Can Cats Eat Spinach?

Spinach is widely regarded as a ‘superfood’ for humans. It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals, and we tend to enjoy this leafy green vegetable in a great deal of different dishes – from salads to curries.

Because spinach is so good for people, you may be wondering if cats can eat spinach too, and if they can see the same benefits that we do? Keep reading and find out all you need to know about cats and spinach.

Can cats eat spinach?

Yes, cats can eat spinach! In fact, there are even commercial cat food diets that include spinach as one of their ingredients. However, although spinach is safe for cats to eat, there’s no need to supplement their diet with this food, as a high-quality cat food should contain everything they need to meet their nutritional requirements.

Is spinach good for cats?

As mentioned previously, cats don’t need spinach in their diet, as a good quality cat food will normally contain all the nutrients they need. With that being said, even a small amount of spinach contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, K, B6, B2 and E and it’s a great source of magnesium, folate, calcium and potassium too.

However, there are some occasions where spinach is not so good for cats, for example, if they have kidney or urinary problems. This is because spinach contains calcium oxalate which may cause cats to develop harmful crystals in their urinary tract and cause further issues. Because of this, it’s important to only feed a small amount of spinach to your cat as a treat, and always speak to your vet first. Good quality feline diets containing spinach should also only contain amounts of this ingredient that are safe for your cat.

How to feed spinach to cats

Preparing spinach for your cat to have as a small snack is relatively easy. We recommend just steaming it and not adding any salt, spices or seasoning, as these aren’t good for your feline. Offer your cat a small amount of cooked, plain spinach to see if they like it, but don’t be surprised if they don’t! Many cats aren’t so keen on vegetables or fruits, and would rather snack on some tasty, cat-specific treats or a nice piece of lean meat instead.

If your cat does want to eat the spinach you offer them, only ever feed them a small amount of this food on the odd occasion as a treat. When feeding your cat treats, always remember to follow the rule of 10%, making sure that treats don’t make up more than 10% of your cat’s daily calorie intake, with the other 90% coming from a complete and balanced cat food.

Now you know the answer to “can cats eat spinach?”! Remember that cats don’t need this leafy green vegetable in their diet, so it doesn’t need to be a permanent fixture, and you should never substitute it for their main cat food.

Want to find out more about what foods your cat can eat? Learn if cats can eat eggs, next.