What fruits and vegetables are safe for your furry friends? Read our comprehensive guide.
Most household pets love to eat, and many people like to share their favorite foods with their pets. However, this is not always safe or responsible, because pets have very different digestive systems and natural diets than humans do.
Additionally, pets may find their way into your home garden, and it is essential to ensure that the fruits and vegetables you grow are safe for human consumption. While it is certainly not ideal for pets to feed from your garden, it may happen on occasion and it is important to prevent this from being detrimental to the health of your pet.
Safe for Pets to Eat
Apples
Apples are safe and beneficial for pets to eat in moderate doses. They are packed with essential vitamins and fiber, making them safe and enjoyable for pets. Remove the seeds and core before feeding an apple to your pet so the apple is easy to eat.
Bananas
Bananas are safe as an occasional treat for your pet. In high doses, bananas may contain too much sugar for an animal, but in small doses pets can benefit from the rich source of potassium, vitamins, and fiber.
Blueberries
Blueberries are safe and easy for pets to eat. If you find your pet snacking from a blueberry bush, there is no need to worry. In moderate doses, pets can benefit from the antioxidants a blueberry provides.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is safe for pets to eat. Overall, cantaloupe is healthy to incorporate on occasion into your pet’s diet, but it is important to exercise caution if your pet has any health conditions such as diabetes. The high sugar content could be unhealthy for pets with any health issues.
Cranberries
Cranberries, both dried and fresh, are safe for your furry friends to eat. Fresh cranberries may taste too sour for most pets, but there are always exceptions! If your pet enjoys cranberries, they can enjoy a small dose, but too many may upset their stomach.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are safe and even beneficial for pets to eat. The high water content of cucumbers makes them a hydrating and low calorie source for overweight animals to gain nutrients from.
Mango
Mango is safe for pets, but it contains high levels of sugar content so it should only be given in moderation. In small amounts, pets can benefit from the vitamins that mangos contain. Ensure that the pit is removed from the mango, as it can be toxic for pets and is a choking hazard.
Oranges
Many pets are deterred from citrus scents and probably won’t want to indulge in any citrus fruits, but every pet is different. If your pet enjoys citrus fruit, it can be enjoyed in moderation without the peel or seeds. However, citrus fruits can easily upset their stomachs, so don’t offer more than a slice or two to your pet.
Peaches
Peaches are safe for your pets to eat and can be beneficial in small doses, as long as the toxic pit is removed. Refrain from feeding canned peaches to your pets, as these often contain high levels of artificial syrup and sugars.
Pears
Pears are safe and beneficial for pets to eat in moderation. Pears reduce the risk of having a stroke in both humans and animals, so you may start feeding pears to your older pets as a preventative measure and to offer peace of mind. Ensure that the pit and seeds have been removed, and steer away from canned pears.
Pineapple
Pineapple is safe for pets and can be beneficial in moderate doses. As you would with any high-sugar fruit, avoid giving excess amounts of pineapple to an overweight pet or pet with health problems. Remove the difficult to eat or inedible parts of the pineapple before serving, such as the peel and core.
Pumpkin
Pure pumpkin is healthy for pets and is even included in some pet food. Not only does it help their skin and fur, but it also improves their digestion. Make sure that the pumpkin you feed your pets is made of pure pumpkin with no additives.
Raspberries
Raspberries can be healthy for pets in small doses. They do contain trace amounts of xylitol which can be toxic to pets when consumed excessively. If you have raspberry bushes nearby, you may want to fence them off from your pet to avoid excess consumption. Otherwise, pets can reap the anti-inflammatory benefits of raspberries when consumed moderately.
Strawberries
Strawberries are generally healthy for pets to consume. They can even help to improve the condition and whiteness of your pet’s teeth. Similar to any other fruit with a high sugar content, it should be consumed in moderation by your pets.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a safe and hydrating source of nutrients for your pets. If your pets don’t drink enough water, a watermelon snack could benefit them. Some people feed scraps of watermelons to their pets, including the rinds and seeds, but this part of the watermelon is not safe for pets to consume. Feed your pets the same sweet flesh of the watermelon that you also enjoy.
