Maybe you left out some plums on the dining table and you saw your cat ate a part of it. Now you probably wondering, can cats eat plums? The straightforward answer is no. Plums are poisonous to cats. If your cat eats plum pits or seeds, they are in deep trouble. The seeds or pits of Plums can cause many health problems like vomiting, gasping, panting, fading, etc.
Cats are carnivorous by born, which means they will eat anything that is meat.
This means the cat’s digestive system cannot digest fruits properly. Though there are some fruits cats can eat in moderation, most fruits like plums, cherries, apricot, and peach are poisonous to them. There are a few things you need to know if your cat eats fruits like plums. You cal also another article where I list out 27 foods cat can & cannot eat.
Why Plums Is Poisonous For Cat?
Though plums are sweet, juicy fruit but this fruit should be kept away from cats. Plum leaves, stems, and seeds contain cyanide (Cyanogenic glycosides), which is toxic for cats. The problems may get serious if cats sallow the seeds of the plum.
Most likely plum seed can cause your pet to choke and increases the risk of cyanide poisoning. Your cat can recover from plum poisoning if treatment is performed. Take your cat to the near veterinary if your cat eats any part of the plum.
What are the Symptoms of plum poisoning in cats?
The presence of cyanide in plum pits or seeds causes plum poisoning in cats. Therefore, it’s very important to learn the sign of plum poisoning before it’s too late.
The symptoms of plum poisoning in cats include:
- Breathing difficulty.
- Cardiac arrest.
- Loss of consciousness
- Vomiting
- Dilated pupils
- Collapse while walking
- Shock
How to Treat Plum Poisoning In Cats At Home?
If your cat sallows the pits of plum or eats its leaves & stem, they are most likely to suffer from cyanide poisoning. Necessary treatment needs to perform immediately if your cat suffers from plum poisoning.
Home treatment of plum poisoning includes:
- Plum poisoning affects oxygen intake, gets the cat to fresh air, or keeps them in an oxygen mask.
- Make your cat vomit. Squeeze cat belly gently to make them vomit.
- If your cats stop breathing, do hands-only CPR.
- Cat is experiencing symptoms of severe plum poisoning, seek immediate medical attention.
If you left your cat untreated, plum poisoning may cause cardiac arrest, seizure, or leave your cat in a coma. There is a high risk your cat will die from plum poisoning (cyanide poisoning) if immediate treatment is not performed.
How Long Cats Take To Recover From Plum Poisoning?
If necessary treatments are performed and if the symptoms are not severe, it normally takes 2 to 4 days to recover from plum poisoning. If the symptoms are severe they may take several days to recover.
The sooner the treatment is done, the better your cat has the chance of making full recovery. Your cats may need to stay at the hospital for several days & needs close monitoring if the condition gets worse.
Once your cat is discharged from the hospital, make sure you properly nurse your cat following vet guidelines. The better you nurse, the faster your cat will recover. Remove plants from a garden that contains cyanide or restrict your cat’s access to toxic plants or fruits.
What Not To Do If Cats Suffer From Plum Poisoning?
Do not do anything stupid when you find your cats suffering from plum poisoning. Do not feed your cat water, water helps to make a faster digestion process (the faster the digestion process, the faster cyanide will mix with the blood).
Firstly, do not panic. Perform the first aid for plum poisoning that I mentioned above. If the veteran clinic is not near your house, call a vet, and follow their guidelines.
Which Fruit Contains Cyanide?
Besides plums, there are many fruits that contain cyanide. Do not feed your cat the part of fruits that contains cyanide. Not only cats but no living organism also should not eat fruits or part of fruits that contains cyanide.
Fruits that contain cyanide include:
- Cherry pits or seeds
- Apple seeds.
- Apricots
- Prune
- Nutmeg
- lima beans
- Apricot Pits
- Green potatoes
- Raw Kidney Beans
- Bitter Almonds
- Nectarines
Some fruits may be healthy for cats but stone or pits/seeds in them are dangerous. So before giving your cat stone fruits remove its pits or seed in them. So, never let your cat eat stone fruits without moderation. If your cat mistakenly eats stone fruits, seek immediate treatment.
Guide to Toxic Plants for Cats in the Garden
As cat owners, we all want to keep our cats happy and healthy. This is why we are raising awareness among cat owners of the common plants that are poisonous to cats.
| Plants Name | Can Cause: | What To Do |
| Apple (Seeds) | Vomiting, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, and shock | If poisoning occurs, a stomach wash is best if done urgently. |
| Aloe Vera | Diarrhea vomiting, anxiety, depression, tremors. | Poisoning is rare but if poisoning occurs take your cat to the near veterinary clinic. |
| Lime | Depression, vomiting, diarrhea | If the condition gets serious take your cat to the vet immediately. |
| Apricot (seeds) | Cyanide poisoning | Prognosis is good if care is sought immediately. |
| Begonia | Burning of mouth, lips & tongue. Oral irritation, eating difficulty, Vomiting | Can cause extreme oral pain. Take the cats to the vet for necessary treatments. |
| Daisy | Incoordination diarrhea, dermatitis, hyper-salivation | Most cats can recover by themselves, if cats get severely affected it’s better to contact a vet. |
| Hibiscus | Nausea, anorexia, vomiting | Poisoning is rare but if poisoning occurs, veterinary treatment is necessary for gastrointestinal problems. |
Final Thoughts
Do not give you cat fruits that contain harmful chemicals in their seeds or pits. Though you can give your cat some fruits, it’s not recommended in large quantities. Cat is carnivorous by nature, all you can feed them is meat, meat, and meat.
Cat loves food that has a high amount of protein. They do not need any type of vegetable or fruit diet to keep them healthy. This high protein diet from amazon is best for the cat’s healthy diet.