Herbs and spices play an important part in cuisines all around the world and chefs just love them. When it comes to your cat chef, are all these beautiful aromas welcomed in her world? For example, can cats eat mint?
This aromatic herb is mostly used to add flavor to drinks and foods. We tend to use it a lot because it goes great with a variety of dishes. Moreover, it’s a really affordable herb since you can grow it on your own, and it’s available throughout the year.
If you’re growing some plants indoors, next to mint, there’s a high chance your pet will encounter it either way. It also doesn’t help that our little furry friends are curious by nature.
Plants and cats put in a room together are a disaster waiting to happen. I know most cat parents will relate to these problems. However, it seems that the poor plants always get the short end of the stick.
When it comes to this specific plant, you’re probably wondering if cats can eat mint and come out of the fight unharmed once again. Your concerns are justified because we never know in what kind of trouble our mischief-makers can get into.
Can cats eat mint safely?
We don’t want to alarm you, but mint isn’t the type of plant that will go down with one strike. It strikes back and before you know it, this leafy plant could cause some gastrointestinal upset in your pet.
So, if your cat is used to nibbling on your plants, you might want to be cautious when it comes to mint. If she indulges herself, which isn’t really common, she could get mint poisoning.
So, we can say that cats can eat mint if it’s a nibble or two. However, don’t inspire your feline to make this a habit. Just because we use it in various recipes doesn’t mean it’s safe for our furkids.
Next to the plant itself, you may catch your cat eyeing down some of your mint ice cream or even mint tea. Be on the lookout for any attempts of stealing a lick or sip as these are also not recommended for felines.
How can mint be harmful to cats?
This aromatic herb looks harmless, but its looks are deceiving. If your cat has eaten too much of this plant, whether leaves or blossoms, she could get poisoned. This is due to the essential oils found in mint.
The symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. If your cat takes a considerable amount of any plant in the mint species, two other possible symptoms include general weakness and nausea.
The Mentha family also includes peppermint and spearmint. Cats aren’t drawn to peppermint like they are to normal mint and catnip because, in most cases, cats are put off by the strong fragrance.
Spearmint, on the other hand, is less poisonous and more enticing to cats than peppermint. While your cat may be able to recuperate quickly after eating mint or spearmint, this is not always the case with peppermint.
It contains salicylate, which is poisonous to cats, which is why you should keep your pet away from it.
Can cats eat fresh mint?
Peppermints are particularly wonderful culinary mints, suitable for slicing into salads, sprinkling over fruits, or making mint pesto with basil and cilantro. You can even add a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped mint to peas, green beans, and other vegetable dishes.
However, make sure you leave out the part where you sprinkle fresh mint over your cat’s food! Dried mint is harmful to cats, but fresh one is even more poisonous.
Can cats eat mint leaves?
Unfortunately, no. Every part of this leafy plant is toxic to felines, including leaves, stems, and blossoms as well. Moreover, leaves are the most poisonous part because they contain the highest amounts of essential oils.
Therefore, make sure you relocate your mint plant so it’s not within the reach of your pet. Her adventurous spirit is not welcome when it comes to this herb.
Can cats eat mint ice cream?
Mint is usually added in trace amounts to sweet snacks and desserts such as ice cream and chocolate. However, even foods that have traces of mint still aren’t entirely safe for your feline to eat.
We have already established that mint in any form is dangerous for felines. Furthermore, ice cream is bad for cats on many other levels. It contains dairy and cats are lactose intolerant. Besides, it’s full of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
These artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol, are another thing that should worry you. They’re highly poisonous to cats and can create a lot of health problems.
While a few licks of mint ice cream won’t necessarily harm your cat, you should be on the lookout for any unusual behavior. Dairy can cause gastrointestinal upset while xylitol has similar symptoms to mint poisoning.
When you put two and two together, you can see for yourself that cats cannot eat mint ice cream.
Do cats even like mint?
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. It’s more likely that your pet has a desire to investigate the plant itself. She may be attracted to the smell because it contains certain substances similar to catnip. And we know how catnip makes them feel.
If you’ve seen those hilarious videos of cats on catnip, don’t expect to see the same reaction from your furkid if she ingests mint. Some cats may be attracted to its strong smell, but others not so much. To some felines, it can be rather repulsive.
Just like lemon, they may avoid it because it isn’t appealing to them as it is to us. Felines have a stronger sense of smell and that’s why your cat could disagree with you when it comes to mint.
Mint is also used as a breath freshener, so if your cat runs away from you while you’re chewing gum, the mint is to blame. Whether or not your cat shows a fondness for this leafy plant, make sure to not allow any further interactions.
Mint poisoning
This type of poisoning isn’t very common to occur in the cat world. However, the mint plant is highly affordable and used in both foods and drinks. Therefore, there’s always a chance your pet will discover this hidden treasure.
However, your cat would have to eat a considerable amount of the mint plant for it to become toxic. While this isn’t very likely to happen, you just never know with these adventurous creatures.
If it does happen, you would want to look out for some signs of poisoning. These include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, as well as abdominal pain. If your feline starts to exhibit any of these signs after hanging around mint, make sure to contact your vet.
While you may think this can’t happen to you and your furball, don’t be fooled so easily. Whether you have a cat that’s allowed outdoors and investigates your garden plants or an indoor cat who stumbled upon some mint while you were cooking, the risk is always there.
Final words
Can cats eat mint? This question has got us all intrigued because of the way cats interact with this plant. Some furballs can fall in love with it because it resembles catnip, a heaven on earth for cats.
However, cats aren’t allowed mint as it contains essential oils that are harmful to them. Besides, it has low nutritional value and contains no nutrients that could benefit your feline.
Therefore, it’s best to supervise your pet while she’s having some fun in the garden or is supervising your cooking. A few bites of this leafy plant aren’t probable to hurt her, but beware of the risks.
Moreover, foods and drinks that use mint as an ingredient are also off-limits for cats. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
