Is your cat taking the smell of lemon in a fruit bowl? Or is the cat showing great interest when you are thirsty and drinking lemonade? So, the first question that comes to your mind might be Can Cats eat lemon? The answer will be no in a word.
Lemons and all fruits like lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is good for human health but toxic for your pet cat. If you are a cat parent, then here is the happiest news for you that cats naturally dislike citrus’ aroma in lemons even felines are avoiding this fruit.
But what is lemon poisoning for cats? is lemon spray safe for cats? what are the Symptoms of Lemon Poisoning in Cats? This guide has covered all the answer to this question. As well as, you will get the diagnosis and treatment for lemon poisoning for the cat.
Can Cats Eat Lemons?
There is no place of lemon in a cat diet chart. First of all, lemon has no health benefits for the cat. Secondly, lemon can’t provide any nutrients for the cat. Lastly, the cat gets one kind of pungent smell from lemon and lemon juice. So, cat generally doesn’t eat lemons. Many cat owners try to provide lemon juice to their felines as a fun fact. But remember it is as harmful as you can’t think.
Cat is enough talent animal to avoid toxic food for them. So, it would help if you did not force them about lemons. And always try to hide the lemon-like fruits from your felines. It is good to know that lemon fruit has contained one kind of oil that is considered toxic for cats.
All citrus acid included fruits contain phenols oil which can be threatened for the cat. Likewise, phenols can harm the cat skin. Moreover, lemon-like fruits contain a photoactive compound psoralen as the psoralen helps human health as it is harmful to a cat. Also, note that lemon can destroy the digestion process.
Can Cats Drink Lemon Juice?
Lemon juice can cause gastrointestinal distress for your cat. So, there has a prohibition against feeding your cat lemon juice. But you can use lemon juice for cats with fleas because lemon has enough acidity. Most importantly, lemon juice is one of the effective home remedies for fleas on cats without bathing. Good to know it works as like homemade flea shampoo for cats. Many cat parents are using lemon juice to reduce lice and insects from the cat’s fur.
Applying the lemon juice into your cat fur with care is recommended because cats have licking habit. So, they might lick their fur and take some lemon juice. As a result, they get sick.
Can Cats Eat Lemon Tree Leaves?
Are lemon tree leaves poisonous to cats? or can cats eat lemongrass? Cats usually prefer to eat grass or leaves as these helps in their digestion. That’s why if you hold a lemon leaf in front of the cat, the cat tries to take the smell first. And the funny thing is that their sense of smell is so strong that it gives off a pungent odor on the lemon. As this kind of smell is in the lemon and the cat avoids it, the cat will avoid the lemon leaf.
Besides, the lemon leaf contains the toxic phenol, and it could be the reason for the liver failure of your cat. So, if your cat chews lemon leaves by mistake, don’t forget to contact Vet.
Can Cats Eat Lemon Peel?
The cat can’t eat lemon peel because they get an intense aroma from lemon and orange peel. After all, there has citrus acid in those fruits. That is why cat always avoids from the lemon peel. It is good to know that numerous cat owners are using lemon and orange peel to prevent the house cat from going in a specific place. Male cat has a bad habit of peeing here and there when they are in heat. And male and female both cats often love to scratch in several soft cushion furniture like sofa, couch and bed. Cat owner applies lemon juice and peels to can’t scratch or pee on furniture and bed.
Don’t let your cat eat the orange peel as any fun fact. However, you can search for some safe fruits for your cat. Although lemon is poisonous, some common fruits would bring a good result for your feline.
Are There Health Benefits of Lemon to Cats?
No, there have no health benefits of lemon for the cat even though there are several harmful poisoning ingredients for the cat. We know lemon is undoubtedly a beneficial fruit. It contains vitamin c, which is essential for human.
The reasons why the cat doesn’t need to eat lemon:
- Cat can’t tolerate the pungent smell of lemon juice and lemon-like all fruits.
- Cats are capable of producing their needed vitamin c from another source.
- The citrus acid of lemon is poisoning for the cat so it could not have any health benefits for cats
- The process of excretion and digestion for a cat is different than human
- As a feline is Carnivores animal so it can manage all of the nutrients and vitamins from meat and fish
- Cats get antioxidants from several fishes like salmons, herrings, mackerels, and halibuts
- A cat doesn’t need much fiber and can get fiber from the bones, tendons, ligaments, collagen, and cartilage.
From the above discussion, there are no health benefits for cats in lemon because they get all the nutrients, vitamins and fiber for their health from meat, fish and bone.
