10 Healthy Human Foods That Cats Can Eat

Cats can eat some human foods like meat, fish, some fruits and vegetables. However, not all kinds of meats, fishes, or fruits and vegetables are good for cats. Some of them can be downright deadly for them.

Therefore, it’s crucial to know which human foods are actually good for cats. In this article, we are going to tell you what human foods you can share with your cat, along with the bad foods for cats so that you can share part of your meal with your cat with no risk of harming it.

10 human foods that cats can eat:

1. Chicken

Cats are naturally carnivorous animals, and they just love the taste of meat. Most cats especially like to eat chicken, and it’s really good for their nutrition. Boiled chicken soothes the cat’s GI system. Blended boiled chicken with boiled rice is a great remedy for diarrhea.

However, you should prepare properly before you give it to your furry friend. Don’t give it raw chicken, which can cause some problems for your cat’s health. The best chicken dish for cats is boiled chicken. Take a look at the easy recipe for it.

How to prepare chicken for cats:

Put raw chicken in a cooking pan and cover it with some water. Cook it on medium-high heat. Keep boiling and take a piece out every 5-10 minutes after it started to boil. Check if the color inside the meat is still pink. When it’s no longer pink inside, you can stop boiling and cool it down. Remember to remove any bone inside the meat. Cut the meat into small pieces and feed your cat with it.

2. Food grain

Food grain contains a good amount of protein and carbohydrates. Both elements are vital for a cat’s health and they seem to like eating whole grains. Many cats like eating cornmeal like polenta. They also enjoy barley, wheat berries, and brown rice.

Whatever you choose to give your cat, mash them first as cats seem to enjoy smaller grains. You can also feed them couscous or millet. It’s better to give them cooked grains as they are tastier and easily digestible.

3. Cooked eggs

Like many other carnivorous animals, cats love eggs. The egg is a source of great taste and nutrition containing amino acids and protein which is much needed for feline health. However, feeding cats with raw eggs are not good for their health as raw eggs may contain bacteria like salmonella which can make your cat ill.

You can feed your cat with boiled or scrambled eggs every now and then. Cats are living with humans for a long time, and their digestive system has changed, and they are no longer process raw foods like they did a few hundred (if not thousand) years ago when they were wild animals.

4. Fish

Fish is one of the most common foods humans eat, and it is good for cats too. Fish contains a good amount of protein and amino acid which are really great for a cat’s health.

What kind of fish is good?

Although fish is good for your cat’s health, it’s good to avoid some fishes. Don’t feed your cat with fishes like mackerel and tuna. Cats can get addicted to tuna, and refuse to eat anything else, which can harm your pet’s health.

The mackerels (sea-fishes that are found near the coast) contain chemical materials that can harm your cat, and are among the list of bad foods for cats for a number of reasons. Also, marine fishes tend to have high iodine. Too much iodine causes hyperthyroidism in humans, and cats can catch them too.

Feed your cat with fresh water (preferably wild) fishes like salmon, which is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids some other nutrients crucial for a cat’s health.

How to feed?

Never give your cat raw fish. Raw fish creates trouble in the cat’s stomach and often causes vomiting and other sicknesses, so you should always feed your cat with cooked/boiled fish.

Herrings, sardines, and anchovies are small fishes and canned whole most of the time, therefore, bones and some internal organs remain, which can really help your cat’s health.

Fish eyes and bones contain calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is good for your cat’s bones (especially for kitties), and phosphorus improves their vision and brain. That said, good quality canned herrings and other small fishes is a good choice for your furry friend.

Although, fish is good food for cats, be sure that your cat isn’t allergic to certain fishes, or fishes in general. You can take your cat to the vet to be sure about whether you should feed your cat with fish or not.

Fish oil

Fish oil is great for cats. If you feed your cat with fish oil every now and then, it will improve his/her coat and skin. Fish oil also makes a cat’s bones stronger, just like it does for humans. Try feeding your cat with fish oil in the dry seasons, it will keep him/her pretty and healthy. Include a moderate amount of salmon or cod liver oil in your cat’s meal.

5. Avocado

Avocado is one of the few fruits that are good for cats. Its fat content makes it tasty on the cat’s tongue and vitamins A, C, E, and B6 improve your cat’s coat and skin.

Although, cats seem to love eating avocado, and it’s good for them, too much avocado can be bad. The high-fat content can add some extra weight to your cat which may make it slow, weak, and develop some unwanted health conditions.

6. Green Beans

Green beans are a good source of protein and iron, and it’s safe for cats to consume. You can add a moderate measure of green beans in your cat’s everyday meal. They can eat fresh or frozen green beans, however, it’s better if you boil them before you feed them to your cat.

7. Spinach

One of the most richly healthy vegetables is spinach, and you can feed it to your cat. Spinach contains vitamins A, C, and K, along with iron and calcium – all are essential for your cat’s health. You can mix spinach with other regular cat foods. However, if your cat previously had calcium oxalate bladder stones, don’t give him spinach to eat.

8. Peas

Cats need fiber in their foods to maintain good health, and peas are a good source of this nutrient. Peas also contain vitamins C and A, which are good for your cat’s immune system and vision respectively. You can feed your cat with frozen, boiled, or raw peas; although, boiling destroys the vitamin C.

9. Blueberries

If you want to give your cat experience in the sweetness of fruits and provide some good nutrients – you can feed your cat with blueberries. This fruit is rich with vitamins A and C and cats can eat it along with other foods.

How to prepare blueberries for cats?

You can follow the following process:

• Wash the blueberries thoroughly to get rid of pesticides and dirt.
• Cut them open and leave for a few minutes.
• Mash them into paste.
• Keep the paste in the freeze.
• Put the equivalent of 2-3 blueberries on your cat’s everyday meal once a day or two.

How many to feed?

While blueberries are good and safe for your cat, you may not want to feed them more than 2 or 3 in a day. Don’t trick or force your cat to eat blueberries if s/he doesn’t seem to like it.

10. Yogurt

Dairy products are not good for cats, although they seem to like those very much. Dairy products such as milk, butter, butteroil can upset your cat’s stomach and create some other health problems.

The only exception is yogurt. It is actually safe and healthy for cats. The lactose of the milk and other dairy products is the reason that cats can’t process those – but in yogurt, the lactose is broken down which makes it safe for cats to eat.

A cat can benefit from all the protein, probiotics, and calcium included in the yogurt without suffering from the problems lactose creates. However, don’t overfeed your cat with it. Give a small amount every now and then just to be safe.

Conclusion:

Many people think that all human food is bad for cats. But the truth is, there are many foods you can share with your furry boy/girl. The human foods mentioned above are totally safe and healthy for cats, and you can feed them with those with no concern. However, too much of everything can cause complications, so always keep the amount in check. Have a great day with your cat.