What Human Food Can Cats Eat? Safe and Toxic Foods List
In this guide
The short answer: cats can safely eat small amounts of plain, cooked meat and fish (chicken, turkey, beef, salmon), cooked egg, and a few plain extras like cooked rice, oats or pumpkin. Keep them unseasoned, boneless and occasional. They should never eat onions, garlic or chives (in any form, including powders), chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, raw dough, grapes or raisins, or anything with xylitol. Treats of any kind should stay under about 10% of your cat’s daily calories, so their complete cat food stays the main diet.
Safe and toxic foods for cats: quick list
Yes means safe in small, plain portions as a treat. A little means not toxic, but not a good idea beyond a tiny taste. No means don’t feed it.
| Food | Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Yes | Plain and cooked, with no skin, bones or seasoning |
| Turkey | Yes | Plain cooked breast meat. No skin, bones, gravy or stuffing. |
| Beef, lamb, pork | Yes | Lean, plain and cooked. Fatty cuts can upset the stomach. |
| Salmon, white fish | Yes | Cooked, boneless and unseasoned |
| Sardines | Yes | Occasionally. Choose sardines in water with no added salt. |
| Tuna | A little | Fine as an occasional treat, but not as a regular meal |
| Eggs | Yes | Cooked (scrambled or boiled) with nothing added. Never raw. |
| Cheese | A little | Many cats digest dairy poorly. A pea-sized piece at most. |
| Milk | No | Most cats can’t digest lactose well, so it often causes diarrhoea |
| Rice, oats, plain pasta or noodles | Yes | Plain and cooked. Fine in small amounts, but cats don’t need carbohydrates. |
| Lentils | A little | Plain and cooked. Not harmful in small amounts, but no real benefit. |
| Pumpkin | Yes | Plain cooked or canned pumpkin, not pie filling |
| Carrots, peas, green beans, cucumber | Yes | Cooked or soft, in small pieces |
| Banana, blueberries, melon, apple | A little | Tiny pieces only. Remove apple seeds and core. Cats can’t taste sweetness. |
| Olives | A little | Plain and pitted. Brined olives are very salty. |
| Shop-bought mushrooms | A little | Plain cooked button mushrooms aren’t toxic. Wild mushrooms can be deadly. |
| Scallops, shrimp | A little | Plain and cooked only. Never raw. |
| Oranges and other citrus | No | The ASPCA lists orange as toxic to cats because of the oils in the peel and plant |
| Dates and dried fruit | No | Sugary, and pits are a choking risk. Raisins are dangerous. |
| Grapes and raisins | No | Cause kidney damage in dogs. Less is known about cats, so vets advise avoiding them completely. |
| Onions, garlic, chives, leeks | No | Damage red blood cells. The ASPCA says cats are even more sensitive than dogs. |
| Chocolate, coffee, tea, energy drinks | No | Contain caffeine and theobromine, which can cause tremors, seizures and heart problems |
| Alcohol | No | Even small amounts are dangerous |
| Raw bread or pizza dough | No | Expands in the stomach and produces alcohol |
| Anything with xylitol | No | Found in sugar-free gum, sweets, peanut butter and some baking |
| Raw meat, fish or eggs | No | Can carry Salmonella and other bacteria |
| Cooked bones | No | Can splinter and injure the gut |
| Fries, hot dogs, bologna, ham | No | Very salty and fatty. Processed meats often contain onion or garlic powder. |
| Crackers, cereal, chips | No | Salty, processed, with no nutritional value for cats |
| Dog food and dog treats | A little | Not toxic, but not complete for cats (see below) |
The toxic foods in this list come from the ASPCA’s guide to people foods to avoid feeding pets.
What do cats eat, naturally?
Cats are obligate carnivores. The Cornell Feline Health Center explains that they rely on nutrients found only in animal products, and need a diet high in protein, moderate in fat and low in carbohydrates. That’s why plain meat and fish make the best human-food treats, while bread, fruit and snacks offer them very little.
A good-quality, complete and balanced cat food already gives your cat everything it needs. Human food should only ever be an occasional extra. Cornell suggests treats make up no more than 10 to 15% of a cat’s daily calories. For choosing the main diet, see our guide to the best cat food.
Can cats eat dog food?
A mouthful won’t hurt, but dog food shouldn’t be a regular meal. PetMD explains that a small amount of dog food typically doesn’t harm cats. The European pet food industry body FEDIAF also advises against feeding it regularly. Dog food often lacks nutrients that cats must get from their diet:
- Taurine. Dogs can make enough of their own, but cats can’t. Too little causes serious heart and eye disease in cats.
- Arachidonic acid, an essential fat cats can’t make for themselves.
- Preformed vitamin A. Cats can’t convert plant beta-carotene into vitamin A the way dogs can.
- Enough protein. Cats need more protein than dogs.
