The almond tree is a plant belonging to the Rosaceae family and the almond tree is its edible seed. The almonds that appear on our tables are generally divided into sweet almonds and bitter almonds and it is important to distinguish between them. The first is the real seeds of the almond tree. The second is the seeds contained in the fruits, such as peaches and apricots.
Can cats eat almonds?
ASPCA declared that almonds are not toxic for cats. So, cats can eat almonds. Also, you can give apples, avocados and other fruits that contain seeds inside the pulp and which are left to dry. Both are used both for food (but in moderation) and for aesthetic purposes. Instead, they should not be used for feeding animals in general.
Cats are animals usually fond of dried fruit, such as almonds, walnuts and raisins. A snack of this type is not always good for them, and for various reasons that could create various types of ailments, starting from vomiting and diarrhea to arrive at an obstruction in the text, because not all organisms easily digest these substances.
We can start from the consideration that many nuts, including almonds, both sweet and bitter, contain a high percentage of phosphorus, one of the main causes of bladder stones. Keep reading Can dogs eat honey?
But the fundamental reason is that the almond contains a toxic substance called amygdalin, which is deactivated only by cooking. The bitterer the almond, the more toxic it is. This is not only for cats but for humans.
When we buy this fruit, we do not know that the substance contained in it and recognized as toxic. It becomes dangerous when it comes into contact with saliva (both human and animal) and with stomach acids, breaking down and producing hydrogen cyanide, also known as acid prussic. The same happens to a lesser extent for nuts. Amygdalin has been a substance that has been talked about for the past thirty years about its powerful anti-cancer capabilities.
The official list drawn up by the Humane Society contains a complete list of foods and a seed that cannot be used to feed a pet, and it is to say that almonds are not part of it. The dried fruits that are excluded drastically are the nuts in general and the Macadamia nuts.
Still on the same list, however, almost all the seeds contained in summer fruits are indicated, and this would suggest that the same sweet almonds, which although contain a small amount of the toxic substance, are to be excluded from their diet.
Conclusion
There is also another consideration not to be overlooked. The toxicity of almonds is different in human and animal organisms. The moment the cat ate some almonds and had no aches and pains, we won’t have to worry too much, because his metabolism will have been able to tolerate them. However, it is preferable to return immediately to the usual feeding of our friend, because continuing to give him snacks of this type will lead to slow poisoning of the animal, and sooner or later we will have to resort to the help of the veterinarian.
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