Can Cats Eat Corn? A Little, Plain and Cooked

Why corn is safe but not useful for cats

Plain corn kernels are not poisonous to cats, and processed corn is a common ingredient in commercial cat food, where it is ground and cooked so cats can digest it. A cat that licks a kernel off your plate is not in danger.

Cornell's Feline Health Center explains why corn is not much use to a cat, though. Cats are obligate carnivores, built to eat prey that is high in protein and contains very little carbohydrate. Whole corn kernels are mostly starch and fiber, which cats do not need and do not digest well.

Cobs, husks and other risks

Corn cobs are the main danger. A cat that chews on a cob can swallow pieces that lodge in the stomach or intestines and cause a blockage, which may need surgery. Husks and silk are also indigestible. Put cobs and husks straight into a lidded trash can after a meal.

Raw kernels are harder to digest than cooked ones, and can be a choking risk for kittens. Corn cooked for people often comes with butter, salt or seasoning, and corn dishes such as casseroles or salsas may contain onion or garlic, which are more dangerous to cats than to dogs.

Corn plant: the houseplant that is toxic

The ASPCA lists the corn plant, Dracaena fragrans, as toxic to cats. It is a popular indoor plant, not a food, and its saponins can cause vomiting (sometimes with blood), drooling, loss of appetite, depression and dilated pupils in cats.

If your cat has chewed a corn plant or any dracaena and is vomiting or drooling, call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661; a fee may apply. Moving the plant out of reach is the simplest prevention.

How to serve corn to your cat

If you want to let your cat try corn, cut a few kernels off a cooked cob, or use thawed frozen kernels that have been boiled or steamed until soft. Leave out butter, salt and seasoning, and let the kernels cool.

Offer two or three kernels on a plate and see whether your cat is interested. Many cats are not. Mash the kernels lightly for a kitten or a cat that tends to gulp, so a whole kernel cannot go down the wrong way.

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

How much corn for a cat

Cornell suggests treats stay at about 10 to 15 percent of a cat's daily calories at most, and corn offers little for its share. A sensible limit is a few kernels, no more than once or twice a week, for a healthy adult cat.

Cats with diabetes, those on a weight-loss plan and those on a prescription diet should not be given starchy extras like corn without checking with their vet. If your cat wants a treat, a small piece of plain cooked chicken fits its diet much better.

Corn for kittens

Kittens need a complete kitten food for growth, and there is no reason to give them corn. A kitten that steals a kernel is very unlikely to come to harm, but keep cobs and husks well away from kittens, who chew and play with anything left within reach.

If a kitten vomits more than once, stops eating or seems lethargic after getting into corn or a corn cob, call your vet the same day. Young kittens can become unwell quickly.

Signs of trouble and when to call a vet

Eating too much corn can cause vomiting or soft stool within a few hours. That usually passes within a day. Signs of a blockage after chewing a cob or husk are more serious: repeated vomiting, not eating, straining in the litter box, very little stool and hiding or lethargy.

A cat that has not eaten for more than a day, or shows any of the blockage signs, needs to see a vet that day. Bring along what you think was eaten if you can.

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