Is dill safe for cats? This may have crossed your mind as you sprinkled chopped dill over a dish. Or perhaps you grow your own dill and have wondered if it would be good for your cat. Is it safe for cats to eat dill if humans can?
Whether or not cats can safely consume dill is not a simple yes or no. In the strictest sense, it is not poisonous or toxic to cats. However, it doesn’t provide your cat with many positive health effects.
Before giving dill to your cat, or any other human food, you should check with your regular vet.
What you should know about dill and cats is detailed below.
Dill, as per the ASPCA, is safe for feline consumption. This is great news, as it means your cat can enjoy an unlimited supply of dill.
No, not quite. Even though dill is perfectly fine for your cat to eat, you shouldn’t feed it to him on a daily basis or in large quantities because it lacks some of the vital nutrients he needs to stay healthy.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so the majority of their diet, including foods like complete and balanced cat food, must consist of meat or foods that contain primarily meat. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they can only get the nutrients they need from meat.
Proteins make up the bulk of these nutrients, but iron, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12 are also present.
To maintain healthy, toned muscles, cats require these nutrients. A cat can’t make it without a meat-heavy diet.
As long as he is also eating regular cat food, a cat who occasionally indulges in dill is likely to be healthy.
However, giving your cat dill on a daily basis is not good for his or her health because it lacks the necessary nutrients. That basically just means that you shouldn’t feed your cat dill on a regular basis, despite how much your feline friend may enjoy it.
Do Cats Like Dill?
Many felines, perhaps unexpectedly, enjoy a dill garnish. Perhaps your cat is drawn to dill because it smells like catnip or because it resembles the grass that so many feline friends find irresistible.
It’s not entirely clear why cats enjoy eating dill, but like grass, it may help your cat’s digestion and provide him with nutrients he’s lacking in his regular diet.
Does Dill Contain Any Nutrients That Are Good for Cats?
Dill may not provide your cat with any of the nutrients it needs to stay alive, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good for it.
Although dill is rich in nutrients, they are more of a bonus addition to your cat’s diet than a necessary one.
Dill contains significant amounts of both vitamins A and C. Every cat owner understands the significance of maintaining good eye health and a strong immune system for their feline companion.
Dill, however, has a higher concentration of vitamin C than it does of vitamin A. Vitamin C is important for many reasons, but its role in maintaining a healthy immune system, bones, and metabolism stands out. As an antioxidant, vitamin C can also protect cells from destruction.
Dill is also a rich source of manganese, another essential nutrient. Manganese is a mineral that helps keep your brain, nervous system, and metabolism working properly. Dill also has traces of calcium, potassium, and zinc in addition to these other minerals.
While dill’s nutrient profile looks promising at first glance, keep in mind that the nutrients found in dill aren’t the most crucial for your cat.
Most of these nutrients are present in negligible amounts in your cat’s regular food, especially since many brands of dry cat food also include fruit and vegetable ingredients.
Vitamins and minerals are beneficial to health, but taking in excessive amounts can have the opposite effect. Too much vitamin C, for instance, is known to cause stomach distress.
A cat can survive on a diet of dill, but it may not be as healthy as it could be since commercial cat food already provides the same supplemental nutrients.
When Is Dill Okay For Cats To Eat?
Dill is safe for cats to eat. The vitamin and antioxidant content may be beneficial to your cat’s health. If your cat is having problems with high or low blood sugar, dill may be able to help.
If you want to give your cat dill, make sure to only give it the fronds, as the tougher stems can become difficult to digest.
Feel free to add some chopped fresh dill fronds to your cat’s regular food dish.
When Is Dill Bad For Cats?
Since cats must eat meat to survive, that should make up the bulk of their diet. While dill probably isn’t toxic to felines, its nutritional value isn’t high enough for it to be a staple in any cat’s diet.
A cat’s diet, in contrast to a human’s, should not consist primarily of fresh produce.
Your cat may also have an allergy to dill or experience stomach upset if you feed it to it.
It’s also not a good idea to give your cat dill pickles because they typically contain too much sugar and salt.
If you’re considering feeding your cat dill because they seem to enjoy the feel and process of nibbling on fresh plants, you might want to reconsider and instead grow some catnip or wheatgrass, which provide far more nutritional value to a cat.
What Other Herbs Are Safe for Cats?
There are a variety of herbs that are also safe for cats to eat, not just dill. That doesn’t mean they should eat them on the regular, but it’s good to know if you have an indoor or outdoor herb garden that your cat likes to graze on.
Cat-friendly herbs for cooking include:
Basil
Cilantro/coriander
Rosemary
Thyme
Other herbs that are safe for cats but aren’t typically used in cooking are:
Calendula
Catnip
Asparagus root
Echinacea
Valerian
White hyacinth
Although these herbs are safe for cats, they shouldn’t be given to the pet on a regular basis or in excessive amounts.
Simply put, if you notice your cat nibbling on one of them occasionally, you need not worry about his or her health.
Final Thoughts
Your cat can safely consume small amounts of dill on occasion; it is not harmful to them. It’s best to limit your cat’s dill consumption, as it doesn’t provide any of the essential nutrients they need.
However, there are some herbs that should never be used around cats.
If you’re ever in doubt about whether or not something is safe for your cat to eat, you should do what you’re doing and do some research.
