Avoid the dark turkey meat and the fat, as these do not provide the same nutritional benefits. While cats can eat raw meats in some cases, it’s usually advised against serving raw meat stocked in supermarkets and stores to cats due to potential issues, including salmonella and listeria. Can Cats Eat Turkey Bacon? No, your dog or cat shouldn’t eat Thanksgiving turkey because it contains a high content of fat, cooked with herbs, spices, onions, oils that can harm your dog or cat, and contains cooked bones that will harm your dog or cat when they ingest it. The short answer is yes, cats can safely eat turkey. Turkey also includes taurine, which is an essential amino acid for cats and helps with the animal’s vision and digestion. Common meats like beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb can sometimes trigger food allergies in cats but uncommon proteins like game meats (think duck, … Even domestic cats should eat a diet that has a high protein content. Fresh, lean, roasted turkey breast is the best way to feed turkey to your cat. Cats are carnivores and need meat in their diets to survive (sorry vegans, but you can’t put your cat on a plant-based diet). →, 20 Simple Ways to Keep Cats Off Your Car →. It is not harmful for the feline animal, as long as the owners could monitor what to give and what to keep. Other than that, turkey is a wonderful choice of food for your feline, not only because it is meat which is natural for cats to eat, but because turkey meat actually has many health benefits. You can also add cheese, vegetables, and fish to that list as well. While cats can eat raw meat and there’s a general trend toward adding more raw meat to their diet, you run the risk of feeding your pet spoiled meat or food contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria. Turkey Bones. That is why turkey must be fully cooked, as the bacteria are destroyed from the heat of properly cooking the turkey. Turkey meat is a good source of protein for carnivorous mammals, such as cats. Onions and Chives. In fact, it is a common ingredient in many commercial dog and cat foods. Fish. As long as it’s plain turkey, it’s generally pretty safe for cats to have and they enjoy it. Freshly cooked is the best way to serve it, but DIY treats are also a great idea and are convenient at any time of the day. Drawbacks to Cats Eating Turkey. If you are a cat owner, it's important to familiarize yourself with the everyday foods that can be dangerous, and even deadly, for cats. Ground Turkey can be a good source of protein, but it tends to have more fat than lean turkey breast. Put simply, turkey is good for cats due to the high amount of protein it provides, as long as you’re serving lean meat. When discussing the safety of feeding turkey to your cat, we’re strictly referring to unseasoned meat. cat care 101 can cats eat turkey, healthy pet food, holiday safety tips, pet safety, raw cat food, raw turkey, species appropriate diet, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving food, turkey dinner for cats Post navigation. If this guide has helped you feel more at ease, please share this guide to feeding your cat turkey on Facebook and Twitter. When feeding your cat some cooked turkey meat, always make sure you removed all the bones. Can Cats Eat Turkey? Pork is safe for cats to eat, although ham and bacon should be avoided. Turkey meat is considered a healthy food with nutrients that vary with each cut. The information found on ExcitedCats should not be viewed as veterinary advice. As carnivores, cats require plenty of protein to build healthy muscle and to provide energy. 5 Common Sense Pet Safety Tips For Halloween. If you were wondering if it’s safe for your cat to eat turkey, the short answer is yes, it is, but turkey comes in a few forms, and some are not as healthy as others. Overindulging can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea or even pancreatitis, an inflamed pancreas. Plain, unseasoned, boneless, skinless turkey is safe for cats and dogs in small amounts. Turkey also provides other important nutrients as well, like zinc, vitamin B6 and 12, and niacin, which help to boost the immune system of your pet. Cats who are on a food trial, which is a specific diet given for 6 weeks with no other meals or … Deli meat increases the risk of cancer and heart disease in people and animals. So if humans can eat turkey, can cats safely eat it too? Yes, cats can eat cold cuts or lunch meat. Another popular trend is to deep fry your Thanksgiving turkey. (Picture Credit: Mark Seton / Getty Images). 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