The same goes for dog treats: an occasional one is fine, but they’re no substitute for cat food. In a cat-and-dog household, feeding them in separate rooms or putting the cat’s bowl up high keeps each pet eating their own food.
Why do cats eat grass?
Lots of cats nibble grass, and it’s usually normal. Veterinary behaviourist Benjamin Hart at UC Davis, who has surveyed cat owners about plant eating, writes in dvm360 that cats usually don’t seem ill before eating plants and don’t regularly vomit afterwards. His theory is that plant eating is an instinct inherited from wild ancestors, possibly once helping to clear intestinal worms.
To keep grass-eating safe:
- Grow cat grass indoors. Wheatgrass and oat grass kits are sold at most pet shops.
- Keep cats off treated lawns, which may have pesticides or fertiliser on them.
- Remove toxic plants. Lilies are deadly to cats. Even a little pollen or vase water can cause kidney failure. See our guide to why cats throw up for the warning signs.
Popular questions about specific foods
Can cats eat turkey? Yes. Plain, cooked turkey breast with no skin, bones, gravy, stuffing or seasoning makes a good treat. Watch out at holiday meals: stuffing and gravy usually contain onion and garlic.
Can cats eat sardines? Yes, occasionally. Choose sardines canned in water with no added salt, and offer one small fish or less.
Can cats eat tuna? A little, now and then. Tuna for people isn’t a complete diet, and some cats get so fond of it that they refuse their normal food.
Can cats eat eggs? Yes, if fully cooked and plain. Raw eggs can carry Salmonella.
Can cats drink milk? It’s best not to. Most adult cats can’t digest lactose properly, so milk often causes diarrhoea. Water is all they need. Kittens that aren’t with their mother need a kitten milk replacer, never cow’s milk.
Can cats eat oranges? No. The ASPCA lists orange as toxic to cats, mainly because of the oils in the peel and plant. Most cats dislike the smell of citrus anyway.
Can cats eat fries, hot dogs or bologna? It’s better not to. These are high in salt and fat, and processed meats often contain onion or garlic powder.
Can cats eat olives? A plain, pitted olive won’t harm most cats, and some cats love them. Brined olives are very salty, though, so keep it to a rare tiny piece.
Can cats eat mushrooms? Plain shop-bought mushrooms aren’t toxic, but they offer cats nothing. Wild mushrooms can be fatal, so contact a vet straight away if your cat eats one outdoors.
Can cats eat oats? Yes. Plain cooked oats are fine in a small amount, but cats don’t need them.
Can cats eat apples or bananas? A small piece is fine. Remove apple seeds and the core. Most cats aren’t interested, because they can’t taste sweetness.
What about homemade cat food?
An occasional plain cooked treat is fine. Feeding a fully homemade diet is much harder than it sounds. Cats need precise amounts of taurine, calcium, vitamins and other nutrients, and most recipes found online are incomplete. If you’d like to home-cook for your cat, ask your vet to refer you to a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, who can design a complete recipe. We don’t recommend raw diets: the FDA warns that raw pet food can carry Salmonella and Listeria, which are a risk to both cats and people.
My cat ate something toxic: what now?
- Remove any remaining food and keep the packaging, so you know what and how much was eaten.
- Call your vet or an emergency clinic straight away, even if your cat seems fine. Some poisonings, like lilies, onions and grapes, take hours or days to show signs. In the US, you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply).
- Don’t try to make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to.
FAQs
What human food can cats eat every day?
None needs to be eaten daily. A complete cat food covers everything. If you’d like to share, small amounts of plain cooked chicken, turkey or fish are the safest options, kept under about 10% of daily calories.
What foods are toxic to cats?
The main ones are onions, garlic, chives and leeks (including powders), chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, raw yeast dough, grapes and raisins, xylitol, and citrus. Lilies, though not a food, are among the most dangerous things a cat can eat.
What can cats eat besides cat food?
Plain cooked meat and fish, cooked egg, and small amounts of plain cooked rice, oats or pumpkin. These are treats, not a replacement for complete cat food.
Is it OK if my cat eats dog food?
An occasional mouthful is fine, but dog food doesn’t contain enough taurine, arachidonic acid or vitamin A for cats. Fed regularly, it can cause serious deficiencies.
Why does my cat eat grass?
Most likely instinct. Grass eating is common, and most cats don’t vomit afterwards. Offer indoor cat grass and keep your cat away from treated lawns and toxic plants.
Sources
- ASPCA: People foods to avoid feeding your pets and Orange (toxic plant)
- Cornell Feline Health Center: Feeding your cat
- PetMD: Can cats eat dog food?
- FEDIAF: Can I feed dog food to my cat?
- dvm360: Why do dogs and cats eat grass?
- FDA: Raw pet food diets can be dangerous to you and your pet
