For the sake of sharing knowledge, let's define first what is a pome fruit. Then, we will go through the main ones and check if they are safe for cats.
What is a pome fruit?
Pome fruit is a subcategory of accessory fruit (the flesh grows outside of the carpel) with the particularity of having a crunchy flesh.
The seeds are inside a "core", the endocarp, which is itself part of the carpel. To simplify, that's the central part of an apple that people remove most of the time.
Because of that core covering the seeds, pome fruits are also commonly named core fruits.
Irony of a name
The accessory fruit category used to be called "false fruit" or "pseudofruit" as the flesh does not grow inside the carpel but outside. Pome fruits are accessory fruits too, and pome comes from the french of appel "pome" (pomme in modern French) which itself comes from the Latin Poma, and Poma means fruit.
Are Apples safe for cats?
Apple is the most popular pome fruit and one of the most consumed fruit in the world, with 86 million tonnes produced in 2018.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
They are considered dangerous for cats because of their small seeds, easily eatable even for a cat. The seeds contain cyanide, which toxicity can cause your cat to have dilated pupils, to pant, to have difficulty to breath and even to shock.
However, eaten seedless, Apple is safe for cats and will bring them vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C and Calcium, as well as dietary fiber.
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Are Pears safe for cats?
Pear is another popular pome fruit. In 2017, the worldwide production of pear was 24.2 million tonnes, 68% coming from China itself.
Pears' benefits are similar to Apples. Their flesh and skin contain many nutrients with vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus being noteworthy.
Similarly, the seeds are toxic for cats as they also contain cyanide. So you can expect similar effects on your cat if your beloved ate some.
The wood of a Pear tree is used for high-quality woodwind instruments as well as furniture. Regarding the leaves, they used to be smoked in Europe before tobacco was introduced.
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Are Quinces safe for cats?
Not as popular as Apple and Pear, Quince is also a pome fruit. The shape is similar to a Pear with golden-yellow skin color.
In the Middle Ages, quinces were a sign of greatness and luxury, often served to monarchs and aristocrats. Nowadays, Quinces' production in 2017 was 692,262 tonnes.
If your highness feline eats a piece of quince's flesh, it will provide many vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B2 as well as Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium.
As the previous fruits mentioned above, be sure your cat does not eat the seeds. They contain nitrile, which can be hydrolyzed in the stomach and produce hydrogen cyanide. Your beloved feline will suffer from panting and breathing difficulties, dilated pupils, and shock.
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