It’s Thanksgiving weekend in the United States and many people are celebrating with their pets. Here are some vegan Thanksgiving foods you can share with your furry friend:
1. Pumpkin (not pie, of course!)
Pumpkin is a great food source for pets as it helps with digestive upset, helps support the urinary tract, moisturizes your pet’s skin and help animals lose weight. For cats, the fibre found in pumpkins also helps pass furballs. It’s preferably given in the form of a puree in 1-2 teaspoon doses.
Many pet owners can buy small cans of pureed pumpkin at the pet store.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Be careful not to mix sweet potatoes with candied yams! They are two different things, of course, but candied yams contain too much sugar for your four-legged pal.
Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are a great source of dietary fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin C, as well as beta-carotene.
3. Green Beans
Green beans are a great source of iron for your pet. They are also recommended by vets as a nutritious treat.
One thing to watch out for is canned green beans. They contain lots of salt, which can harm your pet. Always buy fresh beans.
4. Asparagus
Asparagus is safe for your pet, but should be given in small amounts. Some pets may also experience digestive upset from eating raw asparagus. In that case, cooked asparagus should sit better.
Asparagus is also quite hard, so watch out that your pet doesn’t choke on it.
5. Spinach
Spinach is rich in many vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C, making it a great nutritious food for your pet. However, it should only be given in moderation as large amounts of spinach can damage your pet’s kidneys.
Cat owners, however, should avoid feeding their cat spinach if they have been diagnosed with a kidney or urinary issue. Why? The small amount of calcium oxalate found in spinach can cause crystal formations in the cat’s urinary tract.
6. Carrots
Carrots are a highly-recommended pet-friendly food. If you have a young puppy at home, it may be better to freeze them and then give them to your puppy for teething purposes.
For those of your who are worried about choking hazards, you can give your pet cooked carrots.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli is safe for your pet in small amounts. What makes it so great is that it is high in fibre, vitamin A, and low in fat. However, consuming large amounts of broccoli can cause gastric irritation.
8. Kale
Kale is a human superfood and is especially popular amongst vegans. But is it safe for your pet to consume? The short answer is: yes. The long answer is: kale is high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, making it a great food for your furry friend.
9. Apples
Apples are also safe for pets – so long as they aren’t eaten with pie! Be careful that your pet doesn’t eat any of the seeds either because they contain small amounts of cyanide.
Even though one seed may not harm your pet immediately, consuming them over a certain period of time will certainly harm your pet. Apple slices should also be given in moderation.
10. Blueberries
Blueberries are no doubt a pet superfood; they are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibre and more.
For puppies, frozen or fresh blueberries also make a great training treat that is both delicious and healthy!
So, now we know which foods we can give our pets, but what about what we can’t give them? Here is a list of human foods that are dangerous/toxic to pets:
- Grapes/raisins
- Garlic
- Chocolate
- Avocado pits
- Onions
- Raw potatoes/potato plants
- Xylitol (sweetener)
- Aspartame (sweetener)
- Alcohol
- Coffee
- Macadamia nuts
