Are fruits and vegetables safe for cats, and will my cat eat them?

Neither dogs nor cats are herbivores. Cats are obligatory carnivores, so feeding them fruit and vegetables is not advised as their gut is to short to digest plant material effectively . Dogs can have some fruit and vegetables, but, again, they are carnivores, and therefore fruit and veggies would naturally only be consumed as part of eating a stomach with content. You can give a dog veggie treats such as boiled carrot and green beans, or a piece of apple. Any other vegetables or fruit are not advised. Best is to feed your dog a commercial complete diet for the size and age of your breed/dog.

People food is just that – food for people. Cats are obligate carnivores, and as such, have a delicate balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and vitamins and minerals that must be maintained. Cats should eat a balanced high quality diet in order to meet all of their nutritional needs. Unbalanced diets with vitamin/mineral imbalances risk a variety of health problems. Home cooked diets are not as commonly recommended, but are preferred by some cats and pet owners. If you opt to go down this road, a carefully crafted recipe by a specialist in veterinary nutrition should be used with proper vitamin and mineral supplementation. Even with a commercial diet, occasional treats of boiled white meat chicken, turkey, salmon, or tuna can be perfectly fine in small quantities.

Cats are obligate carnivores and do not "need" vegetables or carbohydrates to maintain health. Any carbs or vegetables they do eat are typically found in the gut of small mammals. As long as Cutie is eating a good quality canned or dry kitten food, he is eating a balanced diet.

I recommend keeping table foods to 10% or less of the diet. All the foods you listed are not toxic and could be offered: onion, garlic, and fatty foods would be the main ones to avoid. I don’t think supplementing with KMR would be necessary for your other cat - you would be better off offering canned cat food mixed with water as it is nutritionally complete for an adult. While petroleum jelly would be okay you may have difficulty getting your cats to eat it.

Cantaloupe is not toxic to cats, and should be safe to give in occasional, small amounts. However, I would not recommend giving large quantities of cantaloupe regularly since cats are obligate carnivores and do not require fruit as a part of a balanced diet. Too much cantaloupe could lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Cats are obligate carnivores and they cannot eat a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet will cause heart disease and an early death for cats. Feeding Theo a commercial diet for cats is the best way to ensure he gets the appropriate amino acids to maintain the best health for his body. Home cooked meals almost always lack appropriate nutirients as well as inappropriate ratios. Giving him an egg is fine and is a source of high quality protein. If he will eat vegetables, you can give him things like peas, carrots or green beans but he may not eat them. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!

Cats are carnivores, so they can utilize protein and fat better than any carbohydrates. While rice and bread is not toxic for them, they will be more likely to gain weight if they eat too many carbohydrates, so it is best to limit them to small treats only if at all. Be sure the read the label on the cheese chips to make sure there isn't any onion or garlic powder in them which can be toxic for cats. Otherwise, the same rule for carbohydrates applies to those as well. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.