Why
Cats are meat eaters, and plain cooked meat is generally safe in small amounts as an occasional treat. Cooking kills bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that raw meat can carry.
How to serve chicken
- Boil or bake it with no oil, salt, onion or garlic.
- Remove skin, fat and every bone, then cut into small pieces.
Watch out for
- Raw chicken can carry Salmonella and E. coli.
- Bones can splinter and injure or block the gut.
- Fat trimmings can cause pancreatitis.
How much chicken can a cat eat?
Treats of every kind should stay under 10% of a cat's daily calories. Here is that daily treat budget by size, and how much chicken it buys if chicken is the only treat that day. Chicken has about 165 kcal per 100 g; 1 cup, chopped or diced (140 g) is about 231 kcal.
| Cat size | Daily treat budget | Max chicken a day |
|---|---|---|
| Small cat (6 lb) | 18 kcal | 11 g (less than a tenth of cup, chopped or diced) |
| Average cat (10 lb) | 26 kcal | 16 g (an eighth of cup, chopped or diced) |
| Large cat (14 lb) | 34 kcal | 20 g (an eighth of cup, chopped or diced) |
Less is better for overweight or diabetic cats. Work out your own cat's numbers with the cat food calculator. Calories: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted.
Other meat, fish and eggs: quick answers
| Food | Verdict | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| Bones | Avoid | No. Bones can injure or block a cat's gut, which may need surgery. |
| Fat trimmings and skin | Avoid | Best avoided. Fatty scraps can cause stomach upset and pancreatitis. |
| Meat baby food | Avoid | Best avoided. Meat baby food is often seasoned with onion or garlic. |
| Raw meat | Avoid | Best avoided. Raw meat can carry Salmonella and E. coli. |
| Eggs | Small amounts | Cooked egg is the only option to consider; raw eggs are a no. |
| Tuna | Small amounts | Only a little, once in a while. Tuna made for people should not be a regular part of a cat's diet. |
| Fish | Safe | Yes, if it is cooked, plain and boneless. Raw fish is best avoided. |
| Salmon | Safe | Yes, cooked and plain. Raw fish is not a good idea for cats. |
Rules for any new food
- Plain is the rule: no salt, butter, oil, onion, garlic, sugar or sweeteners. Most of the danger in human food comes from what is added to it.
- Keep all treats under 10% of your cat's daily calories . The rest should come from a complete cat food.
- Check labels for onion and garlic powder, which turn up in stock, gravy, baby food and seasoned meat.
- If your cat has a health condition, such as diabetes, kidney disease or a sensitive stomach, ask your vet before adding any new food.
Frequently asked questions
Is chicken safe for cats?
Yes. Plain, thoroughly cooked chicken with no bones, skin or seasoning is a safe treat.
How much chicken can a cat have?
Treats of any kind should stay under 10% of a cat's daily calories. For an average 10 lb neutered cat that is about 26 kcal a day, or roughly 16 g of chicken if it is the only treat that day.
Sources
- Embrace Pet Insurance, "7 Foods You Can Share With Your Cat" (Chyrle Bonk, DVM, updated Apr 10, 2025)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control, "People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets"
- PetMD, "Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Cats" (reviewed by Nicole Silva, DVM)
- Pet Nutrition Alliance, "Calculating Calories Based on Pet Needs"
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018 release)
Checked October 17, 2026. We are a reference, not a vet: if in doubt, call yours. How we check.