Can Cats Eat Potatoes?

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they absolutely need to consume meat to survive. The feline digestive system isn't built to handle carbohydrates efficiently, so potatoes aren't the healthiest option for your pet. If your cat shows interest in nibbling a piece of potato while you're dining, however, there's little chance that it will make him ill as long as it is fully cooked and unseasoned.

Cooked potatoes are generally safe for cats to eat. However, raw or green potatoes, plants, or peelings can be deadly to a feline. If you think your cat has ingested even a small amount of any of these, it's vital to contact your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian may advise you on how to induce vomiting, but don't do so unless the vet instructs you to do so.

Toxic alkaloids in raw potatoes, potato plants, and potato peelings are what cause the poisoning in cats or other pets. A cat batting around a wayward potato peel and attacking it like prey could later exhibit symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea, wobbling, coughing, sneezing, or a wide range of other symptoms.

Veterinary care can involve several days of intravenous fluids, pain medications, muscle relaxers, and other medications until the poison is fully out of the cat's system. Keep curious cats out of the kitchen until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and the peels have found their way down the garbage disposal.

If your cat craves the taste of potato, the best way to serve it to her is well cooked without peelings or seasonings. Many of the extra ingredients that humans use to flavor potatoes can make your cat sick.

Natalia POGODINA/iStock/GettyImages

Mashed potatoes are typically combined with butter, cream, salt, and pepper. Although a common cat stereotype shows them drinking cream or milk from a saucer, most cats are actually lactose intolerant. That means they can wind up vomiting or with a stomachache or diarrhea. Added flavorings, such as salt, pepper, garlic, onions, and sage, can also leave your cat feeling poorly.

Make your cat his own special little bowl of smashed potatoes before adding ingredients for the family. Make sure to remove any potato skins. If more moisture is desired, add a little sodium-free beef broth to bring it to the desired texture.

If your cat is giving you big eyes while begging for your potato chips, you might want to resist. Although feeding your kitty a piece broken off a homemade potato chip won't hurt her in the short term, getting her addicted to fried, salty snacks will hurt her health in the long run.

Potato chips are fried in vegetable oil and deliver a significant amount of salt. Combined with carbohydrates, it's not a healthy snack for your cat. You should only give your cat plain, unsalted chips (like those you might make at home in your air fryer) broken up into bite-size pieces to prevent her from choking.

Don't let your cat eat any type of commercial potato chips other than plain. Check ingredient labels carefully. Most chips contain garlic or onion powder that can be lethal to cats.

Baked potatoes or french fries won't hurt your cat if you feed them correctly. Make sure all skin is removed from the potato that you are serving your pet. Give him only pieces of fully cooked baked potato or a french fry and make sure that there is no sauce or spices mixed into the portion.

YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages

Commercial twice-baked potatoes and fries usually contain harmful spices that will upset your cat's stomach. Don't ever serve your cat something that has garlic or onion powder listed as an ingredient, as this could make your cat deathly ill.