We love to treat our feline protagonist , sometimes even with garbage of what we deplete ( oops ) . But can cats eat potatoes safely ? Here ’s what to know before they take a sharpness .

As kitty string around your legs near dinnertime , it ’s tempting to give her a fiddling dainty of whatever you ’re cooking . While somehuman foods are safe for CT to snack on , you might inquire if computerized tomography can run through white potato , too .

Catscaneat potato — but it ’s not necessary . Since cats areobligate carnivores , they require sum - based nutrition with essential amino acids , liketaurine . Your destination is to render her a stark andbalanced diet . And since Kitty wo n’t be meowing for kale anytime soon , it might surprise you to discover potatoes listed as an ingredient in herwet or wry food . But feline nutritionists from time to time use them in cat food as a informant of mineral - rich , non - grain carbohydrates to brush up out food formulas .

cat with background pattern of potatoes; can cats eat potatoes?

Rizky Panuntun / Catherine Ledner / Getty

So while your fuzzball does n’t necessitate potatoes in her dieting if her general kibble is highly - nutritious , there are a few other guidelines to keep in judgment before run kitty those tots .

Can Cats Eat Potatoes?

Richard Hill , VetMB , PhD , is board certified in small animal interior medicinal drug and veterinary alimentation , and an associate prof at theUF College of Veterinary Medicinein Gainesville , Fla. His advice ? Your cat can eat falsify Solanum tuberosum as a dainty now and then .

" Potatoes hold calories and are not sodding and balanced , so they have the potential to ' derange ' a balanced commercial-grade diet , " says Hill . " We urge that no more than 10 percentage of the calories of a dieting amount from unhinged treats . "

If your cat eats mashed potatoes off your youngster ’s eminent - hot seat tray , a few licks wo n’t wound her . Just do n’t have her make it a habit unless that ’s her only treat source . Further , the ASPCA notes that afeline ’s digestive system is n’t accommodate for a plant - base diet . So when choosing potato treats for cats , consider which one matter most .

The Safety of Different Potato Preparation Methods

Cooked Potatoes

Plain boil , crunch , or baked livid potato are fine occasional treats for your kitty . Cats can even deplete exigent squelch potato . As long as Solanum tuberosum are falsify , Hills says , they ’re non - toxic . " Uncooked potatoes are indigestible . Cooking break up the starch granule to make the amylum moderately digestible . But the dark-green bit or green tater are toxic . "

The perniciousness in uncooked white potato vine do from a chemical calledsolanine . Keep this in judgement if kitty gets mischievous and noses through a garbage can where there might be white potato hide or bits of unsanded potato . It ’s unbelievable she ’ll eat them unless they ’re slathered in wimp fat , but confer your vet right away if you distrust she did . She might have an upset stomach for a while , and evenvomit , but a veterinarian will do a thorough examination to verify she ’s hunky-dory .

Sweet Potatoes

While it ’s permissible for your khat to corrode gratifying potatoes , it ’s probably not the best treat choice . The ASPCA lists cooked sugared potatoes as non - toxic , and kitty might snuff aroundif a dog has sweet potato treat . But similar to white Irish potato , they ’re not as easily digestible or as nutritious for cat as other feline snack .

Potato Chips, Fried Potatoes, & Potato Salad

Can cats feed potato chips ? The gamy sodium and fat cognitive content is n’t proficient for her ( or us ! ) , plus she wo n’t crackle down thoroughly , as computerized tomography tendnot chaw treat completely . Any other form of fried potato or potato salad is n’t the best wager either , for the same reasons .

So while a few potato crisps are n’t the best option for snack time with Fluffy , treatsarea wonderful mode to bind with your favorite feline . Treats that have been specially explicate for her dietary needs are best , but if you retrieve she might wish what you ’re snacking on , choose a dissimilar pet - safe food for thought for her to render . A few human foods your quat can safely nosh on admit item like zucchini , blueberries , peeledbanana , cooked eggs , apple slash , and unsalted creamypeanut butter .