Can cats eat meat, fish and eggs from your kitchen? Mostly yes, as long as the food is cooked, plain and boneless. Cats are obligate carnivores, so animal protein is what their bodies are built to use. The problems come from the way people prepare these foods: salt, curing, smoke, fat, bones, seasonings such as onion and garlic, and serving them raw. This guide covers 12 common foods in one place: which are safe, which to limit, which to skip, how much is enough and when to call your vet. It is part of our Can Cats Eat…? guide to human foods.
Our quick take: plain cooked turkey, chicken, salmon, shrimp and egg are the safest things to share. Lean cooked pork, a little ham, tuna and sardines packed in water are fine as small, occasional treats. Skip bacon, salami and pepperoni, never give bones, and do not feed raw chicken, raw fish or raw eggs. Whatever the food, all treats together should stay at or below about 10% of your cat's daily calories.
Quick reference: meat, fish and eggs cats can and can't eat
Onion, garlic, chives and leeks damage red blood cells, in any form.
Five rules before you share meat, fish or eggs
Cook it. Raw meat, fish and eggs can carry Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria and parasites, and raw poultry has been a source of H5N1 bird flu in cats. The American Veterinary Medical Association discourages feeding any raw or undercooked animal protein to cats, because of the risk to both pets and people.
Keep it plain. No salt, butter, oil, sauce, gravy, breading or seasoning. Onion and garlic, including the powders, are toxic to cats.
Take out every bone, and trim the skin and fat. Bones can choke a cat or injure the gut. Skin and fat trimmings can upset the stomach.
Keep it small. Treats of every kind should add up to no more than about 10% of your cat's daily calories. For most cats that means a bite or two, not a plateful. Plain meat on its own is not a balanced diet, so the rest should be a complete and balanced cat food.
Know when to skip it. Ask your vet first if your cat has kidney disease, heart disease, a history of pancreatitis, a food allergy or a prescription diet. Beef, fish and chicken are the food allergens reported most often in cats, so introduce one new food at a time.
Can cats eat bacon?
Bacon is not toxic to cats, but it is best avoided. It is cured with salt and is very high in fat. Too much salt causes thirst and can upset the balance of electrolytes in the blood. Fatty food can cause vomiting and diarrhea, may trigger pancreatitis and adds a lot of calories for a small animal.
If you do share it: a sliver of well-cooked bacon about the size of your little fingernail, once in a while, is the most a healthy adult cat should have. A crumb that fell on the floor is not a reason to worry.
Never give: raw bacon, which may carry bacteria or parasites; bacon grease or drippings; bacon bits, which are heavily processed and salted; or bacon cooked with onion, garlic or maple and pepper coatings. Turkey bacon is not a safer choice. It is lower in fat but is still salt-cured.
Watch for: vomiting, diarrhea or unusual thirst after your cat gets into bacon. Call your vet if your cat ate several slices or any raw bacon and seems unwell, or if your cat has kidney or heart disease. A plain, meat-based cat treat is a better reward.
Can cats eat chicken bones?
No. Do not give your cat chicken bones, cooked or raw. Cooked bones are the most dangerous. They turn brittle and splinter into sharp pieces that can cut the mouth and throat, lodge in the esophagus or puncture the stomach and intestines.
What about raw bones? Raw bones are less likely to splinter, but veterinary sources still advise against them. They can cause choking, broken teeth, blockages and tears in the gut, and raw poultry carries bacteria such as Salmonella. The ASPCA warns that a pet can choke on a bone or be badly injured if a bone splinters and lodges in or punctures the digestive tract. The same applies to turkey, pork, ham and fish bones.
If your cat ate a chicken bone:
Gagging, drooling, pawing at the mouth or trouble breathing is an emergency. Go to a vet immediately.
If your cat seems fine, call your vet for advice anyway. Do not try to make your cat vomit. A sharp bone can do more damage on the way back up.
Keep your cat indoors, feed soft food and watch closely for three to four days. Vomiting, diarrhea, straining or passing no stool, blood in the stool, a swollen or painful belly, low energy, fever or refusing food all need a vet visit the same day.
