Green Tea Benefits for Cats

Last Updated on April 13, 2020

Tea time for two may have a whole new meaning for you and your cat! Camellia sinensis brewed leaves (a.k.a. green tea) has been shown to give us humans plenty of benefits from aiding weight loss to oral protection, even anti-cancerous properties to reduce your risk. Did you know your cat can benefit from drinking it too?

What makes green tea so special?

There is a class of polyphenols known as Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (or EGCG for short) in green tea that has been shown to greatly reduce free radicals in the body. Amazingly, this chemical compound makes up green tea by as much as 45% through its catechins content. This means green tea is a super rich anti-oxidant that helps remove toxins, buildup, and waste from the body naturally. Polyphenols have also been shown to not only reduce tumor growth but greatly increase the skin’s protection from UVB radiation. They are even powerful enough even kill cancer cells! Pretty amazing huh?

How does green tea benefit my cat?

In a similar fashion to how drinking green tea daily benefits humans, many of the benefits can be seen in our feline friends as well. Some major benefits include:

• Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
• Detoxes the lungs and sinuses (reducing the risk of lung cancer)
• Naturally fights off and kills cancer cells
• Can lower blood pressure to healthy levels
• Promotes healthy weight and metabolism
• Helps aid in the prevention of insulin resistance (feline diabetes)
• Promotes healthy bones and muscle structure (helps prevent arthritis)
• Prevents oral cavities and other oral infections (natural fluoride content)
• Wards off depression and anxiety (theanine aids the body to relax)
• Natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent to reduce infections, colds, and the flu
• Greatly reduces cognitive decline (Alzheimer’s) by protecting brain cells

How much should my cat drink?

Not all cats will enjoy the taste but for those cats who do, offering them a small room temperature bowl of green tea once a day is enough. Some cats will drink a small amount and be done, others may drink the entire bowl. If your cat is not a fan and you still want them to benefit from it, you can mix 1 or 2 tablespoons directly into their food once or twice a day. If you use regular green tea, it will contain natural caffeine in it. It is best to limit this to small amounts. If you buy decaffeinated green tea, you don’t have to worry about them drinking too much.

What green tea is best for my cat?

Organic and non-GMO is the cleanest and best. I recommend this to both pet owners and tea drinkers themselves. Tea leaves are one of the most heavily sprayed items when it comes to pesticides and they can’t be washed away. Also using decaffeinated green tea is recommended if you can’t monitor how much tea your kitty is drinking.

Do not give cats green tea extract! Green tea extract contains concentrated amounts of minerals, vitamins, and caffeine which has not been properly tested for cats.