Can Cats Eat Oatmeal?

A small lick of plain, cooked oatmeal isn’t poisonous to cats, and it’s unlikely to hurt a healthy cat. But cats are meat eaters and don’t need oats. If you share any, keep it plain, cooked, and tiny. Sweet, flavored, or chocolate-topped oatmeal is a bad idea.

Is oatmeal bad for cats?

Oats aren’t on the ASPCA’s list of people foods to avoid, so plain oatmeal isn’t a poison. The problem is that it doesn’t fit what a cat needs.

Cornell’s Feline Health Center says cats are obligate carnivores. That means they need nutrients that only come from animal foods. In the wild, a cat’s food is high in protein, has some fat, and has very little carbohydrate.

Oats are mostly carbohydrate. The Merck Veterinary Manual says a small amount of carbohydrate isn’t necessarily bad for cats, and that cats can digest cooked starch well. But a bowl of oatmeal gives your cat nothing that its regular food doesn’t already give.

Cats need taurine, and oats don’t have it

The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats must get an amino acid called taurine, and that plant foods have none. Too little taurine can lead to heart disease and eye damage. Complete cat foods have the right amount added or built in. Table scraps don’t.

How can I share oatmeal safely?

If your cat is curious, a taste is fine for most healthy adults:

• Cook it plain. Use water, and let it cool first.
• Keep it tiny, about a lick or a teaspoon, not a bowl.
• No add-ins. No sugar, syrup, honey, raisins, nuts, chocolate, or xylitol (a sweetener found in some baked goods and candy).
• Don’t use milk. Cornell and the Merck Veterinary Manual both say milk can upset a cat’s stomach.
• Watch afterward. If your cat gets diarrhea or throws up, skip oatmeal from now on.

Oats are not a treatment for sick cats. If your cat has an upset stomach, call your vet.

Other kinds of oatmeal and cereal

Can cats eat Cheerios?

Only a piece or two, once in a while. The sources we read don’t list plain Cheerios as a poison for cats. But cereal is made for people. It’s grain, which your cat doesn’t need, and it can’t replace the meat-based nutrition cats require. Cornell says treats should stay at 10 to 15 percent of a cat’s daily calories, and that most human foods aren’t a good choice as treats.

Can cats eat Honey Nut Cheerios?

Not as a treat. Honey Nut Cheerios are the same kind of cereal, with added sweetener. None of the sources we opened discuss sugar or honey for cats specifically, so we can’t say how much is too much. We can say cats don’t need sweet food, and plain is the better choice. Skip it, and keep the box closed and out of reach.

Can cats eat flavored or instant oatmeal?

No. Flavored packets often have sugar and other add-ins. Check the label before sharing any.

Chocolate chips or cocoa are the biggest worry. The ASPCA says chocolate contains methylxanthines, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fast heartbeat, tremors, and seizures in pets. Dark chocolate is more risky.

For more on this, see our guide to can cats eat chocolate.

Can cats eat raw oats?

We didn’t find a veterinary source that covers raw oats for cats, so we can’t recommend them. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats digest cooked starch well, which is another reason to choose cooked.

What should I feed my cat instead?

Cats do best on a complete and balanced cat food. For treats, try:

• Treats made for cats
• A few pieces of your cat’s regular food
• A small piece of plain, cooked chicken or turkey with no bones or seasoning

Cornell says treats should be no more than 10 to 15 percent of your cat’s daily calories. The Merck Veterinary Manual advises against feeding table scraps. For foods that are truly dangerous, see our guide to foods that are toxic to cats.