Can Cats Eat Figs – Why They Should Be Avoided!

While figs are a delicious fruit delicacy for humans, they are not a type of food that your cat should ever be eating.

Unfortunately, figs are highly toxic for cats, and you should avoid letting your cat lick, sniff, or eat a fig plant. Avoid keeping any figs in an area of your house where your cat might be tempted to eat them.

It can be dangerous for your cat if they eat too much of a fig, so it is better to keep it away from this fruit.

The dangers of consuming figs for cats

Figs are dangerous for cats when a cat eats a substantial portion of the inside of a fig. The fruit is not dangerous to have around cats, and you can safely eat figs in your home without worrying that the fruit harms your kitty. 

The technical name for figs is a weeping fig or Indian rubber plant, and several different parts make up the composition of a fig that is dangerous for cats to eat. The fruit of a fig plant has specific enzymes that can hurt a cat’s DNA and lead to various illnesses for your cat. 

There is a concentrated amount of the enzyme ficain in the leaves, stem, and skin of a fig, and if a cat consumes ficain, it may come down with fig poisoning. 

Fig toxicity and its affect on cats

Assuming the fig is baked into a specific type of food or a fig concentrate is used, the fig’s toxicity will be much lower than if a cat ate a raw piece of fig on its own. If your cat eats a few bites of a fig newton or another dessert with figs baked in, it is far less likely that they will suffer from an entire case of fig poisoning. 

However, cats do not need to be eating human desserts or foods with figs in them, to begin with, as this time of food often has a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, which cats do not need in their daily diets. 

Due to this, you should keep them away from this type of human food in general. While it is unlikely for a baked fig to cause fig poisoning, it could still result in an upset stomach for your cat. 

The good news is that it is very unlikely that your cat will die if they consume a small amount of fig. Other foods are far more toxic for cats to eat. 

While a fig may not be deadly, it is still not good for cats to eat them. The toxicity of figs is relatively low, but there are ingredients within figs that can make your cat very ill. 

Something to note is that the most dangerous part of fig for your cat to consume is the sap, where the toxic enzymes are the most concentrated and prevalent in the fruit. If your cat merely nibbles on the outside skin of a fig, it is less likely that it will have severe side effects. 

How will I know if my cat has fig poisoning? 

A cat that consumes too much fig may show gastrointestinal distress or dermal irritation. Some side effects your cat may experience if they have fig toxicity include a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or drooling. If they have a skin reaction, you might notice a strange rash or change in their fur. 

If you suspect your cat is having a dermal reaction to a fig, be on the lookout for your cat to be suffering from cold-like symptoms. Usually, this could look like a skin rash, sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose for your cat. 

It can take your cat several weeks to get their digestive system and stomach back on track after they have fig poisoning, and you may have to feed them a bland diet until they fully recover. While it is unlikely your cat will die from fig poisoning, it still creates an unpleasant situation for you and your cat. 

What should I do if my cat ingests a fig? 

If you believe your cat has ingested parts of a piece of fig fruit, you need to take action quickly and contact your vet. Depending on how much of the fig your cat consumed, your vet may recommend you wait to monitor your cat at home and see what kind of reaction they are having, or they may recommend that you immediately come into their office so they can examine your cat. 

Suppose the vet believes your cat has consumed a large amount of fig or has a strong reaction. In that case, they can give your cat medicine and monitor them in their office to ensure your cat can heal from the fig poisoning in a safe and comfortable space. 

Final Thoughts

Even if your cat shows interest in figs, do not let them eat one! There are plenty of other snacks and cat-friendly human foods your feline can munch on to avoid stomachaches. 

You never want to mess around with any toxic substances that could harm your cat, as it could result in long-term health complications and cost you thousands of dollars in vet bills. When you doubt whether your cat should be eating a certain type of food, err on the side of caution and do research before letting your cat eat it.