Can Cats Eat This? The UK Food Safety Guide
Updated 18 October 2026 · Researched against PDSA, Cats Protection and International Cat Care guidance
Every cat owner ends up at the same kitchen worktop, holding the same piece of something, wondering whether the cat can have it. Most of the answers are simple, and the dangerous ones are not the foods people worry about — nobody offers their cat a raisin deliberately. The risks come from the ordinary things: the gravy on the roast plate, the mince pie on the counter, the stock cube, the garlic bread.
This guide covers 36 everyday foods, each with a clear verdict, what happens if your cat eats it, and the UK-specific traps that catch people out. It is a safety reference, not a menu: no human food replaces complete cat food.
36 foods shown
A small piece of plain hard cheese is usually harmless, but most adult cats cannot digest lactose well, so it is a treat at most — never part of the diet.
No. Chocolate contains theobromine, which cats metabolise very slowly, and dark or cooking chocolate is the most dangerous form.
Cooked, plain egg is safe in small amounts. Raw egg carries a salmonella risk and raw egg white interferes with one of the B vitamins if fed regularly.
Yes — a small piece of seedless flesh is safe, and many cats treat it as a game. Remove the rind and seeds first.
A small piece is safe, but bananas are sugary and cats cannot taste sweetness — they are not drawn to fruit the way people assume.
Yes, in small amounts. Cut them in half so they are not a choking risk, and wash them first.
Yes, in small pieces. They are sugary and offer nothing a cat needs, so treat them as a curiosity rather than food.
A tiny lick is usually harmless, but check the label for xylitol first — some reduced-sugar peanut butters contain it, and xylitol is dangerous.
Cooked loose kernels are fine in small amounts. The cob itself is dangerous — it is a classic cause of intestinal blockage in dogs, and cats are at risk too.
A small piece of plain baked bread will not hurt, but it has no nutritional value for a cat. Raw dough is genuinely dangerous.
Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. The picture of a cat and a saucer of milk is a cartoon, not care advice — water is what they need.
A little plain tuna in spring water is fine occasionally. Tuna is not a complete food, and a tuna-only diet causes serious nutritional disease.
Plain cooked chicken is one of the safest treats you can offer — no bones, no skin, no seasoning, and never from a rotisserie with onion or garlic in the rub.
Cooked, plain salmon is fine in small amounts. Raw salmon carries parasite risk, and smoked or salted salmon is far too salty.
No. Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants are linked to acute kidney injury, and there is no known safe amount.
No. Dried fruit is more concentrated than fresh grapes and is linked to kidney injury — and it is hidden in a lot of UK Christmas food.
No. Onions, shallots, leeks and chives damage red blood cells, and cats are more sensitive than dogs. Cooking does not make them safe.
No. Garlic is in the same family as onion and is more concentrated per gram. The idea that garlic repels fleas is a myth, and following it harms cats.
Best avoided. Persin in the skin and stone is the toxic concern, and the fat content is a real risk for pancreatitis.
No. Cats are small and clear alcohol slowly — a few licks of a drink can be enough to cause serious problems.
Xylitol is dangerous to cats and turns up in sugar-free gum, mints, some peanut butters and some toothpaste. Check labels before sharing anything 'sugar-free'.
Best avoided. Bacon is very salty, high in fat and processed, and even a small rasher can upset a cat's stomach.
A small sliver of plain cooked ham is not toxic, but it is salty processed meat — an occasional taste, not a treat routine.
Plain cooked turkey is safe — no skin, no bones, no gravy and no stuffing, which is where almost every Christmas accident comes from.
Plain cooked beef is fine in small amounts. Raw mince is the version to avoid — it carries bacteria that are a risk to the cat and the household.
Plain cooked prawns are fine in small amounts. Shells, brine, garlic butter and prawn cocktail sauce are not.
Plain, unsweetened yogurt is usually tolerated in a tiny amount, but most adult cats are lactose intolerant and flavoured yogurts can contain xylitol.
No good reason to give it. Butter is almost pure fat, with no nutritional value for a cat and a real risk of stomach upset or pancreatitis.
No. Ice cream is dairy, sugar and fat, and some 'low sugar' ice creams contain xylitol, which is dangerous to cats.
A tiny taste is not toxic, but honey is almost pure sugar with no benefit to a cat — and cats cannot even taste sweetness.
Plain cooked white rice is safe and is the usual partner to boiled chicken in a short bland diet — but it is not a complete food.
Ripe tomato flesh is not toxic in a small amount, but the green parts of the plant — leaves, stems and unripe fruit — contain solanine and are toxic.
Yes — a small piece of plain cucumber is safe and mostly water. Please do not use one to startle your cat for a video.
No. Salt poisoning is real in cats: it causes vomiting, tremors and, in serious cases, seizures. Crisps, chips, takeaways and salt dough are the usual sources.
No. Coffee, tea, energy drinks and coffee grounds all contain caffeine, which is a stimulant that cats cannot handle.
