Most adult cats don't digest lactose well, so cow's milk often causes gas or diarrhoea. Water is the best drink; a lick of plain, unsweetened yogurt is usually tolerated better than milk.

Is canned tuna bad for cats?

An occasional teaspoon of tuna packed in water is fine for most healthy cats. Fed often, it can unbalance the diet, create a picky eater, and add up in mercury, so keep it as a rare treat.

How many treats can a cat have per day?

Keep all treats, including people food, to about 10% of daily calories. For an average indoor cat that is roughly 20 calories a day, which is only a teaspoon or two of most foods.

Can cats eat raw meat, raw fish or raw eggs?

It's safest not to. Raw foods can carry bacteria such as Salmonella, and raw egg whites interfere with biotin absorption. Cook meat, fish and eggs through and serve them plain.

10 Human Foods Cats Can Eat Safely (and How Much to Offer)

This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet seems unwell or you are worried, call your vet.

Cats are obligate carnivores: their bodies are built to run on animal protein, and a complete, balanced cat food should supply almost everything they need. That said, a few plain “people foods” make useful toppers, training rewards or appetite nudges. The rules are simple: serve it plain, keep portions tiny, and introduce one new food at a time.

If your cat has kidney disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, food allergies or a urinary condition, check with your veterinarian before adding anything new. Prescription diets in particular can be thrown off by extras.

The 10 safest options at a glance

Portions below are for an average adult indoor cat (about 10 lb / 4.5 kg). Scale down for smaller cats and kittens.

Food	How to serve	Portion idea
Chicken or turkey	Boiled, poached or baked; no skin, bones or seasoning; finely shredded	½–1 tsp as a topper
Salmon or sardines	Cooked and flaked, or canned in water (not oil or brine); bones and skin removed	½–1 tsp, once or twice a week
Eggs	Fully cooked: scrambled or hard-boiled with no butter, oil or salt	½–1 tsp, once or twice a week
Plain pumpkin purée	100% pumpkin, not pie filling; mixed into wet food	¼–½ tsp
Unsalted broth	Homemade or labelled low-sodium, with no onion or garlic	1–2 tsp poured over food
Plain yogurt or kefir	Unsweetened, unflavored; lactose-free if you can find it	A lick or ¼ tsp, occasionally
Blueberries	Fresh or thawed; halved	1–2 berries
Cucumber or courgette	Peeled and finely diced, raw or lightly steamed	A few tiny pieces
Green beans or peas	Steamed, plain, mashed or chopped small	¼–½ tsp
Tuna in water	Drained and flaked	½–1 tsp, no more than once a week

A closer look at each food

Lean poultry

Plain cooked chicken or turkey is the closest thing in your kitchen to what cats are designed to eat. It’s a reliable high-value treat for nervous cats, pill time or carrier training. Skip deli meat, which is salty, and anything cooked with garlic, onion or spice rubs.

Fish

Cooked salmon and water-packed sardines add flavour and some omega-3 fats. Rinse canned fish if it seems salty and remove any loose bones. Keep fish to a couple of times a week so it stays a treat rather than a habit your cat refuses to break.

Eggs

Fully cooked egg is an excellent protein source. Never serve raw: raw whites contain avidin, which blocks biotin absorption, and raw egg can carry Salmonella.

Pumpkin

A small amount of plain pumpkin adds fibre, and some vets suggest it for cats with mild constipation or hairball trouble. Check the can says 100% pumpkin. Pie filling contains sugar and spices. If constipation lasts more than a day or two, see your vet rather than adding more.

Broth

Most cats don’t drink much, and more moisture in the diet helps the kidneys and bladder. A spoonful of unsalted, onion-free broth over wet food can tempt a reluctant drinker. You can freeze broth in an ice cube tray and thaw one portion at a time.

Yogurt and kefir

Many adult cats are lactose intolerant, so dairy is a “maybe.” Fermented products like plain yogurt and kefir contain less lactose and are often tolerated in tiny amounts. Avoid flavoured or “light” products, which may contain sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Fruit and vegetables

Cats can’t taste sweetness, so blueberries are more of a novelty than a craving, but they’re harmless in small amounts. Cucumber, courgette, green beans and peas are low in calories and add a little fibre and moisture. Chop everything small enough that it can’t become a choking hazard.

Tuna

Tuna is irresistible to many cats, which is exactly the problem. Use it sparingly to coax a sick or picky cat to eat, not as a daily topper. Choose light tuna packed in water, never in oil or brine.

How to add people food safely

Start with a pea-sized taste and watch for 24 hours for vomiting, diarrhoea or itching.
One new food at a time, so you know what caused any reaction.
Stick to about 10% of daily calories for all treats combined. An average indoor cat needs roughly 200 calories a day, so the treat budget is about 20 calories.
Serve it plain. No salt, butter, oil, sauces, spice blends, onion or garlic.
Pair with moisture. Mixing toppers into wet food is an easy way to boost water intake.

Foods cats should never eat

Food	Why it’s a problem
Onions, garlic, chives, leeks (raw, cooked or powdered)	Damage red blood cells and can cause anaemia; cats are especially sensitive, and powders in soups, gravies and baby food are concentrated
Chocolate and cocoa	Contain theobromine and caffeine, which affect the heart and nervous system
Coffee, tea, energy drinks	Caffeine can cause restlessness, a racing heart and tremors
Alcohol and raw yeast dough	Alcohol poisoning; rising dough also expands in the stomach and produces alcohol
Grapes and raisins	Linked to kidney injury in dogs, with reports in cats; avoid entirely
Xylitol (in sugar-free gum, sweets and some peanut butters)	Dangerous to dogs; keep it away from all pets as a precaution
Cooked bones and fatty trimmings	Bones can splinter or cause blockages; fat can trigger stomach upset or pancreatitis
Raw meat, fish and eggs	Bacterial contamination; raw egg whites block biotin

When to call the vet

Contact your veterinarian, or an animal poison control service such as the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Centre, right away if your cat eats something on the “never” list, even if they seem fine. Signs of trouble can be delayed.

Call your vet the same day if your cat has repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, stops eating for more than 24 hours, seems unusually lethargic, or develops facial swelling or trouble breathing after trying a new food. Breathing problems are an emergency.