Can Cats Eat Mango? Most FAQs Answered

A slice of mango is all you need to freshen up during a hot summer day. Eat it straight up or make a shake, and it can still sweeten up your day.

No wonder, even your cats can’t resist the flavorful smell of fresh and juicy mangoes. But, can cats eat mango?

As cat owners who love to eat mangoes and other healthy fruits and vegetables for humans, it’s just right to ask whether our feline friends can benefit from these foods or not.

Can they get the same nutrients and enjoy the same sensory experience from the sweet flavor of mangoes?

Or should we just continue feeding them with high-quality cat food and significantly reduce if not totally refrain from giving them human foods? Besides, what do they get from eating pet treats that are deemed for human consumption?

Can Cats Eat Mango?

Mangoes are the exotic fruits in the world that are not only delicious but are filled with essential nutrients.

You are curious to know if your cat should eat mango, or not? That's why we’re focusing specifically on mangoes here. Fear not, you came to the right place for this question!

Maybe you’d think that your cat enjoys it just as much as you do.

The quick answer to this is a resounding yes! They can just as much enjoy it as you do. However, some limitations apply to keep their digestive system healthy and well-served.

We couldn’t just give them more than they can chew so carelessly, though we got you covered in this article on how exactly you can give this fruit to your feline friend!

So, if your cats like mangoes then feeding them a little bit now and then wouldn’t be a bad idea.

What are the Benefits of Mango for Cats?

It’s common knowledge that fruits and vegetables are healthy foods for us, humans; but, how about for our pets? Do they have to eat mangoes so they can reach their daily caloric intake and/or meet their nutritional needs for the day?

While mangoes are safe for cats, they don’t necessarily need these fruits in their daily menu. Cats are carnivores, and as such, they thrive on eating meat. Cats in the wild are known to hunt animals to survive.

And though domesticated cats are used to staying indoors, they still have the same anatomy as the cats in the wild. We can’t change the fact that they are still carnivores, and their bodies need the nutrients from a meat diet.

Mangoes are loaded with nutrients that cats could enjoy. They are filled with vitamins A, B6, and vitamin C. However, some cats are capable of producing vitamin C on their own.

Cats also don’t need that much fiber in their diet. So, they won’t really benefit from the fiber content and Vitamin C concentration in mangoes.

Nonetheless, the vitamin A in mangoes can help in strengthening their immune system, as well as in keeping them active, playful, and away from sickness.

Most cats love meat, whether raw or cooked. And it happens that vitamin B6 in mangoes can help cats in the absorption of fats and proteins from their meat-based pet food.

Compared with the other natural and commercially available cat treats, mangoes have lower calories.

Hence, adding these fruits to your cat’s diet can also help in managing his weight while still making him feel loved and not deprived of the foods that he loves.

Is Mango Safe for Cats?

Cats can eat mangoes in moderation, and these juicy fruits are also safe for them provided that you don’t let them eat the skin and the seed. Well, of course, common sense will tell that the pit of a mango can’t be consumed either by us, humans, or our pet cats and dogs.

This hard and huge central part of the mango doesn’t only pose as a choking hazard for our pets, but it also contains cyanide that can be toxic to cats, especially when taken in huge amounts. Aside from the seed, the skin of the mango is also toxic for our feline companions similar to the skin and seeds of an apple.

Mangoes also have high sugar content, particularly fructose, which is a type of sugar alongside glucose that cats have trouble processing with their digestive system. Compared with bananas, mangoes also contain 3x more sugar. So, it’s best not to feed your cat mangoes more than twice a week.

Being carnivore creatures, cats also have difficulty digesting and optimizing large quantities of fruits. Their bodies are designed to primarily process meats and nutrients, including proteins, that were derived from meat. Hence, when given in huge quantities, mangoes can cause stomach upset resulting in diarrhea.

Nevertheless, the actual flesh of the mango fruit is safe for cats. Hence, if your pet steals one or two cubes of mangoes from your bowl of fresh fruit salad, you don’t have to panic. To appease your mind, simply observe your cat for unusual reactions such as vomiting and persistent diarrhea.

How can we safely give mangoes to cats?

While mangoes are typically non-toxic to cats, we still give these fruits in small quantities.

Only giving them a few pieces of the mango will be enough for your cats to eat. It’s good to avoid giving these fruits in large quantities so it doesn’t overwhelm their unique digestive system.

How Much Mango Can Felines Eat?

By now, we’ve established that mangoes are not toxic to cats, but they are also not recommended to be consumed regularly. Hence, the next critical question is, “How much mangoes are safe for cats to eat?”

When feeding your kitty with mangoes, it’s best to only give one cube or one tablespoon size piece per serving. And treat mangoes as pet treats, not as food staples.

Of course, you don’t want to feed your cat with an entire mango. Doing so can most probably cause gastrointestinal problems.

Also, if you want to incorporate mangoes into your cat’s diet for variations in what he eats, you may want to stick to giving these fruits not more than twice a week. For the rest of the week, you can try other fruits and even vegetables.

This way, you can ensure that your feline companion won’t be bored by his diet, and he won’t also endure the side effects of eating too much of something, especially of human foods.

And as mentioned above, you should stay away from the seed and skin of mangoes, as both can be choking hazards, and both also contain substances that may be harmful to your cat when taken in huge quantities.

What to Do When Your Cat Eats Mango?

As cat parents, we can be overprotective of our cats to the point that sometimes we also get to be anxious and paranoid. These are understandable and normal reactions, but we can do better.