Not toxic in a mouthful, but wrong nutrition for a cat. Dog food lacks taurine and other essentials, and long-term feeding causes serious disease.
How the four verdicts work
Toxic — do not give
Known risk of serious harm. Keep it out of reach.
Best avoided
No good reason to give it, and real risks if you do.
Only as a treat
A small piece now and then is usually fine. Not a food.
Generally safe
Fine as an occasional treat, prepared properly.
The A–Z, by verdict
☠Toxic — do not give9 foods
- Can cats eat alcohol? — No. Cats are small and clear alcohol slowly — a few licks of a drink can be enough to cause serious problems.
- Can cats eat caffeine? — No. Coffee, tea, energy drinks and coffee grounds all contain caffeine, which is a stimulant that cats cannot handle.
- Can cats eat chocolate? — No. Chocolate contains theobromine, which cats metabolise very slowly, and dark or cooking chocolate is the most dangerous form.
- Can cats eat garlic? — No. Garlic is in the same family as onion and is more concentrated per gram. The idea that garlic repels fleas is a myth, and following it harms cats.
- Can cats eat grapes? — No. Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants are linked to acute kidney injury, and there is no known safe amount.
- Can cats eat onions? — No. Onions, shallots, leeks and chives damage red blood cells, and cats are more sensitive than dogs. Cooking does not make them safe.
- Can cats eat raisins and sultanas? — No. Dried fruit is more concentrated than fresh grapes and is linked to kidney injury — and it is hidden in a lot of UK Christmas food.
- Can cats eat salt? — No. Salt poisoning is real in cats: it causes vomiting, tremors and, in serious cases, seizures. Crisps, chips, takeaways and salt dough are the usual sources.
- Can cats eat xylitol? — Xylitol is dangerous to cats and turns up in sugar-free gum, mints, some peanut butters and some toothpaste. Check labels before sharing anything 'sugar-free'.
×Best avoided6 foods
- Can cats eat avocado? — Best avoided. Persin in the skin and stone is the toxic concern, and the fat content is a real risk for pancreatitis.
- Can cats eat bacon? — Best avoided. Bacon is very salty, high in fat and processed, and even a small rasher can upset a cat's stomach.
- Can cats eat butter? — No good reason to give it. Butter is almost pure fat, with no nutritional value for a cat and a real risk of stomach upset or pancreatitis.
- Can cats eat dog food? — Not toxic in a mouthful, but wrong nutrition for a cat. Dog food lacks taurine and other essentials, and long-term feeding causes serious disease.
- Can cats eat ice cream? — No. Ice cream is dairy, sugar and fat, and some 'low sugar' ice creams contain xylitol, which is dangerous to cats.
- Can cats eat milk? — Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. The picture of a cat and a saucer of milk is a cartoon, not care advice — water is what they need.
!Only as a treat12 foods
- Can cats eat bananas? — A small piece is safe, but bananas are sugary and cats cannot taste sweetness — they are not drawn to fruit the way people assume.
- Can cats eat beef? — Plain cooked beef is fine in small amounts. Raw mince is the version to avoid — it carries bacteria that are a risk to the cat and the household.
- Can cats eat bread? — A small piece of plain baked bread will not hurt, but it has no nutritional value for a cat. Raw dough is genuinely dangerous.
- Can cats eat cheese? — A small piece of plain hard cheese is usually harmless, but most adult cats cannot digest lactose well, so it is a treat at most — never part of the diet.
- Can cats eat corn on the cob? — Cooked loose kernels are fine in small amounts. The cob itself is dangerous — it is a classic cause of intestinal blockage in dogs, and cats are at risk too.
- Can cats eat ham? — A small sliver of plain cooked ham is not toxic, but it is salty processed meat — an occasional taste, not a treat routine.
- Can cats eat honey? — A tiny taste is not toxic, but honey is almost pure sugar with no benefit to a cat — and cats cannot even taste sweetness.
- Can cats eat peanut butter? — A tiny lick is usually harmless, but check the label for xylitol first — some reduced-sugar peanut butters contain it, and xylitol is dangerous.
- Can cats eat prawns? — Plain cooked prawns are fine in small amounts. Shells, brine, garlic butter and prawn cocktail sauce are not.
- Can cats eat tomatoes? — Ripe tomato flesh is not toxic in a small amount, but the green parts of the plant — leaves, stems and unripe fruit — contain solanine and are toxic.
- Can cats eat tuna? — A little plain tuna in spring water is fine occasionally. Tuna is not a complete food, and a tuna-only diet causes serious nutritional disease.
- Can cats eat yogurt? — Plain, unsweetened yogurt is usually tolerated in a tiny amount, but most adult cats are lactose intolerant and flavoured yogurts can contain xylitol.
✓Generally safe9 foods
- Can cats eat blueberries? — Yes, in small amounts. Cut them in half so they are not a choking risk, and wash them first.
- Can cats eat chicken? — Plain cooked chicken is one of the safest treats you can offer — no bones, no skin, no seasoning, and never from a rotisserie with onion or garlic in the rub.
