You’re a lucky person if you have a queen next to you. We know the British queen loves drinking tea, so it’s only right to ask the question: Can cats drink green tea?
Your posh little lady maybe didn’t tell you she likes this beverage, but you’ve heard of other furry companions trying it out.
Is your pet just an outcast that doesn’t like tea? You can never know if you don’t even try! But before you start any experiments, you should always ask the following: Is it safe for my feline?
A lot of cat parents usually trust their pets and their instincts. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about it. But it’s similar to letting a child pick out the clothes they’re going to wear for school.
You encourage their spontaneity and curiosity, but it sometimes just isn’t the right choice. In the same way, felines can either be right or wrong in their choices.
Well, I know my cat had her share of embarrassing moments. She’d sneak into the kitchen and her curiosity would get the best of her. Moments later, I have a mess to clean up.
But when we’re talking about our furry babies, it’s not the mess that we’re worried about. Their health is a much bigger concern to us.
Therefore, don’t be mad if she decides to lap up some of your hot beverage. Instead, it would be better to ask yourself can cats drink green tea, and is it safe for their health. So, cheers to that!
Can cats drink green tea without any repercussions?
I’m not trying to scare you, but think about it. What’s more important: the fact that you were left without your cup of tea or your pet’s wellbeing?
I already know what you’re going to choose, so I’ll try to ease some of your worries. Cats can drink green tea but in moderation. (Don’t ignore these last two words.)
We’re fully aware that they’re royalty, but perhaps tea isn’t really the greatest choice for felines. I know drinking tea is like a trademark of nobility, but that’s far less important than their safety.
Thankfully, green tea isn’t poisonous to cats as some other beverages are. However, this doesn’t mean that it gets a green light all the time.
And after all, what are the chances of your pet liking this drink? Sure, it smells nice and has a calming effect. But is that enough to satisfy your queen bee?
Do cats even like tea?
It’s not really safe to give an answer to this question for the whole cat kingdom. You see, each cat has a mind of its own.
What I want to say is that your pet might be thrilled if you introduce this new ingredient to her diet. On the other hand, it’s possible she’ll just scrunch up her nose at it.
Either way, it’s best not to rush things. You know that green tea has many health advantages for humans, so I understand why you want to offer some to your pet.
Although you have good intentions, we can sometimes do more damage than good. I believe you’re already aware that cats shouldn’t really consume human foods and drinks.
But we must ask ourselves, with all of the health benefits, is green tea perhaps an exception? Should we treat this hot beverage with privilege?
So, can cats drink green tea in small amounts? If it turns out that she doesn’t like it, can you still mix in some of it with her wet food, right?
My mind is just spinning with all of these questions. So, let’s figure them out one by one! We’ll find out if cats can drink green tea, when, where, and how.
First things first, is green tea healthy?
Well, I think it goes without saying that green tea is among the healthiest beverages out there (at least for humans). We know tea is usually used to make you feel better but this specific one has many other benefits up its sleeve.
It can impact your physical as well as mental health. I’d say that this drink simply has some magic powers. People usually have a bag of green tea safe in the pantry for any kind of emergency.
Therefore, it sure is healthy. But can these health benefits be applied to our furry pets as well? I know you’re looking forward to a positive answer, so let’s make the best of it.
1. Lowers blood pressure
You wouldn’t think that a cat can possibly have high blood pressure because they never seem to worry, right? Jokes aside, felines can also suffer from this condition.
Thankfully, green tea has the ability to decrease blood pressure. This drink contains saponins which are naturally occurring compounds.
They help maintain your pet’s blood pressure and ease your worries. However, don’t share a cup with your feline without consulting your vet first. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
2. Prevents tooth decay
Cats don’t really like brushing their teeth. They think they can handle it on their own, but once again, they can’t be more wrong.
Unfortunately, plaque can find its way into our felines’ mouths and might create further problems. Therefore, we must protect our pets’ sharp razors.
Cats can drink small amounts of green tea in order to keep their teeth healthy. The chemicals that naturally exist in teas such as green tea may help with this problem. It’s like free dentist care!
3. It helps to relax
If your pet’s been under visible stress lately, a cup of green tea just might do the job. You know when you come home from work and you’re so tired you can’t function normally?
The next thing you can probably think of is making yourself a cup of hot beverage. Green tea has theanine, an amino acid that can also be found in some mushrooms.
This chemical compound makes your muscles relax quickly and it surely eases stress. If your pet needs to calm down a bit, talk to your vet about this option. If he gives you a green light, then go for it.
4. It’s great for losing weight
I know how much cat parents can be sensitive when talking about their pets, especially their overweight pets. There’s nothing wrong with showing them love, but is food the right way to express your feelings?
I know that a way to a cat’s heart is through her stomach but think about it. What’s more important – to have a satisfied or a healthy cat?
Well, I’m sure she’s satisfied even if she doesn’t get the last bite of your plate. Maybe she doesn’t appear to be, but trust me, she is.
Felines can oftentimes be greedy and gorge on things without even giving them a second thought. That’s why you need to step in and take matters into your own hands.
Especially if we’re talking about an elderly cat that already faces some issues with her joints. In their golden years, felines can develop joint inflammation known as arthritis.
All of that excess weight puts an additional strain on her poor joints. Green tea may help her lose some of that additional weight without her even noticing.
It might also aid in decreasing the inflammation in her old bones. This also leads us to our next health advantage of this amazing beverage.
