Can People Food be given to Cats? You bet as long as it’s an occasional treat!

Can you feed people food to your cat? An occasional table scrap or two won’t hurt kitty. Just make sure your kitty’s diet is nutritionally complete and feline-friendly.

Meat

Like dogs, cats are meat eaters, plain and simply. And protein is necessary for a strong heart and good vision. Any cooked meat such as beef, chicken, turkey or lean deli meats are a great source of protein. But don’t give your purr-baby raw meat because similar to humans, it might make him sick.

Whole Grains

And speaking of protein, not only do oats have a lot of protein per calorie, they’re easy to make. In addition, corn, polenta, brown rice, and barley are all good for cats. You may need to mash them, however, since they’re easier for cats to eat. Finally, make sure grains are cooked so kitty can digest them fully.

Fish

Not only are fish high in protein, they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which strengthens the cat’s eyesight. Fish also helps with arthritis, kidney disease and heart disorders. Fish can be from a can or fresh, as long as it’s cooked. That means, don’t share your sushi.

Eggs

Eggs are great for cats, as long as they’re cooked. They’re another excellent source of protein. Raw eggs, however, can definitely harm kitty.

Veggies

Although veggies are a rich source of vitamins and loaded with fiber and water to help with digestion, not all cats like vegetables. Regardless, you might try fresh cucumber, steamed broccoli or asparagus. If that doesn’t work, you can always slip him a veggie burger.

Cheese

A lot of cats love cheese. Cheese is fine in small amounts, particularly since it’s another source of protein. But the protein in cheese is less “complete” than the protein in meat, fish and eggs. If your kitty can’t handle dairy, you might want to go easy on the cheesy treats. Also, please skip the saucer of milk.

Forbidden Foods

Do not feed cats the following foods because of their toxicity: Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, chives, milk, macadamia nuts, yeast dough, alcohol, caffeine, candy, gum, fat trimmings, bones, any raw meat or egg, or dog food.

Also, like humans, cats can eat too much food. Table scraps should only be given occasionally. Kitty’s regular meals should be a high-quality cat food. Overfeeding can lead to an overweight cat resulting in health problems.