You might stumble upon some website that gives some short, uncompleted answer to the “what to feed cat” question with too few details. Here I will go in-depth providing some juicy detail on every food that I put on this list. 

Your desire to share a piece of what you are eating with your furry little feline friend is normal. After all, sharing is one way we demonstrate our care to those we love. While your intentions are good, not everything we eat is safe for our feline companions.

But that should not stop you from experiencing the joys of sharing. You only need to know the types of food that your feline friend can safely consume. Sharing your food is not just about seeing the joy in your cat’s face. The food we share provides our cats with essential nutrients that can keep them healthy and active.

In this article, we will have a look at 11 human foods and food categories that your cat can safely chew on. As a cat parent, this will equip you with the proper information that guides your food-sharing habits.

So without any further delay, let’s delve into it

Meat and animal product

Omelet and boiled eggs

Eggs are a good source of amino acids, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and calcium. [4]

Having eggs as part of a nutritionally complete diet will surely benefit your feline partner. You can share your breakfast omelet (onion and garlic free) or boiled egg with your cat but be sure to avoid feeding them raw eggs. Raw eggs may contain pathogenic bacteria that can give your cat food poisoning leading to vomiting, diarrhea, and other digestive tract problems. [Read our list about harmful human food to cats]

Salmon

Salmon is a good source of protein and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. As is the case in all types of meat, it should be served as a cooked meal because raw salmon could have parasites or harmful bacteria that could infect your cat. It is a delicious treat for your kitty but remember to remove the bones before you give it to your cat to prevent a potential choking hazard

Cooked chicken and turkey

Cats are carnivores and require a protein-rich meat-based diet. Chicken and turkey are accordingly an ideal addition to your cat’s meal plan.

Chicken and turkey meat are protein-rich and contain essential amino acids like arginine. [1]

It is therefore beneficial to incorporate chicken and turkey meat as part of your cat’s balanced diet. But when you give a piece of chicken or turkey to your furry little friend, make sure it is cooked preferably without spices or seasoning. Raw chicken and turkey can give your cat food poisoning since the meat may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli [2].

You should also remove all bones when you give your cat meat treats. Deboning prevents choking and damage to the digestive system caused by sharp splinters. It might also be in your cat’s best interest to avoid feeding poultry skin as it contains a significantly high level of fat.

Cooked Beef

Your desire to share a piece of your steak with your feline companion is acceptable if it is part of a balanced diet. Cats are carnivores with high protein requirements. Beef not only provides them with proteins but also essential amino acids like arginine and taurine. [3]

Before feeding your cat beef, make sure you cook it first. Raw meat may contain pathogenic bacteria and parasites that can harm your cats. You should also remove bones from their portion as it can choke your cat. It will also be best to avoid feeding your cat processed meat as it contains salt in excess.

Fish

Dietary diversity is beneficial for your cats if it contains the right combination of nutrients. Fish is a rich source of amino acids like taurine and fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid [13]. And your cat can surely benefit from having fish as part of a balanced meal plan.

However, just like other meat sources, you should avoid giving raw fish to your cat as it can expose them to pathogenic bacteria. In addition to nutrient depletion, a fish-dominated meal plan can increase the risk of mercury poisoning for your cats. You should also remove bones from cooked fish before giving them to your cats to avoid choke hazards.

Vegetables

Vegetables like fruits are a good source of vitamins (especially water-soluble vitamins), minerals, phytochemicals, and dietary fiber. [9]

Vegetables make a great addition to your cat’s snack list as they are low in energy and fat. You can then sparingly offer your cat some vegetables

Below are some of the vegetables that you could offer to your cat as a snack

Spanish

Spinach is an excellent dietary source of minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. Spinach is especially rich in folate and vitamin A. Just a 25 grams portion of spinach contains enough folate and vitamin A to meet the daily requirement of your cat. Vitamin A is crucial for your cat’s vision and growth, while folate plays a vital role in fetal development. Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamin E that can protect your cat’s tissues from oxidations that lead to diseases like cancer. [12].

Asparagus

Asparagus is rich in bioactive substances like flavonoids, saponins, sterols, and alkaloids. Because of these substances, asparagus can offer antioxidant, immunostimulant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory benefits to your cats. Asparagus also serves as a urinary acidifier. It helps adjust feline urine pH and protects your cat from lower urinary tract diseases. [13]

Carrots

These orange treats are good sources of minerals and water-soluble vitamins. The most intriguing nutritional trait of carrots is their vitamin A content. [14] About 10 grams of carrot contains more vitamin A than what your cat needs daily. The vitamin A in carrots plays a vital role in your cat’s eye health, growth, fetal development, and immune function.

Broccoli

Broccoli offers decent amounts of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. But what makes broccoli stand out is its richness in bioactive compounds like quercetin and kaempferol. These bioactive compounds can protect your cat from several diseases like norovirus, feline calicivirus, and diabetes. [15]

Peas

It is rich in fiber, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It is preferable to feed your cat raw, fresh peas which are healthier than a canned version.

It is advisable to remove all non-edible components from the vegetables and to cut them down into small pieces to prevent your cat from choking.

You should not give your cat vegetables like onion, garlic, and chives belonging to the Allium family. These vegetables contain organosulfur compounds that can potentially damage red blood cells and give your cat Heinz body anemia. [10] You should also avoid giving your cats unripe tomatoes and raw potatoes. These vegetables contain glycoalkaloids that can cause digestive distress to your cat. [11]

Mushrooms are also considered as enemies for your feline companions as well. Mushrooms contain cyclopeptides like amanatins that can cause liver damage in cats. [12]

Fruits

Fruits are a rich source of vitamins (especially vitamin C), minerals, bioactive compounds, and dietary fiber. [7]

If your cat seems to enjoy fruits even though they don’t have the sensory setup to taste sweets, they can snack on some fruits.

