Animals will eat anything they like, even lentils if they have the chance.
You can’t force them to want something, but when they do, there is no stopping them. This can only be stopped if you get in the way and prevent them from doing so.
In the case of cats and eating lentils, some of them do like to eat the vegetable. For a lot of them, they really go bonkers over the stuff. Cats are referred to as obligate carnivores which means they need meat to survive.
However, there are plenty of nutrients from vegetables that can be beneficial for them.
Can I Give My Cat Lentils? Answer: Yes
The simple answer is yes.
Lentils are not poisonous or hazardous for felines but it is quite unusual since we all know that cats survive on either meat or the cat food that we feed them. It is unusual, but not unheard of among cat lovers.
In fact, a lot of owners try to mix in greens with their cat’s diet in order to get various sources of proteins and nutrients, and lentils are one of them.
One of the questions is: will my cat eat lentils?
Surprisingly, yes.
You never can tell what a specific cat would eat or not eat. Some would prefer meat and cat food alone, while a select number will chomp on lentils as well as other greens.
What you should never do is force your cat into a vegan diet. A feline’s digestive system does not work the same way as ours do.
Cats still need protein in order to survive. Lentils are just a good addition to their diet in which they could get carbohydrates as well as some other nutrients. On the other hand, if you believe your cat can survive on lentils and vegetables alone, consult a veterinarian first.
The Benefits for Cats
Like most vegetables, there are many benefits of feeding your cat some lentils every once in a while.
For one, they have a high concentration of protein. As a matter of fact, lentils contain the most protein among all the vegetable food known to man. So, if you wish to feed your cat a lot of protein other than meat as a protein source, lentils are a great substitute.
Take note of the word “substitute” and not use the food as a replacement for the cat’s need of meat.
B Vitamins are also found in lentils. So if you wish to increase the amount of these vitamins that your cat eats, feed it lentils and you’ve got a great source of B vitamins right there. Notably, lentils contain Vitamin B3 and folate.
Another benefit of lentils for cats is that they are loaded with iron. Of course, iron can be found in meat products but lentils are a great substitute as a source for the nutrient.
How to Prepare Them
There are many ways in which lentils can be prepared for cats.
Most cat lovers will tell you their own version on how they prepare the vegetable for their pets. However, there are accepted procedures in which lentils should be fed to felines. Some would prefer to feed them raw, but this would cause indigestion for most cats.
Remember, their digestive system is way more sensitive than humans so you need to be careful on how you feed them the vegetable.
The best way to prepare lentils is to cook them by boiling them slowly until they become soft. This way, your cat won’t have a hard time eating them and will be digested properly.
Otherwise, they might end up with loose bowel movement as well as indigestion, which is something you do not want to happen to your cat.
With the cold weather there has been a stray cat coming from the woods to look for food in my yard. It will eat bread that I put out for the birds and I’ve been giving it cat food.
I had some leftover lentil soup with ham and carrots that I thought the cat would like. It did! I knew that some cat foods contain lentils.
I am glad to read that they are as nutritious for cats as they are for humans. Thanks!
Our neighbor’s cat was asking for my food as I prepared my lunch (lentil dal with onions and chili). I have him a bit to smell to show him he really wouldn’t like it. But he went to try to eat it! Then he ate that piece and I gave him some more and he polished it off (albeit the oniony bits last!). I couldn’t believe it! Made sure he has plenty of water cos of the chili in it. Then looked up cats and lentils and found this piece here!
Cats cannot have onions.
Onions are toxic to cats. Please be careful when feeding people food!
Onions are not good for cats or dogs. They can’t digest them. They are harmful, period! I am giving a stray cat a sardine mixed with 2 tablespoons of cooked lentil. She now allows me to pet her. I have to make Homemade Kimchi for my dog, because the commercial jars contain onions.
My cat digs lentils and Italian style noodles!
Lentils are not a vegetable. They are a legume.