A safer way to use the carcass: simmer it into a plain broth with no salt, onion or garlic, strain out every piece of bone and pour a spoonful over your cat's food. Throw cooked bones away in a bin your cat cannot open.
Can cats eat eggs?
Yes. Fully cooked, plain egg is a safe treat for cats. Eggs are a good source of protein and amino acids that cats digest easily. Egg white is nearly fat-free. The yolk holds most of the fat and calories, so cats that are overweight or have had pancreatitis are better off with the white only.
How to serve them: boil or scramble the egg until it is cooked through (160°F), with no salt, butter, oil or milk, and let it cool. About a tablespoon of cooked egg, chopped and added to your cat's normal food, is enough. Eggs are a treat, not a daily meal.
Never give raw eggs. Raw egg can carry Salmonella and E. coli, which can make both your cat and your family ill. Raw egg white also contains avidin, a protein that reduces the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin) and can lead to skin and coat problems over time. Cooking solves both problems.
What about eggshells? Ground eggshell is sometimes used as a calcium supplement, but a cat eating a complete cat food does not need it. Only add it if your vet tells you to.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea after a first taste, or itchy skin, which can point to a food allergy. Stop the eggs and talk to your vet if you see either.
Can cats eat ham?
A small piece of plain, cooked ham is not harmful, but ham should be a rare treat. Ham is pork that has been cured, and curing means a lot of salt. Deli and packaged hams add more sodium, preservatives and sometimes seasonings such as garlic or onion, which are toxic to cats.
How to serve it: choose lean, home-cooked ham with no glaze or seasoning, trim the fat and cut it into tiny pieces. PetMD's veterinary guidance puts the upper limit at a 1-inch cube in total, no more than two or three times a week. Treat that as a ceiling. Most cats should get less, and always have fresh water available.
Skip: honey-glazed, smoked or peppered ham, canned luncheon meat, raw or undercooked ham, and ham bones. Ham is not suitable for kittens, and cats with kidney disease, heart disease or a sodium-restricted diet should not have it unless your vet agrees.
Watch for: increased thirst, vomiting or diarrhea. Call your vet if your cat ate a large amount, ate ham made with garlic or onion, or swallowed a piece of bone.
Can cats eat pork?
Yes, cats can eat lean, fully cooked, unseasoned pork as an occasional treat. Fresh pork is not toxic, and it is used in some cat foods. It tends to be fattier than chicken or turkey, which is why it is better as a now-and-then extra than a regular one.
How to serve it: pick a lean cut such as loin or tenderloin, trim off the fat, and bake or boil it with nothing added. Cook it through: the Merck Veterinary Manual gives at least 145°F for whole cuts and 160°F for ground meat. Remove all bones, cut the meat small and offer a few pieces.
Never give raw or undercooked pork. It can carry bacteria and Trichinella, a parasite that forms cysts in muscle. Infected cats often show no signs, so prevention matters. Pork bones, pork belly, crackling, ribs in sauce and pulled pork are also off the list because of the bones, fat, salt, sugar and seasonings.
Processed pork is different. See bacon, ham and salami. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea after fatty pork, and call your vet if your cat ate raw pork and becomes unwell.
Can cats eat raw chicken?
Raw chicken is not recommended. Plain cooked chicken is one of the best treats you can give a cat. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Cornell Feline Health Center and PetMD's veterinarians all advise against feeding raw meat to cats.
Why raw chicken is a risk:
Bacteria. Raw chicken often carries Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria. A cat's short, acidic digestive tract does not make it immune. A cat can also carry and shed these bacteria without looking ill, which puts children, older people, pregnant women and anyone with a weak immune system in the home at risk.
Bird flu (H5N1). Cats are highly susceptible to H5N1. Cats have become severely ill and died after eating contaminated raw poultry products and raw milk, and several raw cat foods have been recalled. Cornell strongly recommends against feeding cats any raw or freeze-dried raw meat products.
