Coconut is a fruit with nutritious content good for our outer body and inner body. We can get a different product from coconuts such as coconut oil, milk, water, and meat. We can also make different recipes from a coconut, for instance, coconut drink or dessert.

 As much as we love coconut and want to share the nutritious and delicious taste of coconut with our cats, there are some questions we need to ask ourselves, such as; does our feline friend love it too? Is coconut safe for our feline friend to eat? What are the health implications for our feline friend?

These are what we will be looking at.

Can a cat eat coconut?

Apart from those that are allergic to coconut, we all conform that coconut is good for humans. Knowing that cat is a nosy friend who wants to know what you are eating. Is it safe health-wise for your feline friend? Yes! Your cat can eat coconut because, unlike chocolate, it’s not poisonous. That is, it is not toxic to them. Notwithstanding, you should be aware that coconut contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) (Harvard University), which is not good for your cat if consumed in large quantities. We will see below the health implications of coconut to your cats.

What are the benefits and health concerns?

Health concerns

As we have said earlier, your cat can consume coconut but at a moderate level to prevent the effect of excessive MCT on them. Coconut may not be poisonous to them, but the issue is that their digestive system was not designed to process fruits. Your cat may suffer from intestinal disorders, pancreatitis (when the organ that makes enzymes required for digestion is inflated), or hepatic lipidosis (when there is excess fat in the liver) due to excessive consumption of coconut. Consuming coconut daily by your cat can also lead to health issues related to obesity due to the high calorie in coconut.

Suppose your cat displays any of these symptoms: fever, diarrhea, lethargy, yellowing of the eye skin or mouth, vomiting, difficulty breathing, seizures, or fatigue. In that case, you will have to stop giving her coconut to eat, and you will also need to book an appointment with a veterinarian. Generally, it is best to consult your veterinarian to know if you can feed your cat with human food because different cats have different health status.

Benefits

Let’s look at the health benefits of coconut for your cat;

• Coconut oil helps with skin problems; coconut oil helps any skin irritation such as dry skin. Applying coconut oil on their skin can help moisturize the irritating part of their skin and make their skin and coat healthy and moisturized.
• Coconut oil helps with the hairballs problem; your cat may suffer from regurgitates hairballs due to inflammation in their respiratory tract. Coconut oil can help reduce the inflammation because it contains lauric acid that fights against inflammation.
• Enhancing your cat’s immune system; coconut oil contains lauric acid that fights against bacterial, fungal, and yeast. It strengthens your cat’s immune system helping to fight against bacterial infections and diseases.

How much coconut can you feed your cat? And how often?

To prevent hepatic lipidosis and health issues relating to excess MCT, you should not feed your cat with coconut on an occasional basis.

Food with excess sugar and fatty acid is not good for your cat’s daily consumption because it makes them suffer from intestinal distress. That is, a teaspoon of coconut oil should serve for a day, and it does not necessarily have to be every day.

Can a cat eat coconut oil?

Most veterinarians agreed that coconut oil is healthy for your cats to treat illnesses such as arthritis, bad breath, and hairballs. Notwithstanding, feeding your cats with excess coconut oil may make your cat suffer the same health issues associated with consuming coconut milk. It is advisable to moderate the way you feed your cat with coconut oil if they are fond of it and observe if they will display any symptoms.

What about coconut water, coconut milk, and coconut ice cream?

The liquid inside a coconut is known as coconut water. It is good for people with low blood pressure because it is very rich with potassium; it contains moderate fat compare to other coconut products. Your cat may suffer from health issues like hyperkalemia (that has to do with kidney failure) is caused by consuming more than the moderate level of potassium. Do you want to know our take on coconut water? Don’t feed your cat with coconut water.

Coconut milk is gotten from shredded coconut meat. Most cats suffer from tummy issues such as diarrhea due to consuming milk, but unlike milk, coconut milk rarely causes diarrhea for cats. It can make your cat suffer from obesity due to its high level of calories and fat. Knowing that obesity is associated with skin problems, liver disease, arthritis, and cats’ digestive system can’t break down lactose, it is not advisable to regularly feed your cat with coconut milk. But if your cat likes coconut milk, then mix the coconut milk with water to help moderate the fat and sugar in it.

Final thought

As much as you want your cat to enjoy the tasty and delicious coconut, you must know its health implications because a cat is a carnivores animal (their digestive system can’t digest food with high sugar).

Feeding your cat with a moderate coconut quantity is safe and healthy for your cat, especially coconut oil.