Can Cats Eat Honey? Not Toxic, but Not Recommended

Why honey is not a cat food

Honey is around 80 percent sugar, mostly fructose and glucose, with a little water and trace amounts of other compounds. Cornell Feline Health Center describes cats as obligate carnivores whose natural diet is high in protein, moderate in fat and low in carbohydrate, so a concentrated sugar fits nowhere in it.

Cats also lack a functioning sweet taste receptor, so honey does not taste sweet to them the way it does to us. A cat that licks honey is probably curious about the smell, the sticky texture or what you are eating, not craving sugar.

Which cats must avoid honey

Cats with diabetes should never be given honey. Sugar can upset blood glucose control and interfere with insulin treatment. Overweight cats should skip it too, since a teaspoon of honey is about 20 calories, a noticeable share of a cat's daily needs for no nutritional return.

Cats on prescription diets for kidney, urinary or digestive problems should not have extras unless the vet says the diet allows them. Kittens should not have honey either; they need every calorie to come from food made for growth.

Honey products and other risks

Honey often comes with other ingredients. Honey-roasted nuts, honey-glazed ham, baked goods and cereal bars add fat, salt and sometimes raisins or chocolate. Some sweet spreads and sugar-free products use xylitol, and cough syrups or throat lozenges with honey may contain medicines that are not safe for cats.

Do not give honey as a home remedy for a cough, sore throat, wound or upset stomach. A coughing or unwell cat needs a vet to find the cause, and a sticky dose of sugar can delay that. Never give a cat a human medicine that comes with or without honey unless your vet prescribes it.

How much honey is too much

Cornell advises keeping all treats to no more than 10 to 15 percent of a cat's daily calories, and Tufts University's Petfoodology team notes a 10 lb cat needs only about 300 calories a day. There is no need to fit honey into that budget at all, since it offers nothing a cat requires.

If your cat helps itself, a lick or two off a spoon or a few drops from the counter is very unlikely to cause any problem in a healthy adult cat. A cat that gets into a jar and eats a real amount is more likely to vomit or have diarrhea.

Many cats do better with small, slow portions, and a puzzle feeder or a slow feeder bowl helps with both.

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

After eating more than a lick, watch over the next few hours to a day for vomiting, diarrhea, a sticky mess around the mouth or a cat that is drinking or urinating more than usual. Mild upset should settle within 24 hours with normal food and water.

Call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than a day, if your cat stops eating, or if your cat is diabetic and ate honey at all. Diabetic cats can show weakness, wobbliness or unusual sleepiness if blood sugar swings, and those signs need same-day care.

Kittens and honey

There is no reason to give honey to a kitten. Kittens need a complete kitten food with the protein and nutrients for growth, and a sticky, sugary food can upset a young stomach quickly. If a kitten licks a drop, it is unlikely to cause harm, but keep jars closed and spoons out of reach.

If someone has suggested honey to help a weak or newborn kitten, call your vet straight away instead. Kittens that are cold, not feeding or very sleepy need professional care, not home remedies.

Treats cats actually enjoy

Cats respond far better to animal-based rewards. A tablespoon-sized flake of plain cooked chicken or turkey breast, a freeze-dried meat treat or a lick of their usual wet food from a spoon all suit a carnivore. Play with a wand toy 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.