5. Packed with antioxidants
Speaking of inflammations, there’s nothing better than an additional dose of antioxidants. These health benefits can be found in various foods, such as fruits, veggies, and meat.
Antioxidants help fight off free radicals in the body and have a number of health properties. For instance, one of them is anti-inflammatory.
Other properties include antifungal, as well as antibacterial. If you’re still trying to find out “can cats drink green tea”, this just might be the answer you’re looking for!
Antioxidants can help in preventing various diseases and fight off infections and bacteria. They boost your pet’s immune system and keep her safe.
6. It improves their physical health
The good news just keeps coming and we love them! Another health benefit of this amazing tea is that it can aid in keeping your pet’s bones and muscles healthy.
We all want to have a healthy and fit cat, right? We love when they’re a bit on the chubby side, but it’s best for them if they stay lean and agile.
Vitamins such as C and B2 (which can also be found in dragon fruit) are only some of the supplements that help make this happen. They’re important in the formation of collagen which helps build strong bones and teeth.
These are the reason why your cat’s been so active and full of life. If you can’t bring her down from a tree, then I guess it can also be a good sign.
7. It feeds the skin
Green tea has yet another trick up its sleeve. I know you’re probably blown off by now with all of these fantastic health advantages.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Green tea also feeds your pet’s skin and fur. It helps hydrate it and keep it soft and elastic.
As a result, your purrincess’s fur may become thicker and shinier. The vitamins and minerals present in this little bag of magic can help strengthen hair follicles.
I know you’re sick of brushing and de-shedding your pet. However, this doesn’t mean that she’ll stop shedding once she starts drinking tea.
8. It helps with their night vision
How can green tea help cats with their night vision? You see, your pet is a crepuscular animal. It implies that your furry companion is most active around dusk and dawn time.
Well, this isn’t hard to believe because all she does throughout the day is sleep. Even though she still doesn’t do much during the times she’s most active, she somehow manages to tire herself out.
We know that daylight is scarce during this time of the day. Therefore, your pet needs to equip herself with strong tools that will help her navigate her way through the darkness.
Not only can cats drink green tea, but they should really have a sip here and there. This would be because this beverage has B-carotene and vitamin A.
Both of these help in maintaining and strengthening her night vision. You wouldn’t want to leave your pet in the dark, would you?
9. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
So far, green tea is a hero in our eyes. I know you’re thinking of all the ways you can incorporate it into your feline’s diet. This next reason might be just a push for you to try it out.
With all the numerous health benefits aside, green tea may help in decreasing the risk of heart diseases. This includes heart strokes as well.
These can come out of the blue, and we don’t want that to happen, ever. Green tea has the ability to improve blood cholesterol by reducing LDL blood cholesterol levels.
Bad cholesterol can cause blood clots and improve the risks of various heart diseases and strokes. Consult with your vet if you’re convinced enough to try this tea out.
Can cats drink green tea and face some consequences?
Unfortunately, yes. Even with all the numerous health advantages of this fantastic drink, it still contains something that’s not good for your pet. Hear me out.
1. Caffeine
Green tea contains caffeine, a chemical compound that can actually be toxic to felines. Even though this is bad news, things aren’t all black around here.
The thing with green tea is that your cat can take a sip of it here and there. However, this doesn’t mean that she can safely indulge in it whenever she pleases since if it’s consumed in high amounts, it could be lethal.
Caffeine might do some damage to your pet, but this isn’t very likely if she doesn’t have regular access to it. So, moderation is the key to her health.
High quantities of caffeine can also be found in foods such as chocolate and drinks such as coffee. Although green tea doesn’t have that much caffeine, it still poses a risk to your feline’s health. However, if you keep the intake of her green tea monitored, nothing bad should happen.
If unfortunately, your pet somehow manages to get caffeine poisoning, you might expect the following symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, changes in behavior, and many more.
Some of the symptoms that are more concerning are tremors, seizures, as well as heart palpitations. If you notice your pet is acting strange or has accelerated breathing, it’s time to take a trip to the vet.
2. Sugar is a no-no
We like this drink because it tastes and smells nice. But what I personally love the most about it is that it’s even better when you add a teaspoon of sugar. However, not the same can be said about cats.
Felines don’t actually require carbs in their diet. They might suffer if they consume it on a regular basis.
Remember how we talked about all those health benefits of green tea and I mentioned it helps the weight loss journey and prevents dental decay? Well, sugar just might ruin all of that green tea’s hard work.
To be more precise, sugar encourages the development of dental decay, as well as weight gain. This wouldn’t be a big problem if it didn’t affect your feline. Again, remember the antioxidants that help ease joint inflammations?
Well, the additional weight just might have an adverse effect on those sore bones. Furthermore, high amounts of sugar can aid in developing diabetes.
This isn’t something you’d want for your cat because it would definitely ruin the quality of her life. Therefore, try to keep your pet away from sweets as much as possible.
The good thing about this is that it probably won’t be much of a hassle since they don’t have a sweet tooth. It might be weird, but cats don’t have the taste buds that would allow them to pick up the sugar.
Bottom line
We didn’t only manage to find out if cats can drink green tea, but we also figured out what possible benefits they could gain from it.
Unfortunately, we also found out that there are some downsides to cats drinking green tea. However, if you stick to moderation as a key to a healthy cat, you just might succeed.
Don’t forget to talk to your veterinarian about this magnificent royalty beverage. There’s a chance your queen could greatly benefit from it!
