Can Cats Eat Strawberries? Yes, a Small Piece Only

Why strawberries are safe for cats

The ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant list names strawberry as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, so the fruit and the plant are not poisonous. A cat that bats a strawberry off the counter and chews it is not in danger.

Safe is not the same as useful. Cornell's Feline Health Center explains that cats need nutrients that come only from animal products, and that their natural diet contains very little carbohydrate. Fruit is mostly water and sugar, so it is a curiosity for a cat rather than a source of nutrition.

Cats that should skip strawberries

Cats with diabetes should not have strawberries, or any other fruit, because of the sugar. The same goes for overweight cats and those on a prescription diet for kidney, urinary or digestive problems, where your vet has set what goes in the bowl.

Watch, too, for the sweet products made from strawberries. Strawberry yogurt, ice cream and jam add sugar and dairy; Cornell notes that many cats are lactose-intolerant. Sugar-free versions may contain sweeteners you would not want your cat to have.

How to prepare a strawberry for your cat

Wash the berry, cut off the green leafy top and stem, and slice off a piece about the size of a pea. Cut that into even smaller bits if your cat tends to gulp. The leaves are not toxic, but they are tough and fibrous for a small mouth.

Offer it on a plate or from your fingers, and do not be surprised if your cat sniffs it and walks off. Cats lack sweet taste receptors, as Tufts veterinary nutritionists point out, so many find fruit uninteresting. Some enjoy the cold texture of a frozen sliver.

A feeding mat under a ceramic bowl keeps any shared food in one place and easy to clean up.

How much strawberry for a cat

Treats of every kind should make up a small share of a cat's day. Cornell suggests roughly 10 to 15 percent of daily calories at most, and a whole strawberry is too much for most cats. One or two pea-size pieces, no more than a couple of times a week, is a sensible ceiling.

The goal is a taste, not a snack. If your cat begs for food, a small piece of its usual wet food or a single cat treat is a better reward than fruit, because it fits the diet its body actually needs.

Strawberries and kittens

A healthy kitten can sniff or lick a tiny piece of strawberry, but there is no reason to offer fruit while it is growing. Kittens need a complete kitten food for steady development, and their stomachs upset easily with new foods.

If a kitten steals a bite, cut what is left into tiny pieces or take it away so it cannot choke. Watch the litter box over the next day for soft stool, and call your vet if a kitten vomits more than once or seems lethargic.

Signs strawberry disagreed with your cat

Too much fruit usually causes vomiting or soft stool within a few hours to a day. That generally passes once the fruit is through. Rarely, a cat may react to a new food with itching, swelling around the face or hives, which should be checked by a vet.

Call your vet the same day if your cat vomits more than once, has diarrhea for more than a day, stops eating, or seems weak, hides or breathes with effort. A cat that refuses food for more than a day needs attention regardless of the cause.

What to give your cat instead

Cats get the most from treats that are meat-based: a small piece of plain cooked chicken or turkey with no skin, bones or seasoning, a freeze-dried meat treat or a lick of their usual wet food. Those fit the diet a cat needs.

Keep lilies out of any bouquet that arrives with strawberries, because every part of a lily can cause kidney failure in cats. Grapes, raisins, onions, garlic and chocolate should also stay well out of reach.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.