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What human foods are safe for my cat and what should I avoid?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 6 months and 18 days old | 10 lbs

Hi I was just wondering what human foods can cats eat? What fruit? Vegetables? Meat? Etc... and what foods should they NOT eat? I know chocolate and sugar is bad since toxic/poison to them.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 16th, 2017

Great questions! Because there are so many foods cats can and can't have, I will put links to websites that detail them out. Keep in mind that while cats can have very small amounts of cheese, they are lactose intolerant, so low lactose cheese is best. Cats love tuna, but too much isn't healthy due to mercury levels. They can have small amounts of tuna in spring water. Never feed a cat onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, alcohol, and macadamia nuts among others. Also when feeding human food, make it an occasional treat, not an every day treat as that can lead to weight gain. If Luna becomes overweight, she will be prone to cardiac disease, diabetes, and joint problems among other illnesses. Hope this helps!

https://www.petsworld.in/blog/10-human-foods-cats-can-eat.html
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD
Veterinarian
Published on March 18th, 2018
Naturally, a balanced commercial adult cat food should be the mainstay of Luna's diet, but we all enjoy a good treat now and then! Cats are carnivores, and most enjoy small amounts of cooked meat or fish, such as chicken, beef, tuna, or salmon on occasion. Fruits are not often a part of most cats' diets, but very small portions of bananas or apples (no seeds!) are acceptable infrequently. Many cats are actually lactose intolerant and can develop vomiting and/or diarrhea if they ingest too many dairy products, but some cats are able to tolerate very small pieces of cheese on rare occasions. When possible, try to stick with meats or commercial treats for Luna, as these are the least likely to cause any gastrointestinal upset. I hope this helps and that all goes well!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on May 2nd, 2017
Great question! It's not recommend to give your cats too many human foods because that will lead to weight gain. When a cat becomes too heavy, they become prone to medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and joint issues. Check out this website which lists some human foods that are safe to feed Penny and ones she can never have:

http://pets.thenest.com/human-foods-safe-cats-6000.html
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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