- Can cats eat cucumber? — Yes — a small piece of plain cucumber is safe and mostly water. Please do not use one to startle your cat for a video.
- Can cats eat eggs? — Cooked, plain egg is safe in small amounts. Raw egg carries a salmonella risk and raw egg white interferes with one of the B vitamins if fed regularly.
- Can cats eat rice? — Plain cooked white rice is safe and is the usual partner to boiled chicken in a short bland diet — but it is not a complete food.
- Can cats eat salmon? — Cooked, plain salmon is fine in small amounts. Raw salmon carries parasite risk, and smoked or salted salmon is far too salty.
- Can cats eat strawberries? — Yes, in small pieces. They are sugary and offer nothing a cat needs, so treat them as a curiosity rather than food.
- Can cats eat turkey? — Plain cooked turkey is safe — no skin, no bones, no gravy and no stuffing, which is where almost every Christmas accident comes from.
- Can cats eat watermelon? — Yes — a small piece of seedless flesh is safe, and many cats treat it as a game. Remove the rind and seeds first.
Four rules that cover most of it
Alliums are the hidden hazard
Onion, garlic, shallot, leek and chive damage red blood cells, and cats are more sensitive than dogs. They hide in stock cubes, gravy, sausages, ready meals and supermarket rotisserie chicken.
Dried fruit is not a small grape
Raisins, sultanas and currants are concentrated grapes, and grapes are linked to acute kidney injury. Christmas cake, mince pies and hot cross buns are the seasonal peak.
Cooking does not fix a bad food
Cooking does not make alliums safe, and seasoning adds the real risk. Plain, unseasoned and boneless is the only version worth offering.
A treat is not food
Cats need complete cat food for taurine and balanced nutrition. Human food fills them up without feeding them, and a cat living on scraps gets sick slowly and predictably.
If your cat has already eaten something
Phone your vet straight away if your cat has eaten:
- Onion, garlic or anything containing them
- Grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants — even one
- Chocolate, especially dark chocolate or cocoa powder
- Anything containing xylitol, or an unknown 'sugar-free' product
- Alcohol, or raw bread dough
- A corn cob, string, ribbon or a toy part
Do not try to make your cat sick unless a vet tells you to, and do not give human medicine of any kind — paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin are all toxic to cats. Keep the packaging, note roughly how much was eaten, and take it with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether a human food is safe for my cat?
Ask three questions. Is it from the allium family, or dried fruit, or chocolate, or alcohol? If yes, it is a no. Is it cooked, plain and unseasoned? If it is raw, seasoned, fried or covered in sauce, treat it as a different food. And does your cat actually need it? Cats are obligate carnivores, so most human food is at best a treat and at worst a hazard. The pages in this guide answer each food one by one.
Is a little bit of most human foods fine?
For most plain foods, a small piece occasionally is not going to poison a healthy cat. The exceptions are the toxic list, where no amount is considered safe, and the 'treat only' foods, where the risk is cumulative: salt, fat and sugar add up over weeks, and cats that fill up on treats eat less of the complete food they need. Repeated small exposures also matter for onion and garlic, because the damage builds.
What if my cat ate something that is not in this list?
Treat an unknown food as unknown. Check whether it contains any of the well-known hazards: alliums, grapes or dried fruit, chocolate, xylitol, alcohol, caffeine. If it might, phone your vet. If it is a plain, cooked, unseasoned meat or vegetable, watch your cat for vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling or lethargy over the next 24 hours. Do not try to make your cat sick unless a vet tells you to.
Are raw and cooked versions the same?
No, and this is where a lot of people get caught out. Cooked chicken is a safe bland food; raw chicken carries campylobacter and salmonella risk. Baked bread is harmless; raw dough expands and ferments into alcohol in the stomach. Cooked egg is fine; raw egg white binds biotin and carries a salmonella risk. The page for each food explains both versions.
Can my cat live on human food instead of cat food?
No. Human food is not a complete diet for a cat: it lacks taurine, the right balance of amino acids, and the vitamins cats cannot make themselves. Cats fed on scraps and tuna develop serious, preventable disease. This guide is about treats and accidents, not about replacing complete cat food.
If your cat has already vomited, start with cat vomiting or vomiting blood. If you are worried about a plant rather than a food, use the toxic plants checklist.
Related guides
Cat Vomiting
Causes, red flags and when to call the vet
Plants Toxic to Cats
UK common toxic plants checklist
Cat Vomiting Blood
Fresh blood vs coffee grounds, and what to do now
Sick Cat Symptoms: When to Call the Vet
Red flags, yellow flags and safe monitoring
Best Cat Food for Sensitive Stomach UK
Five researched foods with clear diet caveats
Cat Diarrhoea: Causes and Treatment
Safe home care and when to call a vet
References
- PDSA Pet Health Hub — cat health conditions
- Cats Protection — cat health advice
- International Cat Care — advice for cat owners
- Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS)
This guide is for general information only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice. If you are worried about your cat, contact your vet.