Can Cats Eat Carrots? Yes, Cooked and in Tiny Pieces

Why carrots are safe but not needed

Carrots are low in calories and carry beta-carotene, fiber and water, and nothing in them is toxic to cats. Tufts University's Petfoodology team includes carrots among low-calorie treat options for pets. For people and dogs, beta-carotene is a useful source of vitamin A; for cats, it is not.

Cats cannot convert beta-carotene into vitamin A the way dogs and people can, which is one reason Cornell Feline Health Center describes them as obligate carnivores that depend on nutrients found only in animal products. A complete cat food already supplies vitamin A in the form cats can use.

Raw carrot, seasonings and other cautions

Raw carrot is hard and slippery, and cats tend to swallow pieces without much chewing. A coin of raw carrot is the right size to lodge in a cat's throat or cause gagging. Grated raw carrot is safer than chunks, but cooked carrot is easier still for a cat to manage.

Share carrot only if it was cooked plain. Glazed carrots with butter and brown sugar, honey-roasted carrots, and carrots from a pot roast, stew or soup made with onion or garlic should never go to a cat. Cats are more sensitive than dogs to onion and garlic, which damage red blood cells. Carrot cake is also off the menu.

How to prepare carrots for a cat

Peel and wash a carrot, then steam or boil it in plain water with no salt or butter until it is soft enough to mash with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature, then chop it into pieces no bigger than a pea, or mash it.

Offer a piece or two on a saucer, or mix a little mashed carrot into wet food. If your cat ignores it, do not coax. Many cats have no interest in vegetables, which is exactly how a carnivore should behave.

A feeding mat under a ceramic bowl keeps any shared food in one place and easy to clean up.

How much carrot a cat can have

Cornell advises keeping treats to no more than 10 to 15 percent of daily calories. Tufts notes a 10 lb cat needs only about 300 calories a day, and lists a third of a cup of steamed carrot as about 15 calories, far more than a cat should eat in one go.

For an average 8 to 12 lb adult cat, one or two pea-sized pieces, a couple of times a week, is plenty. Count them as part of the day's treats, not on top of them, and leave carrots out completely for a cat on a prescription diet unless your vet agrees.

Kittens and carrots

Kittens do not need carrots and gain nothing from them that a complete kitten food does not supply. If a kitten wants to taste a fleck of soft, cooked carrot, it is unlikely to cause harm, but raw pieces are an even bigger choking risk for a small mouth.

Keep raw carrot sticks, baby carrots and peelings out of reach, because kittens love to bat small objects and may chew and swallow them. Sweep up after preparing vegetables if you have a kitten in the house.

Signs it disagreed with them, and when to call a vet

Too much carrot can cause soft stool, gas or a single vomit within a few hours to a day. That should settle once the carrot stops. Keep fresh water down and feed the usual diet. Call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or your cat stops eating.

Gagging, retching, drooling, pawing at the mouth or repeated swallowing after eating carrot can mean a piece is stuck. Get your cat seen the same day if it does not clear quickly, and go to an emergency clinic if your cat has any trouble breathing.

Better treats for cats

Animal-based treats suit cats best. Tufts lists a tablespoon of diced, plain cooked chicken or turkey breast as about 15 calories, a size that works well for a cat. Freeze-dried meat treats and a few pieces of their regular food in a puzzle feeder are other good options. Wand-toy play is a calorie-free reward many cats value just as much.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.