When you see your cat eats pieces of mangoes from your bowl, don’t panic. Instead, watch out for allergic reactions, and observe if he develops persistent diarrhea.

If you notice any of these, it’s best to seek the help of your local veterinarian. Again, mangoes are not toxic to cats, but they can still depend on your cat’s unique reactions. Just like humans, cats can respond differently to the foods that they eat.

So, as always, when incorporating a food for the first time, give it in moderation and slowly increase the portion as you go along.

You may or may not need to increase the portion depending on the food, but one thing should remain constant – always start with small servings.

Can Cats Eat Mango Sorbet?

Yes, you can give your cats mango sorbet! Considering that you need to give them in low quantities to keep your furry friend healthy. In general, we’ll need to avoid putting much sugar in cat food. Keep the amount of sugar low in the sorbet.

Our cats’ digestive systems are not as powerful as ours. So, they are not capable of handling any fruit in large quantities because they are carnivorous animals.

Cats need to feed on another animal’s meat. So, if we give them mangoes and other fruits in bulk, it’ll end up upsetting their stomach which could cause diarrhea also. The mangoes can instead be used as an add-on to their meals for a high-calorie treat with limits.

Can Cats Eat Dried Mango?

When your cats consume dried mangoes, the fruit provides them with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and energy. Dried mango can provide them with the ff. nutrients:

Dried mangoes do contain Phenols which are the antioxidants that have anti-cancer capabilities.

Another nutrient is Iron, which helps avoid anemia. It also contains Vitamin E, Selenium (which helps prevent heart disease), Calcium (which contributes to strong and healthier bones).

Can Cats Eat Mango Ice Cream?

Ice cream is a popular dessert. However, ice cream contains milk, and yet most cats remain lactose intolerant since they were first domesticated.

Unfortunately, cats cannot successfully digest milk due to the lack of enzymes in their bodies.

So, most veterinarians all agree that cats can not be fed any type of ice cream. It might be okay to give your cat ice cream in the rarest of cases.

Meanwhile, giving your cats ice cream gives them brain freeze too. It’s like that one viral video of a cat being fed ice cream and having their extreme reaction to it captured. Cats get stunned by the effects of ice cream on their brain.

We see a lot of people find this phenomenon cute, funny, and adorable, but it’s entirely excruciating for the cat. The cat may have experienced discomfort during and after eating the ice cream. So, in the end, there is nothing to laugh about.

Can Kittens Eat Mango with Some Milk?

Typically, when you feed your cat dairy products such as milk they may go through. Then their reaction to it could result in vomiting and an upset stomach.

It’s strongly advised for cats not to eat ice cream at all since cats are more lactose intolerant than us!

Any effort being placed on giving your friend some food with milk might only bring adverse effects to them.

This may have worked way back when they’re younger as kittens, this is because all the vital nutrition a newborn kitten needs comes from their feline mother. These nutrients are gathered from natural breastfeeding for these kittens to become healthy.

This means that at a young age, they can digest milk easily. But as they grow and develop a lack of lactase enzyme, they become lactose intolerant.

Yet, there’s no advice on ever feeding your kittens with non-breast milk so it might be best to avoid them entirely.

How Can Cats Eat Mango?

Cats can only consume a little bit of mango and other exotic fruits. You can only give them a few cubes and none more! Cats’ digestive system is not meant to digest fruits, so eating a large number of mangoes or other fruits is likely to cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

When you start feeding mangoes to your cats, we will recommend giving this fruit in a moderate amount. That is safe for all cats who are already healthy and have no gastrointestinal health complications.

If your cat is sick and is going under some treatment and facing any medical condition it would be best to consult the veterinary doctor before you start offering any pieces of mango to your cat.

The mangoes you give can be added into your cat’s diet in little quantities that come with the meat-based meal. You can’t substitute the mango for their main meal.

You can use mangoes as a side dish for your cat. Mangoes as the side dish for their meal, having slices of mangoes in small pieces and to top it all on their main food.

Some cats might love to eat mangoes as an occasional treat rather than as a side dish.

What Other Fruits Can Cats Eat?

Besides mangoes, the fruits cats can eat are kiwis, but only just a small amount of this fruit is safe for them.

Just like mangoes, if you find your cat eating a good amount of kiwis in a single sitting, it would most likely cause some upset stomach.

However, giving your cat a few kiwi slices or cubes as a side dish is pretty okay!

The benefits of Kiwifruit are immense! This fruit is a very good source of vitamin K. The vitamin that is necessary for the liver to eliminate blood clotting factors.

Kiwis also contain good amounts of copper, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, and folate. The phytonutrients in kiwis have proven to protect DNA cells from oxygen damage.

Read also: Can Cats Eat Human Food? 

What Fruits are Toxic to Cats?

While cats can eat mangoes, kiwis, and many other fruits, there are a few fruits that can be very detrimental to your cat’s health.

What fruits should you not give to your cats?

For starters, never feed your cat grapes and raisins. This fruit makes its impact on your furry friend’s liver and risks damaging the organ which is downright deadly for cats, and even dogs too.

With that said, it’s also best not to give your cat any citrus fruits as this isn’t easy for them to digest, becoming toxic to them.

The Major Takeaway

Now that you’re almost to the end of this article, what have you learned so far?

In case you need to review all that’s been said, here’s the major take-away from this article!

So, you find yourself wondering if your cat can eat a mango and if you should give some or not? Thinking that your feline friend enjoys it just as much as you do.

The quick answer to this is a resounding yes! Cats can eat mangoes.

If your cats like mangoes, then feeding them a little at a time or on the side of their main meal wouldn’t be such a bad idea.