What human food can cats eat? Felines rely on pet parents exclusively for food. You must provide your cat with a healthy, balanced diet to help him live a long life. There are many safe human foods cats can eat, and meat is the natural diet for felines.
What Can Cats Eat?
Felines are obligate carnivores and not vegans. Cats are known for a weak sense of taste with fewer taste buds than humans. With that in mind, cats may still detect sweet and salty and tend to dislike sour and bitter food. The best diet for cats is a meat-based diet, including bones, muscle, tissue, fat, and organs.
Types of Cat Food
Consider a home-cooked diet or a grain-free wet diet. A home-prepared diet of human food uses meat and fish fit for human consumption as the primary ingredients. There are safe vegetables for cats, but the feline's digestive system is not designed to process large amounts.
- Home-cooked food is a great option for felines.
- Dry food is pressure cooked and in some cases sprayed to be palatable.
- Wet food is soft in texture and needs to be eaten immediately.
What Human Food Can Cats Eat?
There are many types of human food cats may eat as a snack or as part of a homemade diet. Meat protein is the natural diet for felines! The vitamins needed are D, K, E, B, and A. Cats also need vitamin C, but this vitamin may lead to bladder stones. Your cat may prefer the texture of carrots over celery, so try many different human foods to determine what your feline loves. Try cooking the veggies, as this makes food easier for cats to digest.
- Boiled, skinless chicken without seasonings
- Zucchini
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Carrots
- Green bell peppers
- Spinach
- Peas
- Pumpkin
Cooked Meats and Fish
Meat protein contains all the nutrients cats need, plus taurine; a vital amino acid felines cannot make. Make sure to cook meat and fish to kill bacteria or parasites. Many feline lovers prepare home-cooked food for cats, and cooked bones are a good source of calcium.
Human Food to Avoid
Some human food causes diarrhea, kidney damage, and even anemia! Cooked bones are an excellent calcium source but can also become lodged in the throat or farther down the digestive tract, so it's important to monitor your feline.
- Milk
- Cream
- Onions
- Garlic
- Chives
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Chocolate
- Raw egg
- Raw meat
- Cheese
- Citrus fruits
- Small, splintery bones
Access to Clean Water
Your feline needs access to clean water all day, and this is especially true if your cat's diet is dry food. Water needs to be changed daily.
Life Changes May Have an Impact
The older your cat is, the more critical it is to feed a variety of food to keep him interested in eating. Felines are also designed to eat several small meals a day. Even three small meals are ok for older cats to ensure your pet is getting all the nutrients necessary to live a long life.
Vets May Provide Guidance on Safe Human Foods
A vet may answer questions about the type of human foods pet parents may feed cats. If you are interested in a home-cooked diet, an integrative or holistic vet may provide cat owners' recipes and advice. If your cat is experiencing diarrhea after a snack made up of human food, it is a good idea to schedule a trip to the vet clinic.
Many Human Foods Are Safe for Cats
A meat-based diet for cats is essential as felines are obligate carnivores. Treats should not exceed ten percent of a cat's overall diet, and some human food is appropriate for snacks. Try to avoid treats lacking nutritional value and lots of fat. Always avoid dairy and raw meats. Some human food may cause diarrhea or worse, so pay attention to the human foods to avoid!
