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Can Cats Eat Spinach?

By Stacy Painter
published: October 13, 2021 • 2 min. read
spinach

Table of Contents

The quick answer: Yes, if your cat doesn’t have existing kidney or urinary problems. 

Benefits of spinach

Nutrient-rich and tasty, cats can get a bit of their 10% of veggies from spinach if you’re looking to add some green to their diet. Leafy greens like spinach have lots of vitamin E and C as well as carotenoids and minerals like magnesium and iron.

If you choose to add some greens via spinach, ask your vet if this would be compatible with your individual cat’s body. Grasses and things that cats seek out on their own are safer in some cases. 

Protect your pet

Hazards

Spinach contains oxalates, a naturally occurring substance that, when consumed in large amounts, can block the body’s ability to absorb calcium and can cause kidney and bladder stones. Too many leafy vegetables or fruits are never a good idea for a cat’s diet, so avoid overfeeding greens and especially avoid spinach if there’s a conflict with your cat’s urinary system or if they’re prone to crystals. 

Too many green vegetables can cause stomach upset, and when paired with the urinary risks, it may be smarter to choose vegetable options without the what if. Carrots and peas are a more densely nutritious example that cats may even prefer to the taste of spinach and other leafy greens, plus they don’t pose the threat of kidney or urinary issues.

Cat owners must maintain a dietary plan that will benefit their cat. As obligate carnivores, their vegetable tolerance is very unlike a human’s. Since such a small portion of a feline diet is comprised of vegetables and fruits, it’s easy to accidentally overfeed vegetables. Allowing your cats to have the occasional green snack is OK, but it’s better to stick to a balanced cat food.

Stacy Painter profile
By Stacy Painter

Stacy has always been an animal lover and has worked in the pet industry and pet insurance specifically for over a decade. As a writer since early childhood, content writing for Healthy Paws pet insurance was a natural career path to combine her two passions. She currently lives in Florida with her boyfriend and Taiwanese rescue dog, Kaya.

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