Slooking for a nutritious treat for your feline friend? There are plenty of cat-friendly foods that you probably already have in your pantry. And once you know what human foods your cat can eat, you can get crafty and make some truly one-of-a-kind treats for your furry friend.
To start treating your cat like the rest of the family, read on to learn which human foods are safe for cats.
17 Human Foods That Are Safe for Cats
1. Salmon
Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, said that salmon is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and that it is often already found in commercial cat food. Dr. Wismer recommends only giving your cat cooked salmon, but you can feed her raw cat-friendly human foods.
Freeze-dried cat treats like PureBits salmon make it simple to give your cat the health benefits of salmon without the messy preparation or cleanup.
2. Spinach
Dr. Wismer claims that spinach is a healthy treat for cats because of its abundance of vitamins and minerals. However, spinach should be avoided if your cat has a history of calcium oxalate bladder stones.
Due to its high nutritional value, spinach is included in a variety of commercial cat foods. Spinach is one of the top five ingredients in Purina Beyond Grain-Free ocean whitefish and spinach canned cat food, a natural pate-style food for adult cats.
3. Cantaloupe
According to Dr. Wismer, cantaloupe is one of several cat-safe fruits because it is high in antioxidants and beta-carotene, which helps maintain healthy skin and eye health.
4. Eggs
Dr. Wismer reassured me that eggs, another healthy source of protein and B vitamins, were fine for my cat to eat. Make sure to cook any eggs your cat will be eating to prevent the spread of disease.
5. Fish Oils
In other words, break out the fish oil capsules for your feline friend. Emmy-winning veterinarian Dr. Jeff Werber says that while dogs are more often allowed to eat human food than cats, both species can benefit from fish oil.
The omega 3s in fish oil, which can be found in a variety of sources such as salmon and cod liver oil, can aid in preventing dry skin in the winter and maintaining a healthy coat all year round.
Supporting skin and coat health with natural fatty acids, supplements like PetHonesty Omega-3 Fish Oil Immune, Joint, Skin & Coat Supplement for Dogs & Cats are made from fish caught in the wild.
6. Chicken
According to Werber, cats don’t always enjoy the same variety of people foods that dogs do because their bodies aren’t as well equipped to digest fibrous foods as dogs’ are and because cats are obligate carnivores and require diets that contain mostly meat (unlike dogs, who are omnivores and can live off of a variety of foods). However, they devour even the most common types of meat, such as chicken.
Chicken is a good source of lean protein for your cat, but it’s important to make sure it’s cooked all the way through and that the skin (which can be fatty) is removed, as stated by Werber. The commercial cat food I buy usually has chicken as an ingredient.
7. Bananas
Bananas, which are high in potassium and soluble fiber, are a healthy snack for cats. She also stressed that no more than 10% of your cat’s daily calorie intake should come from treats like bananas (or anything else on this list).
8. Oatmeal
Oatmeal, another human food, can be found in commercial cat foods like Natural Balance Fat Cats low-calorie diet, providing your pet with a source of energy and B vitamins.
Even though oatmeal is perfectly safe for cats, that doesn’t mean yours will love it. Try feeding it to your cat a few times to see if he or she takes a shine to it before making it a regular part of their diet.
9. Pumpkin
I was wondering if pumpkin was safe for cats to eat. In addition to helping cats with irregular bowel movements, pumpkin is low in calories and high in fiber. Pumpkin can be used as a safe and healthy ingredient in cat treats.
The addition of pumpkin to your cat’s diet is simplified by the availability of pumpkin-flavored supplements on the market. Put up the Pumpkin Patch, Weruva! Single-serve pouches of a pureed food supplement for dogs and cats that promotes stool quality and healthy gut mobility.
10. Cheese
Is lactose intolerance a problem for cats, or do they enjoy the occasional piece of cheese?
Dr. Wismer suggests feeding a hard cheese like cheddar, Swiss, or Gouda if your cat shows an interest in this feline-friendly food. Bake them into treats or give them to your cat raw in small amounts; both cheeses are high in calcium and protein.
11. Bread
According to Dr. Werber, some felines enjoy nibbling on bread, a feline-friendly human food that is high in protein and fiber.
12. Apples
Apples, which are high in fiber and vitamin C, are another food Dr. Werber says cats can eat, but only if you remove the skin, seeds, and stems before serving them to your cat.
13. Blueberries
According to Dr. Wismer, some felines may enjoy snacking on frozen blueberries. Blueberries are a good source of vitamins A and C and can be found in some cat foods, such as American Journey salmon grain-free dry cat food. Learn more about the health benefits of blueberries for cats by reading the article below.
14. Turkey
Turkey, in the form of either cooked turkey breast or deli meat, is another safe source of lean protein for cats.
15. Peas
Peas, which are high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A, are another human food that cats can safely eat. You can feed them to your cat fresh, frozen, or even raw, but they are also commonly found in commercial cat foods.
16. Watermelon
Watermelon is a healthy treat for cats because it contains potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B1, B5, and C in moderate amounts. Learn why watermelon is good for felines.
17. Strawberries
According to Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ, a small animal vet in Silverthorne, Colorado, strawberries are “fun, perfectly acceptable treat” for cats. Fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can all be found in the juicy fruit. Strawberries are good for cats; learn more.
How to Feed Cats Human Foods
Even if the treats are healthy, you should limit how often you give them to your cat.
If you want to give your dog a treat every day, Dr. Wismer recommends keeping it to no more than 20 calories. This is equivalent to about two teaspoons of cooked salmon or chicken, or about 25 blueberries (though you probably shouldn’t give them that many). To get there, you can use a combination of cat treats and human food treats.
However, she cautioned that owners should reduce their cat’s treat intake if their feline friend began to gain weight as a result of eating human food.
Dr. Werber advises that when introducing new foods to your cat, you should be prepared for some gastric distress. They can be picky eaters if they have never tried the food before and their bodies aren’t used to processing it.
A word from Dr. Werber? Offer a wide range of options to determine their preferences, but do so cautiously and without seasonings. Maintain a steady diet of both cat food and human treats to ensure your cat gets the nutrition she needs every day.