Below are fruits that you can share with your cats

Pumpkin

The role of pumpkins is not at all limited to being a Halloween decoration. Pumpkins are an excellent dietary source of carotene, vitamins, and minerals. Pumpkins can be a rich source of potassium and iron for your feline companion. [10] As a component of hemoglobin, iron plays a vital role in the transport of oxygen in your cat’s body.

Cantaloupe

It is a fruit that is high in antioxidants and beta carotene as well as Vitamin C. Despite the fact that cats have extremely limited ability to convert beta carotene to Vitamin A [1],  there are some studies that suggest that cats can use beta carotene as an antioxidant. [2]  Antioxidants play an important role in enhancing your cat’s immune system. It can help cats “especially senior ones” to deal with inflammation. It can also keep your cat’s skin healthy. 

Bananas 

Bananas are rich sources of minerals, especially potassium and magnesium. A 50-gram portion of sliced banana can cover more than half of your cat’s daily potassium and magnesium needs. [8] These two minerals play vital roles in feline nutrition, including enzyme functions, hormone secretions, bone and teeth health, and nerve-impulse transmission.

Apples

We all grew up hearing “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” Small slices of apple now and then can benefit your cat too. In addition to vitamins, minerals, and fiber, apples are rich in antioxidant compounds called polyphenols. These antioxidant compounds can prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. Accordingly, the antioxidant compounds can help cats resist oxidative injuries to red blood cells and diseases like Heinz body anemia. [7].

Blueberries

These round blue treats are good sources of vitamins like niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin K. These vitamins are involved in energy metabolism, enzyme functions, and amino acid metabolism in cats. Blueberries can also provide your cats with folate, a vitamin that plays a vital role in feline fetal development. In addition, blueberries serve as fiber, antioxidants, potassium, and manganese sources and support bodily functions. [9].

Your cat can safely consume apples, bananas, pineapple, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, cucumber, pumpkin, and seedless watermelons. But before giving them, remove seeds, peels, and stems from the fruit and cut the fruits into small pieces.

You should actively avoid grapes, resins, currants, sultanas, avocado, and citrus fruits from your cat’s diet. These fruits contain different substances that can trigger gastrointestinal irritation, respiratory distress, lethargy, anorexia, dehydration in cats. [8]

Carbohydrate Source

Whole grains

Whole grains are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. [14]

Cats are carnivores and don’t necessarily need carbohydrates. As a result, it is not mandatory to make whole grains part of their daily diet. But an occasional bite containing whole grains like oatmeal, maize, couscous, millet, barley, or brown rice is okay.

However, it is best to avoid refined grains as the refining process removes vital nutrients that will benefit your cat.

Popcorn

We all enjoy the occasional movie night with our loved ones. And movie nights are not complete without a blanket to slide into and a bowl of popcorn. Your furry little friend might like to join in the action. If you want to share the deliciousness that is popcorn with your feline companion, you can.

However, popcorn is carbohydrate-rich and should not be part of your cat’s main diet plan. This limited carbohydrate metabolism is due to the poor activity of enzymes that convert carbohydrates to energy [6].

But you can still add popcorn to your cat’s occasional snack list if it’s butter-free.

Bread

When you have a strong bond with your cat, you may get tempted to share whatever you have on your plate. Bread is a major component of the human diet. As a result, the probability we shared it with our feline friend time and again is high.

If it is well baked, it is safe to give your cat a piece of bread. But since carbohydrate metabolism is limited in cats, it is advisable not to make bread a daily component of their diet. Although bread is safe, you should never allow your cat to consume yeast-containing raw bread dough. Yeast dough can cause complications inside your cat’s digestive tract that can lead to bloating and severe stomach pain. [15]

Oatmeal

It is a great source of fast energy as well as Fiber, Vitamin B, and Iron. However, you may introduce it slowly to your cat because some cats will not find it pleasing at first so they need to adapt to its taste. Also, keep in mind that too much oatmeal can be fattening.

Other foods

Cheese

Cats have limited capacity to hydrolyze the lactose in milk. Giving your cat milk will upset their digestive system. [5]

Although milk is out of the question, your cat can still tolerate a small intake of low-lactose dairy products. You can therefore have your cat snacking on small slices of cheese occasionally. If you give your cat excess and more frequently, it can disrupt their digestive system leading to osmotic diarrhea. In addition, cheese also contains large amounts of salt, which in excess can lead to blood pressure problems.

Peanut butter

Most of us love our peanut butter and jam between slices of bread in the morning. Cats also enjoy the occasional peanut butter snack, although not as much as dogs.

If you want to give your cat peanut butter, it is advisable not to make it a habit. Peanut butter is rich in fat and sodium. While sparingly consuming peanut butter is harmless, excess consumption of these nutrients might be unfavorable to your feline friend.

To sum up

You now know which foods you can safely share with your cat. And now that you know, you can share the right foods with your cat without having to worry whether you are doing them good or bad.

One thing you should always keep in mind is that cats have unique nutritional requirements. A portion of the food we give them off our plates will not provide them with all the nutrients they require. A properly formulated commercial feline diet would be the ideal way to meet the nutrient requirements of your cat.

What we share with our cats should only serve as a supplement or snack. In addition, it’s best to consider the nutrients and calories our cat gets from the foods we share with them. This practice will prevent overfeeding that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other health complications.