Can Cats Eat Potatoes?

Yes, cats can have a small amount of plain roasted or baked potato.  

Avoid french fries, potato chips, buttery mashed potatoes, and heavily seasoned potatoes. These versions have more fat and salt, plus potentially toxic ingredients, like garlic or onion, that can be dangerous for cats. 

Avoid raw and green potatoes too. Raw potatoes are harder for cats to digest, and green potatoes can contain higher levels of solanine, a naturally occurring compound that can be toxic to cats. 

If you’d rather skip white potatoes, you can opt for cat treats made with sweet potatoes instead. Here are some good options:  

Not really. While a small bite of potato is unlikely to harm most cats, potatoes don’t offer much that cats need nutritionally. 

Cooked potatoes mainly provide carbohydrates and a little fiber, but cats are obligate carnivores, which means their bodies are designed to get most of their nutrition from meat-based foods, not starchy vegetables. 

If you want to share some of your food with your cat, there are other safe human foods that are more beneficial, like salmon or tuna. 

Potatoes can be bad for cats if they’re raw, green, or prepared the wrong way. 

These are some of the biggest downsides: 

• They’re very high in carbohydrates. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need to get most of their nutrition from animal proteins (meat) and have very little nutritional need for carbohydrates. And potatoes are very carb heavy. 
• Raw and green potatoes can be toxic. Raw potatoes and green potatoes can contain solanine, which is toxic to cats. 
• Most prepared potatoes have added ingredients. Unless you’re preparing potatoes just for your cat, there’s a good chance they have added butter, salt, or seasonings, like garlic, that can make them toxic to cats. 

Treats, including potatoes, should make up no more than 10% of your cat’s daily diet. And because potatoes don’t offer much nutritionally, one or two small pieces once or twice a week is plenty for a taste.  

If your cat has diabetes, obesity, or a sensitive stomach, it’s best to skip potatoes. 

If you do decide to share a little potato with your cat, here are some tips to do it as safely as possible: 

• Wash and peel the potato, including any green parts that might be sitting right under the skin. 
• Fully cook it. 
• Cut it into small pieces. 
• Keep it plain with no butter, salt, or seasoning. 
• Offer only a small bite or two. 

If your cat ate too much potato, it’s most likely that they’ll show signs of some mild stomach upset. 

Watch for: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Low appetite 
• Belly discomfort 
• Lethargy 

These usually resolve on their own within a day or so, but call your veterinarian if: 

• Your cat ate raw or green potato. 
• The potato was heavily buttered or seasoned. 
• Your cat ate a large amount of potatoes. 
• Your cat keeps vomiting or seems uncomfortable for more than 24 hours. 

If you’re concerned about your cat and you can’t reach your veterinarian, you can also call the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661). They can help you decide if you should take your cat to the vet right away. 

Can cats eat mashed potatoes? 

Only if they’re plain. Most mashed potatoes are made with butter, milk, salt, or other ingredients that aren’t a good fit for cats.  

Are potatoes safe for cats? 

Potatoes are safe for cats when they’re plain and fully cooked—ideally baked or roasted without butter or oil. Raw and green potatoes aren’t safe because they contain solanine, a naturally occurring compound that can be toxic to cats. 

Can cats eat french fries? 

No, cats shouldn’t eat french fries. They’re oily, salty, and much richer than a plain cooked potato so there’s a good chance they’ll cause digestive upset. 

Can kittens eat potatoes? 

No, kittens shouldn’t eat potatoes. Kittens have specific nutrition needs so they should get all their calories from a complete kitten food until they’re at least a year old.