What Can Cats Eat?
QUICK ANSWER
Cats can safely eat plain cooked chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs in moderation. Small amounts of certain fruits and vegetables (blueberries, cooked carrots, cantaloupe) are also fine. Foods that are toxic to cats include chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, lilies, xylitol, and alcohol. Cats are obligate carnivores and need a meat-based diet.
Your cat is staring at your plate with an intensity that borders on psychic, and you're wondering if you can share. Some human foods are perfectly fine for cats. Others can be genuinely dangerous. Here's the breakdown.
What's safe to share?
Plain, cooked, unseasoned meat is the safest human food for cats. Chicken, turkey, and lean beef are all good options. Cooked fish (salmon, cod, tuna in small amounts) is fine as an occasional treat. Cooked eggs are a good protein source. Some cats enjoy small amounts of cooked carrots, green beans, or pumpkin. Blueberries and cantaloupe are safe fruit options that some cats like. All of these should be treats, not meal replacements; your cat's primary diet should be a complete and balanced commercial cat food.
What should cats never eat?
The toxic list for cats includes chocolate (theobromine), onions and garlic (red blood cell damage), grapes and raisins (kidney failure), xylitol/birch sugar (liver failure and hypoglycemia), alcohol (even small amounts), raw dough (expansion and alcohol production in the stomach), and lilies (kidney failure from even minor exposure). According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, onion and garlic toxicity is particularly insidious because cats are more sensitive to Allium compounds than dogs, and the damage is cumulative.
What about dairy?
Despite the stereotype of cats drinking milk, most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Milk, cheese, and cream can cause diarrhea and stomach upset. Small amounts of plain yogurt are sometimes tolerated better because the fermentation process breaks down some of the lactose. But dairy isn't necessary or particularly beneficial for cats, so it's best kept to a minimum or avoided entirely if your cat shows any digestive sensitivity.
How much human food is too much?
Treats and human food should make up no more than 10% of your cat's daily caloric intake. Cats have very specific nutritional requirements as obligate carnivores, including high protein, taurine, arachidonic acid, and vitamin A, that are carefully balanced in quality commercial cat foods. Too much human food can create nutritional imbalances even if the individual foods are safe. Think of human food as an occasional treat, not a dietary component.
Sharing food with your cat is fine as long as you know the safe list and the toxic list. When in doubt, look it up before tossing them a bite. And remember, your cat's main diet should always be a complete, balanced cat food designed for their unique nutritional needs.
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