Banana can be eaten as a fruit once they are ripe or as a vegetable. There are many banana dishes, including banana pie, bread, chips, cake, pancakes, pasta, pudding, salad, split, Chapo, matoke, and so forth.
In some parts of the world, their leaves, flowers, and trunk form part of cuisines, especially in South Asia.
Are they nutritive?
Yes. Bananas are a good source of carbohydrates, especially sugar and dietary fats. They also have small amounts of fats and proteins as well as vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate, choline, and vitamin C.
Finally, they also have minerals such as iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, among others.
Can cats eat bananas?
Yes. Cats can eat bananas in moderation. They are safe or ok for your felines, i.e., they are not poisonous or toxic (ASPCA) and have nutrients that these pets need.
Perhaps a question that needs answers is if they are a good source of the various nutrients that these pets need and whether kitties love to eat them or not.
While nothing should stop feeding your cat with small a piece banana, they are not the kind of foods that obligate carnivores like felines need.
Cats do not require a lot of carbohydrates, including sugars (it is terrible for diabetic feline), and they do not have enough enzymes to handle high amounts of any food obtained from plants.
Also, such foods may cause obesity since they have high calories, yet cats get most of their energy from proteins and fats.
Therefore, you should not give them a lot of plant food materials, whether its bananas or other fruits, brown rice, barley, peas, corn or vegetables such as broccoli, zucchinis, lettuce, spinach, among others.
Cats that get good quality cat foods or raw meats do not need fruits, vegetables, or grains as they get all the nutrients they need. However, they may benefit from fiber that helps prevent furballs.
If your kitty loves bananas for whatsoever reasons, including unexplained interest towards some foods, you need to give them a small amount as an occasional snack. Such an amount will not cause any harm to your feline pal.
It is a fact that some foods such as Petcurean GO! Fit Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck, and the Petcurean GO! Fit Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Pâté Recipe have small amounts of bananas as well as blueberries, cranberries, pumpkin, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and so on.
However, some kitties tend to ignore bananas when offered to them. They may sniff them and walk away. There is nothing wrong with that.
When giving them, cut them to thin slices and divide them to the size of their treats. You can also mash them, including with water or give them dried ones as treats.
Finally, although not known to cause allergies, stop feeding bananas to your cat if it shows gastrointestinal upsets, vomits, has diarrhea, or any other signs of allergies. Also, avoid wilted or rotten ones too.
What about banana peels or bread?
You should remove the peels since these pets cannot digest it well. Also, banana bread is not suitable for cats since most contain butter. Felines are lactose intolerant and butter, being one of the dairy products as lactose.
While a small amount of this bread may not be harmful, try to avoid it as it is an unnecessary kind of food that may end up harming your kitty.
Why are cats afraid of bananas?
We know cats often dive or duck away at the sight of cucumbers. If you have watched videos of cats vs. bananas, you have seen these pets pawing, ducking, or diving away from bananas. Do they hate them, or is it fear? Why are they always unimpressed at their sight?
Various reasons have been provided for this behavior. For instance, if they are sneaked next to them. They seem like an unexpected object, and it works as a kind of surprise element.
Also, as The Sun notes, it is “thought to be due to the smell of the ethyl acetate chemical coming from the banana’s outer skin which is known to be toxic to the felines.” There are the same reasons why cats do not like oranges or other citrus fruits.
Also, it may be due to the fear of potential threats like snakes or due to some health issues. These causes are in line with what Bustle.com says, “cats who suffer from interstitial cystitis, or lower urinary tract disease, display a markedly higher startle reflex than healthy cats,” and this might be one of the reasons though quite unlikely.