Can Cats Eat Craisins? Vet-Approved Nutritional Benefits & Precautions

Our pets are our best friends, and we only want them to eat the best. However, sometimes you wonder if your cat might like some of the snacks you’re munching on. For instance, can cats eat craisins? Many foods are toxic to pets that we consider tasty snacks, so it’s worth asking, and the short answer is yes, cats can eat craisins, but there are still a few things you need to consider before doing so!

Can Cats Eat Craisins?

Yes, your cat can eat craisins, assuming we’re both talking about dried cranberries. Cranberries are packed with tons of nutrients, although cats don’t necessarily need any of them. They might appreciate the treat, but your cat will derive most of its nutrition from its cat food.

Cranberries are a great source of vitamins, like vitamins C and E, plus minerals like potassium, iron, and manganese. Cranberries are also renowned for their antioxidants, which give the fruit its bright red color. Cats don’t particularly need any of these nutrients, but they enjoy the taste anyway.

Cranberries have lots of sugar, so avoid giving your cat large amounts. Just a couple of berries could serve as an occasional treat. We don’t recommend it, and a vet would most likely discourage this practice.

WARNING!

Cats should never eat raisins made from grapes, as those are very toxic to both cats and dogs. But craisins made from cranberries are fine, so don’t worry.

You also shouldn’t give your pet any kind of fruit treat that includes dairy, as nearly all cats are lactose intolerant. Eating a cranberry pastry, cake, or pie that has milk or cream will give your cat very bad gas, stomachaches, and possibly diarrhea. They’ll still eat it and likely enjoy it, but they’ll suffer for it later. Save them the trouble and nix these from your cat treats.

Cats don’t need treats to stay healthy, but giving them just a little bit is okay every now and then. Cat foods are specifically designed to meet and exceed your cat’s dietary needs, so you’re not depriving them of anything to eschew human foods like fruit.

What Should My Cat Never Eat?

Cats share some toxicities with dogs, including chocolate, onions, and grapes. Another really important one is dairy, which we’ll explain more below. You must learn and remember what your cat can’t eat so you can avoid these foods in the future.

Cherries

Cherry pits have small amounts of cyanide that are harmless to humans but fatally toxic to cats. Cherries are known to have essential vitamins, so what’s the deal? Well, it turns out that cats have tons of other foods they can get vitamins from without dealing with the risk of cyanide poisoning.

When a cat eats cherries, it harms its blood’s ability to transport oxygen throughout the body. They’ll appear to struggle to breathe and will be very fatigued. If you keep cherries around the house, take care to put them away from where your cat can access them.

Citrus

The acid in citrus fruit upsets cats’ stomachs, so you should avoid giving them anything like oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits. Even dried fruit is probably too acidic to give them, so just cross citrus off your list of cat-friendly treats.

Not that they’d willingly eat citrus anyway. Citrus fruits have essential oils that repel cats, and these oils are also very toxic to cats. If you have citrus or citrus trees at home, you may have noticed your cat avoids them like the plague.

Dairy

As mentioned above, cats are typically lactose intolerant. This means their stomachs can’t process the lactose present in dairy products, including milk, butter, cream, and others. While cats are often depicted as enjoying cream, it hurts their stomachs later. They’ll still eat dairy because it’s a great source of animal fat, but it’s not good to include it as part of their diets.

Some cats tolerate more dairy than others. In those cases, you may give your cat a small amount of milk at a time, but no more than a sauce bowl. We don’t recommend this unless your vet has specifically said your cat is okay to have small amounts of dairy.

Lilies

Yes, the lily flower. If your cat roams outdoors and you or the neighbors have lilies, your cat may chew on it because of its sweet scent. Cats chew on grass, twigs, and other foliage to aid in their digestion, but lilies are fatally toxic to cats. If they eat any parts, they’ll face severe kidney damage and possibly death.

Other

Some other foods you should keep away from your cat are listed below for your convenience, so you can help keep your cat safe. Items on the list should be stored in a container with a lid, in the fridge, or in a cabinet/drawer.

Foods to Avoid for Cats:

• Avocado
• Alcohol
• Onions, leeks, and garlic
• Coconut oil
• Coffee
• Raw meat
• Raw eggs
• Raw bones
• Xylitol (sweetener used in gum and other candies)

Conclusion

While craisins are technically safe for cats to taste and maybe eat a little, they don’t get any true nutritional benefit, and the sugars are bad in general. So, if your cat got into your bag of craisins and had themselves a treat, don’t fret. They’ll probably be okay. But we don’t recommend offering craisins to your cat regularly, and if you never do it, all your problems are solved!

Featured Image By: Ixepop, Shutterstock