However,
What is Lemon Poisoning?
Eating lemon means to take a lot of citrus acid in a cat body. As well as, lemon contains phenol, limonene, and linalool. Do note that can liver is not similar powerful like a human to digest those compounds. When these compounds are not properly metabolized, a cat’s body begins to poison. And this is called lemon poisoning.
Symptoms of lemon poisoning in cats
- Diarrhea
- Tremors
- Vomiting
- Excessive drooling
- Low blood pressure
- Lethargy
- Fainting
- Skin irritation or rashes
- Liver failure
- Photosensitivity
- Sudden death
Diagnosis of Lemon Poisoning in Cats
First of all, try to find out if you eat a bit of lemon or a good amount. A smaller amount of lemon or juice might not be harmful or threatened for your cat. But the problem will happen if the feline eats a good amount of lemon or lemon juice. But the good way is going to a vet because a vet can diagnose your cat properly. Generally, the Vet observed the primary symptoms to diagnosis the poison.
Also, a vet can recognize the poison from several physical tests. If the Vet doesn’t diagnose any poison in your cat body, they might give some urinal and blood test. Overall, vet check for complete health condition as well as poison.
Most of the cat owner make wrong about their feline toxin and let to eat lemon juice. As normal people, you might think that lemon can cure the toxin infection. Besides, many often think that vomiting is best to remove the toxin from the feline body. But good to know that vomiting doesn’t work for all types of cat poison.
Treatment of Lemon Poisoning in Cats
When a vet can properly realize the cause of your cat poison, the treatment would be easier. Keep in mind vomiting is not the only solution because the cat might make lemonade smell which can affect the lungs.
Generally, vets wash the cat stomach to reduce the lemon toxic from cat digestive system. After the washing, vets are applying activated charcoal so that the absorption of toxic compounds will reduce son.
Moreover, a vet provides IV fluids that can fill the dehydration and adjust the electrolyte and glucose imbalances. Also, the Vet is using oxygen and anti-seizure medications if they notice the cat condition is severe.
Fruits and Veggies that are Safe for Cats
All of the carnivore’s animal mostly needs protein-based food for their health. But if wish to let your cat eat fruits and vegetables then know about the safe fruits. But you have to know what human food can cats eat.
- Asparagus (steamed)
- Baked carrots.
- Blueberries.
- Steamed Carrots
- Cooked winter squash.
- Steamed Green beans and Broccoli
- Pumpkin
- Melon.
- Bananas.
FAQ’S
- What essential oils are safe to diffuse around cats?
In the case of oil, a common question is lavender oil safe for cats? Yes, it is quite safe for a cat. Here is some more oil which are safe for a cat.
- Lavender
- Copaiba
- Frankincense
- helichrysum
- What does Cinnamon do to cats?
Cinnamon can cause allergic reactions, irritation and skin rashes. Besides, it can create irritation in the oral cat cavity. Not only for cat, but Cinnamon can also cause several problems for human and another animal.
- What is a toxic food for cats?
- Citrus fruits like lemon, orange and grasp
- All kinds of chocolates and caffeine
- Dairy products like milk, butter and you rut
- Spices like chili, garlic and onion
- Is Bergamot Oil safe to diffuse around cats?
Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association (CVMA) said that bergamot oil is poisonous for cats like the Cinnamon and clove. So, the diffuse of bergamot oil is not safe for your cat.
- Is Lemon essential oil safe for cats?
The lemon essential is not safe for cats because lemon essential has an aroma like citrus acid. So, cats try to run away from lemon and lemon-like fruits.
- Will essential oils kill my cat?
Not all essential oil can be the cause of killing your cat, but some essential oil can be harmful to a cat. You have to understand how much your cat has with the touch with toxic essential oil. If it has for a long time, then it would be dangerous. Otherwise, it is harmful.
- What scents are toxic to cats?
Here are the scents which are toxic to cats.
- Wintergreen
- citrus oil (d-limonene)
- oil of sweet birch
- Ylang Ylang oil
- peppermint oil
- pine oils
- cinnamon oil
- clove oil
- eucalyptus oil
- Tea tree oil
Final Word
Can cats eat lemon? Cats do not eat lemons but run away when they see lemons, limes and lemon-like fruits. Most importantly, lemon is toxic for the cat because there has citric acid into a lemon, which is toxic for the cat. If somehow your cat poisonous from the lemon you have to contact with a vet soon.
