Pecans are very healthy for us, but not all foods that are healthy for humans are healthy for cats, too. How about pecans? Can cats eat pecans?
Although we all call pecan a nut, technically it is not a nut but a drupe and that’s why general rules about nuts and cats do not apply to pecan. So, can cats eat pecans? Actually, there are two answers for this question: a short one and a long one.
Can Cats Eat Pecans?
The short answer is YES, cats can eat pecans because pecan is not toxic to cats and does not create an immediate health risk unless your little friend is allergic to pecans which is very rare. We will get into the symptoms of a pecan allergy later.
The long answer brings another question with it: should cats eat pecans? The long answer to both questions is NO! Cats do not really benefit from eating pecans and in addition to this, they may gain weight in the long run if they eat too many pecans regularly because pecans are fatty nuts.
Cats are obligate carnivores which means that they get their main nutrition from meat and their digestive systems are evolved to process meat. They can tolerate plants, too such as blackberries or cauliflower however the amount of plants they can digest is very little and that’s why they get diarrhoea when they eat plants or plant-based food.
Eating too many pecans can also cause obesity in cats in the long run. Obesity is not something you want your little friend to have. It can lead to many serious health issues such as diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease which in the end can even be fatal.
My Cat Ate Too Many Pecans. What Should I Do?
The chances are nothing bad will happen to your cat however it is not possible to know all the possible allergies your cat may have. If your cat ate too many pecans, observe it closely for 24 hours for any unusual behaviours or symptoms such as:
- vomiting,
- rashes,
- excessive itching,
- red marks on its skin,
- diarrhoea,
- extreme thirst.
If you see any of the above symptoms, call your regular veterinarian and act in accordance with the veterinarian’s instructions. But there is nothing you should panic about because these cases are extremely rare. No matter how rare these cases are, it is always good to be cautious.
Conclusion – Can Cats Eat Pecans?
After all these information let’s ask one more time: can cats eat pecans? Pecans are not toxic to cats and a few pecans will not harm them as long as the cat in question is not allergic to pecans which is very rare. But pecans are not a part of a cat’s natural diet, and they can cause gastrointestinal issues.
Also, cats do not get any real benefit from pecans so it will be pointless to feed pecans to your kitty.
Can cats eat pecan pie?
Just like pecans or pistachios, pecan pie is not good for your little friend. First of all, pecan pie contains a lot of oil which means that your cat can gain weight due to excessive fat it is going to ingest. It is true that cats need a small amount of fat in their diets, but they already get this small amount from their cat food.
Second, pies in general mean a lot of calories. Even a small piece of pie can include half of the daily calories your kitty needs. Therefore, it is not a good idea to feed pecan pie to your cat.
Can cats eat roasted pecans?
Cats can eat roasted pecans as long as they don’t include salt which is bad for your cat if consumed excessively. Latest studies show that salt may not be as bad for cats as we previously thought but this is still a discussion in progress.
Roasted pecans lose some of their oils during the roasting process, but the amount of oil left in them is still a lot for cats so even roasted pecans can still cause gastrointestinal issues for cats.