Broccoli
Broccoli can be safe for pets to consume, but only in very low doses. Broccoli can cause irritation to a pet’s digestive system when consumed frequently or in high doses. If your pet loves broccoli, they can enjoy a bite or two here and there and may benefit from the rich nutrient source.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are safe for pets to eat, but you may not want to feed them to your pets because they can cause your pets to become gassy. While brussels sprouts can be healthy for your pets, you may still want to limit their consumption for this reason.
Carrots
Carrots are healthy for pets and are even an ingredient in many pet foods. Pets often love to eat carrots and can reap the benefits of many vitamins and minerals that carrots are packed with. Carrots can even help to improve the overall help of your pet’s teeth.
Celery
Celery is safe for pets to eat, and can be enjoyed as a healthy and hydrating treat due to the high water content. If your pet has bad breath, you may find that incorporating celery into their diets could help combat this issue.
Green Beans
Green beans are safe and beneficial for pets to eat. If you’re feeding green beans from a can to your pet, ensure that there is no added salt, because the high salt content could be unhealthy for your pet. When cooking green beans, monitor the amount of seasoning and spices that you add, because excessive seasoning could be unhealthy for your pet as well.
Peas
Peas are healthy when consumed moderately by your pets. Similar to green beans, watch for added salt content when using canned peas. Excessive salt could be unhealthy for your pet, but otherwise peas are generally healthy as an occasional snack.
Spinach
Spinach is safe for pets to eat in small doses, but in large doses it could be dangerous due to the oxalic acid contained in spinach. While it is unlikely that a pet would eat a dangerous amount of spinach, some pets can be insatiable and will eat anything. If your pet loves to eat, it is best to keep large amounts of spinach out of reach from them.
Unsafe for Pets to Eat
Avocado
Avocados are dangerous to pets. Avoid leaving avocados in reach of your pets. If you have avocado trees in your yard, make sure that your pet doesn’t have access to the areas where avocados might fall to the ground if your pet is prone to curious snacking. The pit and skin of avocados is especially dangerous and contains toxins that can make your pet ill.
Cherries
Pets should not consume cherries due to the cyanide content. Cyanide can be very dangerous when consumed by your pets. While the actual flesh of a cherry does not contain cyanide, the rest of the cherry does, thus cherries in general should not be in reach of your pet.
If cherries grow near you, monitor your pet closely to see if they interact with any cherries growing. If they express interest in the cherries, you will need to restrict their access to this area.
Grapes
Grapes are completely unsafe for all house pets. Consumption of grapes can be fatal for pets by causing kidney failure. Do not allow your pets to be near any grapes. If you notice grape vines growing near an area that your pets have access to, you will need to remove the vines or ensure that your pets cannot access the vines.
Tomatoes
While many people enjoy growing tomatoes, you must exercise caution when it comes to having tomatoes near your pets. Fresh tomatoes are generally OK for pets to eat, but unripe tomatoes can be dangerous to pets. Avoid growing tomatoes in an area that your pets might access if they might be tempted to snack on the tomatoes.
Asparagus
Asparagus is not necessarily dangerous to feed to pets, but it will not benefit them in any way to consume asparagus. If your pet consumes a small amount of asparagus it is not a cause for concern, but you might prefer to opt for a more beneficial fruit or vegetable to feed your pet.
Mushrooms
Just as some mushrooms can be toxic to humans, mushrooms can be toxic for pets as well. If wild mushrooms grow in your yard, you may want to remove them just in case your pet gets curious about them. Not all mushrooms are toxic to pets, but it is better not to take the chance.
Onions
Onions are not safe for pets to eat. It is very dangerous for dogs and cats alike. Onions can cause a variety of health problems and even be fatal if consumed in large amounts. While it is not likely that your pets will be drawn to the smell and taste of onions, you should not give them the chance to find out, because it is simply not worth the risk.
Pet-Friendly Fruits and Vegetables: Final Thoughts
While it is natural to want to share your favorite dishes with your pets, some fruits and vegetables are not safe for pets to consume. Refer to this guide when determining whether or not a food is safe for your pet.
When feeding your furry friend a pet-friendly fruit or vegetable, ensure that the food is fresh and in good condition. Don’t feed your pets old produce that you don’t want anymore, because it may not be safe for them either. There are better ways to reduce kitchen waste that won’t risk the health of your pet.
In order to track the shelf life of your produce, use the Lil’ Broc app to be sure that your fruits and vegetables are always fresh and tasty for you and your pets.