Unbalanced nutrition. Chicken meat alone, raw or cooked, lacks calcium and other nutrients a cat needs, so it cannot replace a complete diet.
Serve this instead: boneless, skinless chicken that has been baked or boiled with no seasoning, cut into small pieces. PetMD suggests up to 2 tablespoons a day for cats over six months and up to 2 teaspoons for younger kittens, within the 10% treat limit. Fried chicken, chicken skin and chicken bones are not suitable.
If your cat stole raw chicken: most healthy adult cats will be fine. Wash your hands, the counter and the food bowl, and watch your cat for the next few days. Call your vet if you see vomiting, diarrhea (especially with blood), fever, low energy or loss of appetite, or if your cat is a kitten, elderly or already unwell. If you are thinking about raw feeding, read our guide to the raw diet for cats and talk to your vet first.
Can cats eat salami?
Salami is not a good treat for cats, and the same goes for pepperoni. A stolen slice is unlikely to hurt a healthy adult cat, but there are three reasons not to offer it:
Salt and fat. Salami is high in both, and cats are sensitive to both.
Seasonings. Many salamis, pepperoni and chorizo are made with garlic, onion, chili or paprika. Garlic and onion damage a cat's red blood cells, and the spices irritate the stomach.
It is cured, not cooked. That leaves a risk of bacterial contamination, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain and fever.
Kittens and pregnant cats should never have salami. If you want to share something from the deli counter, a small piece of plain cooked turkey or chicken that you prepared at home is the better choice.
Watch for: vomiting, diarrhea or low energy after your cat eats salami. Most cases settle on their own, but see your vet if the signs continue or your cat seems unwell. Call your vet without waiting if your cat ate a large amount of sausage made with garlic or onion, because the signs of anemia can take a few days to appear.
Can cats eat salmon?
Yes. Cooked, plain salmon is safe for cats and is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It is a common ingredient in cat food for that reason.
How to serve it: bake, broil, grill or poach the salmon with no oil, butter, salt, lemon or seasoning. Check carefully for bones, which can choke a cat or injure the gut. Flake off a pinch or two and add it to your cat's food. Cooked salmon skin is fine in small amounts.
Never give: raw salmon or sushi, which can contain bacteria and parasites; smoked salmon or lox, which is cured with a lot of salt; canned salmon packed with added salt, oil or seasonings; or salmon cooked in garlic butter or a sauce.
Good to know: salmon should stay a treat. A diet built mostly on fish is not balanced for cats (see tuna for why). If you want more omega-3 in your cat's diet, a measured fish oil made for cats is easier to dose. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea after a first taste.
Can cats eat sardines?
Yes, in moderation. Plain sardines packed in water with no added salt are a safe occasional treat. Sardines provide protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and because they are small fish, they contain far less mercury than large fish such as tuna.
Choose the right can:
In water, no salt added: the one to buy.
In brine: avoid. It is extremely high in sodium.
In oil: avoid. The extra fat can cause digestive upset and weight gain.
In tomato, mustard or chili sauce: avoid. Sauces add salt and may contain onion or garlic.
How to serve them: drain the sardines, check for bones and mash the fish with a fork. Fresh sardines must be fully cooked and boned first. Start with half a sardine. Vet-reviewed guidance puts the ceiling at a couple of sardines at a time, no more than three times a week, and always within the 10% treat limit.
Why not every day? Cats fed mostly oily fish can develop steatitis (yellow fat disease), a painful inflammation of body fat linked to too much unsaturated fat and too little vitamin E. Watch for vomiting or loose stools after a first serving.
Can cats eat shrimp?
Yes. Plain, cooked shrimp is non-toxic and safe for cats in small amounts. It is high in protein and low in calories, but it is not a balanced food, so keep it as a treat.
How to serve it: boil or steam the shrimp with nothing added and let it cool. Remove the shell, tail, head and vein, then cut the meat into small pieces. PetMD's guidance is about half a shrimp for a small cat and one whole shrimp for a large cat, once or twice a week.
