Fruit and vegetables in the diet of dogs and cats represent an important nutritional contribution that, in some cases, can also be essential. "Fruit and vegetables are a concentrate of substances with beneficial properties – explains Dr Barbara Tonini, veterinary surgeon with a PhD in dog and cat nutrition – and they are often a healthy alternative to the usual between-meal snacks rich in saturated fats or palatability enhancers." The beneficial effects are numerous and well worth knowing about. Dr Tonini continues: "Being foods with a high water content, both fruit and vegetables help to maintain good hydration levels in our animal friends too, and provide extremely useful substances for the body such as antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and soluble fibre, which is perfect for ensuring optimal gut function."

Fruit and vegetables for dogs and cats

"A good dietary habit – Tonini continues – is to start introducing small amounts of fruit and vegetables into the daily diet from the first months of a puppy's life. It will be more complex, though not impossible, to change the eating habits of adult animals, especially those that are very selective or set in their ways." But which fruits can we give our four-legged friends without worry? Fruits such as apple, pear, banana, kiwi, apricots, blackberries, blueberries and melon are all fine. As are raspberries, freshly picked strawberries and watermelon. Exotic fruits such as pineapple, papaya and mango are also excellent.

When it comes to vegetables, feel free to give broccoli – much appreciated by both dogs and some cats – peas, cabbage, carrots, aubergines, celery, fennel, pumpkin and spinach. "Also excellent for cats – the expert specifies – are courgettes, thanks to their high water content. Cats – far fussier than dogs – will eat them quite readily when mixed in with the rest of their home-cooked meal. On their own, in fact, they are a little too unappetising for the refined palate of the king of felines." But there are also some unexpected foods that our little friends enjoy greatly. For example? "A food that cats enjoy is olives, naturally without the stone. They can be mixed in small quantities with certain less popular foods to make them more palatable: just be careful not to overdo it. Their high salt content (from the brine) can be harmful to our four-legged friend."

How to serve fruit and vegetables

Fruit can be eaten raw after removing the stones and any inedible skin. "Vegetables, on the other hand, can be given raw or cooked, boiled or steamed, and should always be served in small pieces or as a purée to make them more digestible alongside the daily meal," concludes Barbara Tonini. It is also important to know that, to ensure dogs and cats do not miss out on precious nutrients, there are dry and wet foods available on the market that contain both fruit and vegetables in optimal proportions for the health of our little friends.

These formulations are also expertly calibrated in terms of flavour to encourage even the most reluctant dogs and cats to accept tastes outside the ordinary. By choosing these products, you can be confident of giving them the right amount of fruit and vegetables for optimal wellbeing.

Which fruits and vegetables can be harmful to dogs and cats

Some foods are extremely toxic to our animals, so pay close attention to what may put their health at risk – for example onions, garlic, shallots and leeks, which can even trigger severe anaemia. "Mushrooms – explains Dr Tonini – are harmful to the liver, while grapes and raisins damage the kidneys. Avocado can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs and cats. Also watch out for Macadamia nuts, which can cause depressive symptoms and tremors." It is always important to remember not to give large pieces of fruit or vegetables, or whole fruit, which greedier animals might swallow too quickly and risk obstructive problems in the upper airways or digestive tract.