Food safety
Can Cats Eat Rice? Yes, a Little Plain Cooked Rice
Yes, cats can eat a small amount of plain, cooked rice, and it is not toxic to them. It is also not something a cat needs. Cats are obligate carnivores built to run on animal protein, so rice is filler for them, and a chicken-and-rice bowl is not a complete diet. Raw rice, fried rice and rice seasoned with garlic, onion or butter should be avoided. Here is when rice is fine and when to call your vet instead.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read3 sources
Why rice is safe but unnecessary for cats
Plain cooked white or brown rice contains nothing toxic to cats, and small amounts of rice appear in some commercial cat foods as a carbohydrate source. A spoonful that your cat steals from your plate is unlikely to cause harm.
The Cornell Feline Health Center explains why it should stay a small extra: cats are obligate carnivores that depend on nutrients found only in animal products, and their natural diet is high in protein, moderate in fat and very low in carbohydrates. Rice adds calories without the protein, taurine and other nutrients a cat's body actually requires.
Rice and an upset stomach
Boiled chicken and white rice has long been used as a bland diet for pets with mild digestive upset. VCA Animal Hospitals now notes that this traditional bland diet is no longer the best recommendation, because cooked chicken breast and white rice are deficient in more than ten essential nutrients for dogs and cats.
If your cat has vomiting or diarrhea, call your vet before reaching for rice. Your vet may suggest a short spell on a bland or prescription digestive diet, but cats should not go more than a day without eating, and a home-cooked bland diet is only meant for a couple of days at most.
Rice dishes to keep away from your cat
Avoid fried rice, seasoned rice mixes, risotto and rice cooked with butter, broth or oil. Many contain garlic and onion, which damage a cat's red blood cells and are even more dangerous for cats than for dogs. Soy sauce and seasoning packets add a lot of salt.
If your cat ate a dish made with onion or garlic, call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661; a consultation fee may apply. Raw, uncooked rice is hard to digest and should not be offered, and sushi brings raw fish risks along with the rice.
How much rice a cat can have
Keep rice to a teaspoon or two of plain cooked grains for an average 10 lb adult cat, and only occasionally. Cornell suggests treats and extras make up no more than 10 to 15 percent of a cat's daily calories, and rice should never push out the animal protein in a complete cat food.
If your vet recommends adding rice during a short bout of digestive upset, follow their amounts and timeline rather than a general guide, and switch back to your cat's normal diet as advised.
A feeding mat under a ceramic bowl keeps any shared food in one place and easy to clean up.
Kittens and rice
Kittens need a complete kitten food designed for growth, and their small stomachs have no room for filler. A grain or two of plain cooked rice will not hurt a kitten, but there is no reason to offer it.
A kitten with diarrhea can become dehydrated quickly, so do not try to treat it at home with rice. Call your vet the same day if a kitten has diarrhea, vomiting or stops eating.
Signs rice disagreed with your cat
Most cats handle a little plain rice without trouble. Too much may cause soft stool, gas or constipation within a day. A cat that eats rice cooked with seasoning may vomit or have diarrhea.
Call your vet the same day if diarrhea or vomiting lasts more than a day, there is blood in the stool or vomit, your cat stops eating, seems lethargic or hides, or is straining in the litter box. A cat that has not eaten for a day needs to be seen.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.
Common questions
Can cats eat white rice?
Yes, plain cooked white rice is safe for cats in small amounts. It is easy to digest but offers little a cat needs, so keep it to an occasional teaspoon or two and never use it to replace a complete cat food.
Can cats eat brown rice?
Plain cooked brown rice is safe in small amounts, and it appears in some cat foods. It is higher in fiber than white rice, which may cause soft stool in some cats. Keep portions very small.
Can cats eat chicken and rice?
Plain cooked chicken with a little plain rice is safe as an occasional meal, but it is not complete or balanced. VCA notes it lacks more than ten essential nutrients, so ask your vet before using it for an upset stomach.
Can cats eat fried rice?
No. Fried rice usually contains garlic, onion, soy sauce and oil, which can upset a cat's stomach or damage its red blood cells. Call your vet if your cat ate a portion of fried rice with onion or garlic.
Can cats eat raw rice?
No. Raw rice is hard for cats to digest and may cause stomach upset. Only offer rice that has been cooked plain, and only in small amounts.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
