Last Updated on April 13, 2020
Unlike dogs, cats tend to be very picky eaters. While dogs will taste just about anything you offer them, cats will just look at you like you just peed in their litter box when you offer them your food. It’s not unheard of that some house cats will enjoy certain human foods, but some may just surprise you. Here are 10 foods your cat may enjoy eating!
Broccoli
The vegetable people seem to either love or hate, your cat may find it tasty as an occasional treat! Broccoli is generally safe for most cats, but overeating it can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea so if your kitty enjoys it, only allow it now and then.
It is best to allow them to eat it cooked and plain or just with real butter. Uncooked broccoli is harder for them to digest.
Watermelon
Are you shocked? Some cats find the texture appealing! While it is not common, it is not unheard of. It is more common in teething kittens and cats who are thirsty. Don’t allow your cat to eat the seeds though! They may be poisonous. Watermelon can aid in digestion but shouldn’t be a daily treat.
Bananas
This one may be a surprise! Some cats, for some reason, enjoy the taste, smell, and texture of bananas! If your kitty does enjoy them, only feed them very small amounts of frozen bananas, no peels! We must not forget, they are meat eaters before anything else.
Bamboo
It is safe! Don’t panic! Some cats enjoy chewing on the leaves in between meals. If they overdo it, it can cause them to become nauseous and vomit, but no worries, this is one plant that is not toxic to cats, even if overeaten. Just be sure to keep your bamboo safe, or your cat may kill it!
Bamboo is one of the many plants recommended for indoor cats. Find out more here: Keeping an Indoor Cat Happy
Dracaena (Lucky Bamboo) Is Toxic
Do not confused true bamboo with dracaena also known as “lucky bamboo”. This plant is considered very toxic to both cats and dogs.
Coconut Oil
This is surprisingly healthy for cats. It aids in healthy digestion, promotes healthy skin and hair, and may even reduce dry skin! If your kitty enjoys it, let them! Again, don’t overdo it though! This can lead to diarrhea and an uncomfortable tummy ache.
Pickles
While it is not considered healthy, the occasional chewing on a pickle won’t harm your cat. This is commonly seen in kittens because the vinegar taste and smell are appealing. It is not completely understood why, but because it is a highly acidic food, it is best to avoid allowing your kitten to eat it. Don’t panic if it happens though!
Vicks/Biofreeze
This is not healthy but some cats enjoy the smell and taste, just as some humans do. You want to be very careful with cats who do find menthol products appealing because it can be poisonous. Be sure not to leave anywhere your kitty can get into it!!
Ice Cream
Let me first state that cats are naturally lactose intolerant after they have matured. Cow milk is not a good idea. Cheese is okay, but only in very small amounts. As for ice cream, most are loaded with sugars and rich treats cats may enjoy eating, but it shouldn’t be given to them on a regular basis. Vanilla ice cream is typically safe on occasion, but don’t make this a daily, or even weekly treat! A bit now and then won’t harm them.
Ketchup
As mentioned with the pickles, some kittens are simply drawn to vinegar. This is VERY rare in adult cats, but there is a surprisingly high number of kittens who enjoy ketchup. No ketchup is not poison, but it doesn’t mean it is healthy either. Unripened tomatoes are however very toxic so it is best to just keep this out of your cat’s reach.
Bread
There is a surprisingly high number of cats who will accept and eat bread when given to them. This is because a lot of standard cat food brands have the same ingredients as bread. No, it is not a good idea to feed this to them but if they happen to eat some, it won’t harm them. There is a huge problem in the pet industry with byproducts and fillers, so something like bread should never be considered a treat.
My cat always steals from the table wen we have meat! But you’d never guess, she steals the beans!
My 16 yr old cat Madden loves Blueberry poptarts…
#7 might explain my tortie’s obsession with peppermint tea! I swear she must think it’s catnip! Whenever I make a cup of peppermint tea she wants to stick her face in my BOILING HOT cup of tea! =/ She will flop down next to it and writhe around and paw at the mug, try and rub her face on the mug.. she’s crazy! I have to hold it over my head to keep her from burning herself or making me spill it everywhere! ALSO I had a cat years ago that LOVED banana, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, ketchup!! This list is making me go “yep, yep….yep!”
the bamboo photo you have shown is a lucky “bamboo” which is a.k.a. dracaena and it is a very toxic plant to both humans and animals… dracaena is not a bamboo but a lot of people call it as one because it looks like a bamboo.. pls change the photo of it or better yet, write an article of how poisonous dracaena is…
Thanks for your comment and information Kara. I have added a warning and changed the picture. You are 100% correct. Thank you for letting us know about this mistake.
One of our cats alwauswamts a tiny bite of manwich when we make them. She seems to.like the taste.
One of my cats likes to eat these weird peanut butter filled pretzel pouch thingies, and he tries to eat almost anything salty, he has even tried to eat eggplant lasagna and a slice of pizza! My other cat likes chicken, ice cream, tortilla chip crumbs, (I didn’t mean to let him eat it. )and once, he almost ate my Reese’s peanut butter cup! But I stopped him.
My cat loves ketchup too!
My cats don’t look at me funny when I pee in their litter box.
I am sure your friends might!
Awesome!
My cat has eat ketchup from my plate before lol
Mine as well when he was a kitten. Now he hates it!
#7 is a surprise!