Can Cats Eat Cucumber Plants – Gardening With Pets

In the summer, your cat suddenly has a whole new world to explore once your garden starts to flourish. Any outdoor cat will trail his way through a massive garden, and he may even sample some of the plants along his way. You see your cat eating your cucumbers and ask yourself, can cats eat cucumber plants?

Cats can eat cucumber plants as long as the plants are not treated with pesticides. Your cat may experience skin or eye irritation from brushing up against the plants, but reactions like this do not mean that your cat is poisoned. 

Cucumber plants, meaning the steam and leaves, are not as healthy as the cucumbers themselves, but your cat won’t experience any adverse reactions from eating them. You shouldn’t worry about your cat if it is eating your cucumber plants, but read through this article to learn more about why you needn’t worry!

Are Cucumber Plants Toxic To Cats

Cucumber plants are not toxic to cats, but pesticides sprayed on cucumber plants can be toxic.

Seeing your cat munching on cucumber plants in your home garden is not a reason to be alarmed. Cucumber plants and leaves will not poison your cat if they eat them.

You should be concerned with toxicity if you know that your plants are sprayed with pesticides. This is more common for people growing plants in mass quantities, such as farmers.

Several different pesticides are used in farming and gardening these days. While there is a movement to make pesticides safe for humans and animals, poisonous pesticides are still used.

The following are symptoms that you might expect if your cat is poisoned by pesticides sprayed on cucumber plants:

• Fever
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Seizures or tremors
• Confusion
• Lack of coordination

Can Cats Eat Plant Leaves

Cats can eat plants that aren’t treated with pesticides, but you may notice adverse, though non-deadly, reactions.

Just because something is safe to eat does not mean that your cat should eat it. The following are some reactions your cat can have to eating plant leaves, though none are considered a medical emergency.

Skin, Eye, And Noise Irritation

If you’ve ever been gardening for a few hours, you might notice that your skin and nose are irritated.

This can be from brushing up against plants, leaves, and stems or because of the pollen on the plants.

Your garden can make your eyes itch and water, and the same thing can happen to your cat while they’re in your garden!

Allergies don’t constitute a trip to the vet, but they can make your cat a sniffling mess, just like you!

Stomach Ache And Vomiting

As a cat owner, you might already know that your cat will throw up after eating grass because it cannot digest it.

The same is true for a cat chewing on plant leaves, including cucumber plant leaves.

Your cat may not be able to find the perfect patch of grass to munch on, so your cat tries your cucumber plants.

If the vomiting isn’t accompanied by any symptoms of pesticide poisoning, then your cat is probably trying to relieve a stomach ache or hairball.

Eating Plants Other Than Cucumbers

Just because your cat is looking to eat cucumber plants doesn’t mean that’s all your cat will be eating.

When you’re looking over any garden before the plants start to bear fruits or vegetables, it is a sea of green.

It’s difficult to know where one plant ends and another one starts. Your cat won’t know the difference either.

Your cat may start to eat a plant that isn’t good for him to eat, such as:

• Onions
• Chives
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Grapes or grapevine

Not everything in your garden is as safe to eat for your cat as cucumber plants, which is important to keep in mind.

Getting Bit By Bugs Or Snakes

A cat that likes to be outside is no stranger to bugs, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get hurt by them!

Numerous bugs, insects, and creatures make your garden their home during the growing season.

The two that come to my mind first are spiders and snakes.

Most spiders in gardens are small and harmless, but non-venomous spiders can still bite your cat! Your cat won’t experience any severe, adverse reactions most of the time, but you may see that his lip or skin where he was bitten will swell up.

Snakes are another common garden visitor. Most snakes in gardens are usually garden snakes, which are harmless and may not even bite your cat. If scared by your cat (or used as a cat toy, as my cats do), the garden snake may still try to protect itself!

Depending on where you live, you may have more dangerous insects or snakes that you should think about while your cat is in your garden.

Getting Hurt By Rough Fruits Or Vegetables

Let’s revisit cucumbers specifically for this one.

If you’ve ever picked cucumbers at the height of the growing season, you might have been poked by the prickly skin on some varieties of cucumbers. In fact, some recommend picking cucumbers with gloves because they can be so sharp.

This can pose a danger to your cat because they are navigating through your garden face first.

Your cat can brush up against a cucumber while eating, either by accident or on purpose, and get scratched or cut by it.

You wouldn’t think injury by cucumber is possible, but it is certainly a danger that you should think about!

Are Cucumbers Poisonous To Cats

Cucumber plants aren’t toxic to cats, and the cucumbers they grow aren’t harmful either.

Even though you now know that the cucumber plant isn’t harmful to cats, you might be worried that your cat still shouldn’t eat cucumbers.

Your cat can safely eat the cucumbers you grow, just like the plants themselves!

Cucumber is actually a great snack for your cat if your cat likes to eat them, which isn’t a guarantee.

Cucumbers are full of nutrients and don’t have a lot of calories, meaning that they won’t add unnecessary calories to your cat’s diet.

If you decide to give your cat cucumber, peel it and cut it into small pieces to avoid any choking hazards.

Why Does My Cat Love Cucumbers And Cucumber Plants

Cucumber plants and cucumbers themselves are a new, fun treat for your cat.

There is no good reason why your cat enjoys eating your cucumber plants.

Your cat may like the taste of the leaves or is trying to bite bugs crawling on the plants.

If your cats are anything like mine, they might enjoy rubbing their cheeks against the stems of the cucumber plants!

On the other hand, cucumbers are a refreshing treat in the hot summer months. Every cucumber is packed with water, which your cat needs to stay hydrated.

Plus, your cat has seen you eating cucumbers, and he may want to be involved in eating whatever new treat you’ve found! Sharing is caring, after all.