Yes, it is totally safe for your cat to eat strawberries. They are completely non-toxic to cats and dogs. You should always remember that your cat's diet hasn’t changed much from their wild ancestors. In fact, cats aren’t really domesticated, we’ve kept them basically as wild companions in exchange for food. The vast majority of their diet consists of rodents, birds and other small creatures.
I know you may enjoy a very delicious and juicy strawberry, but your cat doesn’t even have taste buds to discern sweet foods, so you might want to limit the amount of fruit you give them as fruits contain natural sugars. Sugar is not a part of your cat's natural diet and although you may enjoy it, your cat doesn’t need an abundance of it.
The ASPCA also confirms that strawberries are not toxic to cats.
Are there any benefits?
Just because strawberries aren’t a natural part of your cats diet doesn’t mean that there aren’t any benefits to eating them. Strawberries carry lots of natural vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that could be beneficial to your cat.
Vitamin C
While your cat produces all the vitamin C that they need to in their liver, Vitamin C is a vitamin that is essential to the health and diet of felines.
Potassium
Potassium is a very necessary nutrient that your cat needs to promote a healthy nervous system in addition to other health factors like bone health and muscle growth. There are some definite health benefits to your cat getting potassium.
Folic Acid
Cats require folic acid to help aid with breaking down proteins in their most meat-based diet, so the additional folic acid in Strawberries certainly won’t hurt. With that being said, if your cat has a well-balanced diet then there should be little to no worry that they aren’t getting enough of the nutrients they need for proper health.
How often can you feed it to them?
There is very little nutritional value that is added to your cat as a result of ingesting strawberries so it would be wise to give them strawberries sparingly.
If they show interest and otherwise have no allergic sneezes then giving them a small sliver of strawberry would be the recommended amount on a case by case basis, but nothing that should be included with their regular feeding.
There is plenty of other nutritional cat treats that you can offer to your kitty.
Any concerns?
Sugar
Sugar in any excessive quantity can lead to diabetes in cats. Sugar has also been linked to tooth decay in felines and not to mention obesity. The same reasons that you don’t want to give your children a lot of sugar are also the same reasons that you don’t want to give you cat more sugar than reasonable.
Allergies
While strawberry allergies in humans are usually very mild, it is entirely possible that your cat could also have an allergy to strawberries. If you notice that your cat begins to sneeze after being exposed to strawberries then it’s probably best to assume that your cat has an allergy to them and refrain from putting strawberries anywhere near them for their own good.
Commons Questions
Do cats like strawberries?
Cats have been documented to have no known taste receptors for sweet foods so if they do show interest, it’s likely that they are just curious what you’re eating. With that being said, if they enjoy them, then who am I do disagree?
Can kittens eat strawberries?
Yes, strawberries are non-toxic to kittens as well as adult cats. They should eat even less than you would give to an adult cat
Can my cat get a stomach ache from strawberries?
Possibly. Sugar is not a natural part of a cat's diet so any additional sugar that they ingest is possible to upset their stomach.
Can cats eat strawberry plants?
Cats are known to eat greenery and grass every now and then. The sharp serrated edges of strawberry leaves are not recommended as they can irritate your cat's throat, eyes, and noses.
Final Words
Yes, cats can eat strawberries and there is generally no negative side effect. With that being said, it’s not a valued part of your cat's diet. Cats need lots of protein and strawberries are severely lacking in this department. It’s best to give your cat sparing amounts of strawberry and only if they show interested.