Peppermint is famous for its refreshing taste and smell. We humans love peppermint and often want to share some of it with our cats. But there is a lot of uncertainty about whether if the cats can consume peppermint or not.
Can cats have peppermint? Is peppermint good for the cats or not? What are the possible side effects and benefits associated with feeding peppermint to cats?
These are the questions that every cat owner has in their mind right now and we are here to answer them for you. So, letās take a deeper dive into it.
Table of Contents
Could cats have peppermintĀ
Cats are carnivores and their natural diet is eating the flesh of other animals. Although they can eat some of the human foods, their primary diet will always be the flesh and meat of other animals. Therefore, we do not recommend feeding peppermint to your cat because of the certain risks it possess to the health of your cat.
Think of it this way, you are a human and you will only eat your natural diet. You will never eat the foods like raw meat, grass, and hay. Even if you eat, it will deteriorate your health and lead to complicated medical problems.
Similarly, cats should avoid peppermint because it is not their natural diet and possess certain health risks.
Can cats have peppermint on skin?
Some people believe that peppermint gives out a relaxing and calming smell and applying it to the skin of the cats can work as an anti-stress agent and relieve stress, depression, and anxiety among the cats.
Peppermint has a really attractive smell and you can apply it to the skin of your cat to de-odorize it. Just make sure to avoid the catās eye contact with peppermint and then your cat will start smelling quite good.
Another thing you need to be careful about is that peppermint can produce a burning sensation on the skin of your cat. Therefore, we recommend that you avoid direct contact with peppermint with the skin of your cat and use it indirectly. For example, you can put peppermint leaves in a glass of water for a while and then later spray that water lightly over your cat to de-odorize it.
Can cats have peppermint tea?
As you know that peppermint is a type of herb and it has anti-oxidant properties. Therefore, if you make peppermint tea and offer it to your cat, it will be completely fine.
The anti-oxidants present in the peppermint will clean up all the unhealthy radicals present in the body of your cat. However, at the same time, you must keep in mind that offering too much peppermint tea to your cat can have an adverse and opposite effect on the health of your cat. Therefore, you should offer a very small amount in moderation only. It will keep your cat healthy and help reducing anxiety, depression, stress, inflammation, and muscle soreness.
Can cats have peppermint extract?
No, cats should never have peppermint extract.
Vets always recommend against giving any type of peppermint product to the cats. The reason is that if the cat will consumer peppermint extract, it will create a burning sensation in their digestive tract and make them sick. This can lead to severe digestive problems such as gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, and inflammation, etc.
Can cats have peppermint oil?
No, you should never make the mistake of feeding peppermint oil to your cat.
Peppermint oil is not the natural diet of cats and their body is not built for ingesting and digesting peppermint oil. So you should avoid feeding peppermint oil to your cat.
You might not know that peppermint oil is actually a natural pesticide and feeding it to your cat can have a terrible and drastic impact on the health of your cat. So the peppermint oil will prove dangerous for your cat while ingesting, digesting, and even smelling peppermint oil.
If your cat has consumed peppermint oil, it will show the following symptoms:
- Hypertension
- Burning effect in the stomach
- Intense fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
If your cat shows any of these symptoms, immediately take it to the nearby vet.
Can cats have peppermint ice cream?
No, you should never feed peppermint ice cream to your cat because there are certain health risks associated with that.
The first reason is that peppermint ice cream contains a lot of artificial sweeteners and on the other side, cats are extremely sensitive and artificial sweeteners can have a drastic impact on their health.Ā
The second reason is that peppermint ice cream contains a lot of sugary content and consuming it can make your cat obese and lead to diabetes and increase the risk of heart problems.
The third reason is that the tongue of the cats is cannot taste sweet because they have fewer taste buds (800) as compared to us humans (8000). Due to this reason, the cats cannot detect sweet taste and there is no use in feeding peppermint ice cream to them.
Can cats eat peppermint candy
There is no doubt that domestic cats can eat peppermint candy but we do not recommend feeding peppermint candy to the cats due to the health risks it possesses.
The artificial sweeteners and flavors in peppermint candy can prove toxic for the sensitive digestive system of cats and the sugary content can also lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. That is why we recommend you stick to the natural diet of the cats.
Can cats eat peppermint leaves?
No, the cats should not eat peppermint leaves because they are unsafe for the health of cats.
The reason is that peppermint leaves contain essential oils that can hurt the health of your cat and lead to complicated medical problems.
What effect does peppermint have on cats
Peppermint is not an ideal food for cats and consuming too much of it can lead to mint poisoning among the cats. Here are some symptoms of that:
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal Problems
- Gas or Bloating
- Inflammation
- Weakness
- Vomiting and Nausea
Is diluted peppermint oil safe for cats
No, we donāt recommend feeding any kind of peppermint oil to your cat.
The reason is that peppermint oil can prove toxic and poisonous for cats.
There are so many better options out there, so why risk the life and health of your cat by feeding it diluted peppermint oil?
When does my cat like peppermint
Peppermint contains Nepetalactone compounds that attract the cats. This is the reason why some cats like peppermint. However, you should avoid feeding it to them as it contains some essential oils that can prove toxic for the cats.
Can the smell of peppermint hurt the cats
Yes, the smell of peppermint can cause breathing problems like faster heartbeat and difficulty while inhaling, etc. That is why experts recommend you keep it away from the cats.
Can kittens eat peppermint
No, you should never feed peppermint to kittens because they are even more sensitive than cats and even the slightest imbalance can have a severe and drastic impact on their health.
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