Many people love the slimy or goo texture and the mild, nearly grassy flavor that reminiscent of green beans or eggplants of cooked okra. Can you share this nutritious vegetable with your cat or not?
Okra or Okro is a common name for Abelmoschus esculentus, a flowering plant in the Mallow family, Malvaceae (and not the nightshade family Solanaceae). It is thought to have originated from South Asia, West Africa, or Ethiopia.
People in the warm temperate, tropical, and subtropical cultivate its edible green fruits (cooked), which are eaten as a vegetable. However, you can also eat the young leaves or roast their seeds and use them in the place of coffee (roasted and ground).
Suppose your kitty steals or eats a piece of okra. In that case, there is nothing to worry about as this vegetable because cats can eat okra, also known as ladies’ finger or ochoro, in moderation as an occasional treat.
Benefits
Nutritionally, per 100g, okra has 33 calories, 7.46g of carbohydrates (1.48g sugars and 3.3g dietary fiber), 89.6 g water, 0.19g fats, and 1.9g proteins.
It is also a good source of magnesium, folate, vitamins K, B1, and C and has considerable amounts of vitamins A, B2, B3, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, among other minerals.
Some of the potential benefits that ladies’ finger may have to your kitties include the following:
Dietary fiber
It is an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. While not an essential requirement, it can help promote a healthy gut, prevent diarrhea or constipation, and assist in weight loss. It is also beneficial to diabetic kitties, among many benefits.
Nutritious
Vitamin K is an enzyme cofactor, has a prole in protein metabolism and coagulation. Similarly, vitamin B1 (cats cannot make it independently) is a cofactor in carb metabolism, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide production, nerve functioning, and so on.
Finally, iron, zinc, and the many vitamins and minerals we have looked at will benefit your feline pal in many ways.
Promote hydration
Cats on kibble diets and don’t like drinking water stand a chance to benefit from water that okra has, i.e., about 90% of its weight is water.
Has antioxidants
Besides vitamin A and C, which have antioxidant properties, okra has polyphenols like isoquercetin and flavonoids, which will help combat the free radicals associated with oxidative cell damage. Additionally, the polyphenols may reduce inflammation and prevent some chronic illnesses.
Low-calorie snack
If you depend on commercial cat treats, most are high in carbohydrates and calories. Instead, consider switching to okra as it is low in calories, nutritious, and has the various benefits we have mentioned.
Feeding okra to cats
Proper feeding of okra or any vegetables is of paramount importance. Cats are strict carnivores that don’t need fruits, vegetables, or carbohydrates in their diet. However, if offered correctly, it could benefit them.
When offering okra, we recommend you give them cooked okra as it is easier to digest and keep the amount small. Start with a very tiny piece and see how their stomach responds. If it doesn’t cause any issues, increase the amount gradually over the next 1-2 weeks.
Alternatively, if you insist on giving your cat a little bit of raw okra, we recommend you puree it as this also makes digestion much more manageable. Ensure it’s free of any harmful farm chemicals and wash it under running water.
Finally, not all cats will like okra. Therefore, if yours doesn’t, there are many other healthy vegetables you can give your cats that includes:
- Cooked carrots
- Peas
- Broccoli florets
- Green beans
- Winter squash
- Zucchinis
- Cabbage
- Asparagus
- Pumpkin
- Sweet potatoes
While there are many safe veggies and fruits, some are dangerous to cats, and they include onions, garlic, grapes, chives, spring onions, green tomatoes, and raw potatoes.