health problems like diabetes and pancreatitis.
Many pistachios come salted or flavored, and these additives can be harmful to cats. Too much salt can lead to sodium poisoning, causing symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and potentially severe kidney damage.
Pistachio shells and the nut inside can both pose a choking risk or cause an esophageal, stomach, or intestinal blockage.
A cat’s digestive system isn’t equipped to process nuts, leading to potential discomfort or gastrointestinal illness.
Pistachios can sometimes contain aflatoxins, a type of fungal toxin, that can be harmful to cats.
🚨Pistachios aren’t the only human food you should avoid letting your cat sample. Chocolate and other caffeine-laced foods, onions, garlic, and foods/drinks containing alcohol, along with many other things, pose a risk to your kitty. Check out our comprehensive guide to learn about what you should keep out of reach.
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they thrive on a diet primarily made up of protein. While they don’t need fruits and vegetables for nutrition, some can be safely offered as a healthy treat.
Some safe human foods that can provide nutritional benefits to your cat include cooked fish, cooked poultry, pumpkins (but not seeds), peas, and carrots. Remember, these should only make up a small fraction of your cat’s diet and are not a substitute for well-balanced cat food that contains healthy fats, dietary fiber, and protein from meat. In fact, plant protein such as tofu does not fulfill the protein needs of cats.
A cat that consumes pistachios may experience a range of health issues due to having too much fat, high salt content, and the potential choking hazard they present. The good news is that pistachios are not toxic to cats. However, they can cause gastrointestinal issues, including stomach pain and diarrhea. In more severe cases, a high intake of fats from pistachios could potentially lead to pancreatitis, a serious and painful inflammation of the pancreas. In addition to the pistachio nut, cats should also steer clear of pistachio ice cream, pistachio pudding, and other products where pistachios are one of the ingredients.
Specific types of nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts, can be especially harmful to cats and kittens. Walnuts, if they are old and moldy, can be very toxic, leading to tremors and seizures. Macadamia nuts can cause lethargy, vomiting, hyperthermia, and tremors in cats. Almonds contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can cause upset stomach and other discomforts. Raw cashews should also be avoided as they contain a toxin that can be harmful to cats. This toxin is typically eliminated in the roasting process, however.
The potential health risks for pistachios include high levels of fat, salt and flavorings, choking hazard, digestive issues, and fungal toxins which can lead to excessive weight gain, salt poisoning, kidney damage, asphyxiation, and gastrointestinal distress.
Like humans, cats can develop allergies to any food, including pistachio nuts. While it’s not common, a cat with a nut allergy could experience symptoms like itching, swelling, digestive upset, or difficulty breathing after consuming pistachios. If you suspect your cat has eaten pistachios and is showing signs of an allergic reaction, it’s a good idea to seek immediate care from your veterinarian.
There are plenty of safe treat alternatives your feline friend can enjoy. Vegetables, like cooked carrots and zucchini, commercial cat treats, or even homemade ones like catnip croutons or tuna treats, are also popular with many felines. Remember, treats should make up no more than 10% of your cat’s daily caloric intake. The rest of their diet should consist of nutritionally complete cat food. You can always consult your vet for proper guidance on cat nutrition.
