Cats are carnivores! It can be uncomfortable to think of our furry friends this way, but the fact is they’re designed to eat meat. In the wild, cats catch and eat prey – skin, muscle, fat, fur, feathers, and all.

Domestic cats have very similar nutritional requirements to their wild cousins and your cat’s diet needs to include all that their bodies need to stay healthy. The best way to make sure your cat has all the nutrients they need is to feed a complete cat food, as recommended by your vet.

Can Cats Eat Tomatoes?

No, cats shouldn’t eat tomatoes, but a small amount of tomato or tomato sauce is unlikely to be harmful to your cat. Tomatoes have little nutritional value and can also be toxic to cats. Ripe, red tomatoes may be OK in small quantities but may cause an upset tummy.

Green tomatoes and the leaves and stems of tomato plants contain solanine, a substance which is toxic to cats, but chewing on a small amount is unlikely to cause a major issue. If you’re worried that your cat has eaten some tomato, especially green tomato, call your veterinary team for advice.

Can Cats Eat Tuna?

Yes, cats usually love tuna - it’s a nutritious and safe treat to feed them. Avoid tuna in oil or brine, as the high fat or salt content isn’t good for them. Tuna can be a handy treat to use if you need to hide medication in some food. The strong smell can make lots of medicines much more palatable to cats.

Tuna should only be a treat though and shouldn’t form part of your cat’s daily nutrition plan. A diet of just tuna fish wouldn’t provide all the nutrients your cat needs. One drawback of giving tuna treats is that your cat may demand more tuna and start to refuse their normal food, because they prefer the taste of it!

Can Cats Eat Avocado?

There are two trains of thought on this! Some people feel that a small amount of avocado is harmless to cats and others feel there’s a risk from a toxin called persin, and that the high fat content of avocados can cause upset tummies and pancreatic problems in cats. Ideally, avocado is probably a treat to avoid in cats. They don’t need it as part of their diet, and we likely don’t know enough about its safety to be feeding it to our cats.

Can Cats Eat Broccoli?

Cats are obligate carnivores, so fruit and veggies shouldn’t be a major part of their daily diet. However, cooked broccoli is a vegetable that’s safe for cats to eat in small quantities. If your cat enjoys broccoli then it’s OK to give them a tiny bit of this cooked vegetable once in a while.

Cooked broccoli is easier for your cat to digest, so don’t feed raw broccoli. If your cat eats too much broccoli, they may experience flatulence and diarrhoea which isn’t fun for anyone!

Can Cats Eat Cucumber?

It’s unlikely that your cat will want to eat cucumber, as most cats won’t enjoy the taste. However, if their curiosity gets the better of them and they want to try a piece, then a small amount shouldn’t do them any harm. It won’t do them much good either though!

Cucumber has no real nutritional value for cats, but a tiny piece now and again should be harmless. It certainly shouldn’t form a regular part of your cat’s diet though, as they need a high protein, meat-based diet to stay fit and healthy.

Can Cats Eat Bacon?

Many cats love bacon and will beg you to share it if they smell you cooking breakfast. However, bacon is not a good treat for cats. The high salt and fat content isn’t good for them, and some additives, preservatives, and seasonings are also bad for cats.

Aim to avoid giving your cat bacon, but if they steal a small amount from your plate then it probably isn’t the end of the world. Make sure they have access to plenty of clean water, as the salt will make them thirsty. If your cat gets access to a significant amount of bacon, then it may be worth chatting to your vet for further advice.

Can Cats Eat Honey?

For most healthy cats, licking a small amount of honey from a plate from time to time is unlikely to cause any issues. However, honey shouldn’t be given as a treat as it has no nutritional value for cats. It also has a high sugar content which is a risk for weight gain, dental disease, and diabetes. Diabetic cats should certainly not be given any honey as a treat, as this high sugar demand will affect their insulin requirements.

Can Cats Eat Pasta?

Cats are not designed to eat pasta, and it has no nutritional value for them. It may cause tummy upsets too. Pasta shouldn’t be part of your cat’s regular diet. However, if you cat steals a piece of pasta from a plate or polishes off some that has fallen to the floor, it’s unlikely that this small amount will cause any issues.

Take care to notice whether your cat has also eaten any sauce associated with pasta. Pasta sauces often contain onion and/or garlic which may be harmful to cats, but the amount on a piece of pasta is unlikely to be enough to cause them any harm. If you’re not sure, always call your vet for advice.

Can Cats Eat Onions?

No! Onions are poisonous to cats and should never be offered to cats either raw or cooked. This advice extends to all plants in the onion (or Allium) family, including onion, spring onion, shallots, field garlic, garlic, chives, leeks, wild garlic, and false garlic. These plants can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and damage to red blood cells. Cats can become really ill from eating these plants, so always call your vet for advice if you’re worried.

Remember that signs of illness may not occur until a few days after the onion was eaten but it’s best to start treatment as soon as you know they’ve eaten any onion. A small amount of these plants, e.g. a lick of garlic butter or a slice of onion, is unlikely to cause your cat an issue.

Can Cats Eat Garlic?

There is mixed advice on this and really there hasn’t been enough research to know if garlic is safe in cats. Until there is scientific evidence either way, it is probably best to avoid feeding garlic to cats.

Part of the joy of living with a cat is giving them occasional treats and seeing them enjoy their food. However, just as we make sure our children have healthy, balanced diets, so too must our cats.

The best way to feed your cat is to offer a veterinary approved, complete cat food. This will have been scientifically researched to ensure it contains all the nutrients your cat needs. If you do offer extra treats from time to time, be sure to offer a little less of their normal food on that day, so that they don’t become overweight.

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Additional content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis - www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.