Never give: raw shrimp, which can carry bacteria; shells, tails or heads, which can cause choking or an intestinal blockage; or shrimp that is fried, breaded, salted, cooked in garlic butter or served with cocktail sauce.
Watch for: vomiting, diarrhea or belly discomfort. Itchy skin after eating shrimp can be a sign of a food allergy. Stop offering it and speak to your vet.
Can cats eat tuna?
A little tuna is a safe treat. A lot of tuna is a health risk. PetMD's veterinary guidance is no more than 1 tablespoon of plain, cooked, unseasoned tuna once a week for an adult cat, and no tuna for kittens under a year old.
How to serve it: choose canned tuna packed in water with no added salt, not tuna in oil or brine. “Light” tuna is a better choice than albacore (“white”) tuna, which is higher in mercury. Fresh tuna should be cooked plain. Do not feed raw tuna. Like other raw fish, it can carry bacteria and parasites.
Why the limit matters:
Mercury. Tuna is a large predator fish and is high in mercury. A cat that eats it often can build up toxic levels.
Yellow fat disease (steatitis). Diets made up mostly of fish are high in unsaturated fat and can leave a cat short of vitamin E. The result is painful, inflamed body fat, fever and loss of appetite.
It is not a complete food. Tuna canned for people does not contain everything a cat needs. Cornell notes that some cats fed canned fish products meant for humans have developed serious neurological disorders.
Tuna also has a strong smell and taste, and some cats start to hold out for it and turn down their normal food. A complete cat food made with tuna is the safer way to give a cat that flavor. We explain the attraction in why cats like fish.
See your vet if a cat that eats a lot of tuna becomes wobbly, loses coordination, trembles, flinches when touched or stops eating.
Can cats eat turkey?
Yes. Plain, fully cooked turkey is one of the safest meats to share with a cat. Breast meat, plain ground turkey and a small amount of dark meat are all fine.
How to serve it: bake, boil or broil the turkey with no salt, oil, onion or garlic. Remove the skin and every bone, let the meat cool and cut it small. A bite about the size of the tip of your thumb is a sensible serving.
At Thanksgiving, keep these away from your cat:
Turkey bones. Cooked bones splinter easily and can injure the mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestines.
Skin and drippings. They are high in fat and cause digestive upset.
Stuffing and gravy. Both usually contain onion, garlic, salt and fat.
Raw turkey and giblets. Raw meat may carry bacteria that can make you and your cat ill.
What about deli turkey and turkey bacon? Skip both. Turkey lunch meat is usually high in sodium and may contain seasonings, preservatives or nitrates, and turkey bacon is salt-cured like any other bacon.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea after rich leftovers. Call your vet if your cat got hold of a bone or ate stuffing or gravy made with onion or garlic.
Meat, fish and egg foods cats should never eat
Anything cooked with onion, garlic, chives or leeks. These are toxic to cats in every form, including powders. Check gravy, stuffing, broth, stock cubes, marinades, sausages and baby food.
What to do if your cat eats something it shouldn't
Call your vet straight away if your cat:
swallowed a bone, especially if it is gagging, drooling, pawing at its mouth or struggling to breathe;
ate food made with onion, garlic, chives or leeks;
ate a large amount of salty cured meat and is vomiting, very thirsty, wobbly or trembling;
ate raw poultry or a raw pet food and then develops fever, low energy, loss of appetite, breathing problems, tremors or seizures. Phone the clinic before you go, so the staff can take precautions against bird flu.
If you cannot reach your vet, these services are open 24 hours a day (a consultation fee applies):
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
Have ready what your cat ate, roughly how much and when. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home, and never use salt or salt water to do it. Salt itself can poison a cat.
If your cat simply ate too much of a safe food, expect possible vomiting, diarrhea or a quiet day. Offer fresh water and its normal food. Contact your vet if the signs last longer than 24 hours, if they are severe, or if your cat is a kitten, elderly or has an existing illness.
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