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The quick answer: Yes, cats can eat bananas because they are not toxic to cats, but it’s not recommended.
Though a small nibble won’t hurt, it’s best not to regularly feed your cat pieces of banana. Cats don’t have sweet receptors on their tongues, so they won’t enjoy the sweet flavor of a banana the same way humans do anyway. Additionally, cats don’t have any nutritional need for what bananas provide, and they can get all their essential nutrients from a balanced cat food.
Benefits of bananas
To a human, bananas are delicious and a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and magnesium. This convenient snack also comes in its very own compostable wrapper! However, foods that are great for humans aren’t always good for our feline friends. For a cat that eats a complete cat food, there are no real benefits of including bananas in their diet.
Hazards of bananas for cats
Cats aren’t well equipped to digest sugars and eating too much banana can lead to gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting and diarrhea.
Secondly, because cats are obligate carnivores, they should be eating little to no carbohydrates; bananas are comprised of over 20% carbohydrates. For these reasons, it’s best not to share bananas with your cat but opt for other more cat-friendly treats.
As with any added snack or treat, keep them to a minimum. The additional sugars and calories consumed can lead to weight gain over time if your cat is regularly partaking in your banana snacking.
