Oranges are a rich source of vitamin C, calcium, and water for humans. If you’re trying to round out your cat’s diet with healthy foods, a few slices of orange may seem like a good idea. However, cats are obligate carnivores and are unable to consume much plant matter safely. This means that some domesticated cats will experience an adverse reaction.
Cats should not be fed orange as certain parts of this citrus fruit (peel, seeds, and leaves) are toxic. Cats are unable to process the phenolic compounds and essential oils. While not all cats will experience citrus poisoning from consuming orange, some will react adversely. Also, a cat’s digestive system and biology are completely different from our own. Cats’ bodies produce their own Vitamin C, and any excess must be excreted from the body in the form of oxalate. An excess build-up of oxalate can lead to calcium oxalate stones forming in the urinary tract.
In moderation, the fruit flesh should not be harmful to a cat. However, the peel, leaves, oils, and leaves of an orange plant can be dangerous. That’s because they contain d-limonene and linalool, potentially leading to diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. It’s hard to separate the fruit from these toxic compounds, and cross-contamination may lead to illness. Consequently, it’s recommended that you avoid feeding cats oranges due to the risks involved.
Is It Safe For Cats To Eat Oranges?
Can Cats eat oranges or other citrus fruits? The meat of the fruit is edible in moderation, but the rind and pips can be harmful. Any cross-contamination can lead to sickness. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) notes that oranges are toxic to cats due to essential oils and psoralens found inside the fruit.
Studies are still uncovering the different ways that citrus compounds affect cats’ bodies. Some believe that even the natural oils in the fruit can be toxic. If not deadly, they can at least harm a cat’s health, especially if it’s young or elderly.
However, no scientific studies have confirmed that psoralens are toxic to domestic cats. Other substances present in oranges (or even citrus fruits in general) include linalool and d-limonene. While they’re not believed to be bad for cats, it’s worth noting that there have been no official studies done.
Can Cats Eat Oranges?
Since it’s so much of a grey area, feeding orange to a cat can be risky. Your cat may eat a peeled orange and feel no ill effects. However, your cat may also take a few bites, grow ill in the coming days, or only feel sick after eating 2-3 oranges over several weeks.
That might all be a moot point since cats are obligate carnivores. This means they gain all their nutrients from meat and cannot properly digest plant matter. Although eating a vegetable or fruit won’t lead to a full shutdown of the body, it can make them ill over time.
A single orange provides up to 130% of a human’s daily requirement for vitamin C. However, according to the Clinical Nutrition Service, cats don’t get Vitamin C through their diet. Cats’ bodies produce vitamin C. The excess is excreted from the feline body as oxalate. An excess of vitamin C can lead to calcium oxalate stones in the urinary tract.
Oranges can also fill up valuable stomach space with food that cats are unable to digest properly. This limits their appetite for food that they actually can process. It also means that, in the coming days, the cat may experience constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting as its body struggles to digest the food.
So, even if oranges aren’t toxic to cats, you still shouldn’t offer them as a meal or a treat. These fruits have no place in a cat’s natural diet and are empty calories, if not actively harmful.
How Can Oranges Be Harmful To Cats?
Oranges are toxic to cats because of the essential oils found in their peels. Specifically, these oils include:
D-limonene
Linalool
Psoralens
As supported by the ASPCA listing, these compounds may have toxic effects on animals, such as cats. While dogs and horses may also fall victim, cats are believed to be more susceptible to essential oils. That’s because of:
How cats digest certain compounds, especially those in the phenol family
The fact that cats are smaller than other animals
Cats groom themselves by licking their fur, which increases the chances of ingesting phenols
Phenols have useful purposes in a human’s diet, and they give many plants their coloring. They can help repel UV radiation as well as parasites. However, cats react negatively, as they are unable to process these phenolic compounds. Instead, phenols build up in a cat’s liver until they reach a lethal degree.
This doesn’t just apply to what a cat eats but also to what it touches. For example, if you choose to buy pellet litter for your cat, experienced owners may already know to avoid those made of pine. Since pine bark contains a high level of phenol, it’s considered toxic to cats. It can lead to skin rashes, lethargy, and eventual liver damage.
Do Cats Like Oranges?
It is rare for a cat to like oranges. In fact, many owners note that their cats leave the area at the slightest hint of orange. Because felines hate the smell of citrus, there’s a low chance of one even attempting to eat the fruit.
Why do cats hate the smell of oranges? The compounds found inside oranges are potent for a cat’s impressive sense of smell. Even for humans, slicing a fresh orange can be a sharp hit to the nose.
According to Applied Animal Behavior Science, cats can pick out more individual scents than dogs. Although they cannot smell odors at such a great distance, they still have powerful noses. That means your cat will be able to pick out every nuance of your strong citrus blast. That can be so overwhelming that the feline retreats from the area.
Of course, there will still be cats that try to eat an orange. Kittens and more curious felines are likely to put a slice in their mouth to gauge the flavor or texture. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep your fruits out of a cat’s reach.
Is The Smell Of Oranges Bad For Cats?
Cats may avoid the smell of oranges because of their sensitive noses. Does that make it bad for them, though? Should you avoid any citrus scents around your feline?
There is little evidence to suggest that the smell of oranges alone is enough to harm cats. Even if it did, most cats avoid the smell anyway. This is not necessarily because the smell is dangerous. Rather, it’s likely too fragrant.
