Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter? Only a Tiny Lick, Rarely

Is peanut butter safe for cats?

Peanuts and plain peanut butter contain nothing known to poison cats. VCA describes natural peanut butter as a treat cats can enjoy, including frozen into a toy, as long as it has no preservatives or risky additives. The ASPCA also includes peanut butter on its list of foods that are fine to share in small amounts because it is high in fat.

That said, cats are obligate carnivores. The Cornell Feline Health Center explains that they depend on nutrients found only in animal products and evolved on a diet very low in carbohydrates. Peanut butter's plant protein does not meet a cat's needs, so it is a novelty, not nutrition.

Xylitol, sugar and other additives

Some peanut butters, often labeled sugar-free, low-sugar or high-protein, contain xylitol. The ASPCA's updated xylitol warning says cats, unlike dogs, are not known to be harmed by it, while VCA still advises choosing peanut butter free of xylitol for cats. Following VCA is the cautious choice, and it matters doubly in a home with a dog, where xylitol can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar.

Also skip chocolate peanut butter spreads, honey-roasted and flavored varieties, and products with added sugar and lots of salt. The best choice, if you offer any, is a natural peanut butter whose only ingredients are peanuts and perhaps a pinch of salt.

How much peanut butter to give a cat

Think in licks, not spoonfuls. For an average 10 lb adult cat, a smear about the size of a pea, a lick off your fingertip, is plenty, and no more than once or twice a week. Cornell suggests treats make up no more than 10 to 15 percent of a cat's daily calories, and a single teaspoon of peanut butter takes up much of that allowance.

Skip it altogether for overweight cats, cats with pancreatitis, diabetes or a sensitive stomach, and cats on prescription diets unless your vet says otherwise. Do not use it to hide a medicine without asking your vet first.

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

The choking and sticking risk

Peanut butter is thick and clings to the roof of the mouth. A cat given a large glob can struggle to swallow it, gag, drool or paw at its mouth. Smooth peanut butter spread very thinly is safer than a lump, and chunky versions add whole peanut pieces that are best avoided.

Offer it smeared thinly on a lick mat or your fingertip rather than from a spoon, and make sure fresh water is nearby. If your cat seems to be choking or cannot breathe, that is an emergency.

Kittens and peanut butter

Kittens do not need peanut butter at all. Their small stomachs and high nutritional demands should be met by a complete kitten food, and rich, fatty extras are more likely to cause diarrhea in a young cat.

If a kitten licks a little peanut butter off a plate, there is usually no cause for alarm; just watch for loose stool. Keep jars and smeared knives out of reach, and never give a kitten peanut butter as a treat or a way to get it to take medicine.

Signs peanut butter disagreed with your cat, and better treats

Too much peanut butter usually shows as vomiting or soft stool within a few hours to a day. A rare allergic reaction may cause itching, hives or facial swelling. Call your vet the same day if vomiting repeats, your cat stops eating, seems lethargic or has a painful belly, and seek emergency care for facial swelling or trouble breathing.

Cats usually prefer animal-based treats anyway. A small piece of plain cooked chicken, turkey or fish, or a commercial cat treat, gives your cat something it actually wants and can use.

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