Cute cat looking at food on a wooden table.

Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter?

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If you’re both a dog and a cat person, you may give your dog peanut butter. The sticky-and-sweet treat is the perfect addition to a food puzzle or Kong and helps medicine go down better than a spoonful of sugar.

But can your feline friend also partake?

“Yes, cats can have peanut butter,” says Michelle Burch, D.V.M., from Safe Hounds Pet Insurance. “There’s no contraindication with it.”

Even though it’s relatively safe for cats to eat peanut butter, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. Dr. Burch dishes on everything you need to know about giving your kitty peanut butter.

Is peanut butter good for cats?

Quite simply, you may just want to treat your cat. If you love peanut butter, you may want to share it with Kitty. It also may have some medical uses, particularly if your cat is on medication.

“Peanut butter makes it harder for them to spit medication out because it’s sticky and sticks to the roof of their mouth,” Dr. Burch says.

And sometimes, cats will just take it upon themselves to try peanut butter.

“Sometimes, they … find opportunities to lick it,” Dr. Burch says. “My cats do this when my husband doesn’t rinse out a jar of peanut butter yet. They decide it looks delicious.”

can cats eat peanut butter
Photo: VioletaStoimenova/Getty Images

Is peanut butter bad for cats?

Think of giving your cat peanut butter like giving a child an ice cream sundae: It’s an occasional treat.

Peanut butter is high in fat content. Dr. Burch says that cats can develop pancreatitis, which can be difficult to treat, particularly if the cat is refusing medication.

“They may need hospitalization,” Dr. Burch says.

And pancreatitis can affect other organs, like the liver.

The high-fat content can also lead to obesity.

“Weight gain leads to more risk of type 2 diabetes, joint issues and heart issues,” Dr. Burch says.

Cats known to have sensitive stomachs or digestive issues should not indulge in peanut butter.

Red flags to watch for

If you’ve given your kitty peanut butter for the first time, you’ll want to keep an eye on them to see how they take to it. Vomiting, diarrhea and defecating outside the litter box are all signs the peanut butter isn’t sitting well.

“If it is mild, you can offer a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice to help settle the stomach,” Dr. Burch says. “If there is vomiting, if you are going on over 24 hours of the cat not eating or they have belly pain, I recommend having them seen by the vet.”

It’s always a good idea to speak with your vet about any dietary changes or table food treats you may want to give.

“Some foods can be severely toxic to cats, so it is always best to check to ensure they are safe to give,” Dr. Burch says.

Featured Photo: Bebenjy/Getty Images

Read Next: Can Cats Eat Avocado?

5 thoughts on “Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter?”

  1. HI,
    I'd like to mention that if the beanut butter contains xylitol DO NOT give it to your dog or cat. Xylitol is toxic to them. Manufacturers have started adding it to some peanut butters.
    This info was mentioned in one of my veternairy newsletter subscriptions.

    1. Yes. But peanut butter with sugar in it (as opposed to just peanuts or peanuts and salt) isn't great, either. I'd be much more concerned about the sugar than the fat content. Our cats have never been much interested in peanut butter, but one like actual peanuts.

  2. I used to have a cat that I loved so much but everytime I had Peanut Butter he came running from where he was to get some too. He loved it to the point that I could not even open it without him knowing the sound. My two cats after that just turn up their noses and only eat cat food

  3. IS ANYBODY GOING TO MENTION DO NOT GIVE PEANUT BUTTER WITH XYLITOL OR ANY ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER AS IT IS DEADLY TOXIC TO BOTH CATS AND DOGS AND EVEN WITH VETERINARY INTERVENTION HAS CAUSED DEATH

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