Water Chestnut

Cats need no vegetables, so one small peeled, cooked piece of water chestnut is at most a novel treat with a little water and fibre.

One small nail-sized piece per serving, peeled and cooked, cut very small, without reducing main-diet intake and still within about 10% of daily energy intake.

Peel off the skin and the eyes, steam or boil until soft, then dice it small with no seasoning; never offer it raw.

**Raw water chestnuts may harbour parasites, so always cook them**; they are starchier than most vegetables, so cut them small to avoid choking, skip them for overweight or diabetic cats, and **never feed the sugary canned kind**.

Peeled water chestnut is juicy and crisp, providing potassium and dietary fibre at a modest calorie cost, so it works as an occasional vegetable treat.

Peel and cook it, dice it small, then offer 1-2 tablespoons (about a teaspoon for a small dog) within about 10% of daily energy intake, with complete dog food as the main diet.

Peel off the skin and the eyes, steam or boil until soft, then cut it into small pieces; **the crisp texture makes choking a real risk, so always cut it small**, and add no sugar, oil or seasoning.

**Raw water chestnuts may carry parasites such as the giant intestinal fluke, so cooking is advised**; starch and sugar run higher than in most vegetables, so limit portions for overweight or diabetic dogs, and **never feed the sugary canned kind**.