Can cats eat rice?

Updated 12/05/2023

Rice is a staple in human diets all over the world, but can other species chow down on the good stuff? Can cats eat rice? Is rice safe for cats? Let’s find out.

Is rice good for cats?

Rice doesn’t hold much nutritional value for cats, as their bodies are adapted for a meat-based diet. So, while your kitty could easily live a happy and healthy life without touching a single grain of rice, it won’t harm them if they do - just keep it to very small quantities, every now and then. Make sure it is plain, boiled rice, without extra sauce or salt. It’s important that your cat doesn’t consume large amounts of rice as it could lead to obesity and other serious health issues - the result of feeding your cat too much carbohydrate.

Can cats eat rice pudding?

Rice pudding should be avoided, unfortunately. While a delicious classic for us humans, rice pudding is often made with milk and cream. And sadly for our kitty pals, they’re often lactose intolerant, meaning a helping of rice pudding could seriously upset their stomach.

Can cats eat white rice?

Cats can safely eat very small amounts of white rice, but, like for humans, brown rice is more nutritious. Why? Well it contains more fiber, so is sometimes recommended, alongside lean protein, by vets for cats with either diarrhea or constipation. With that said though, it’s important to consult your vet before changing anything in your kitty’s diet. Home-cooked diets such as chicken and rice are only appropriate for short-term feeding, not as a long-term option.

Can cats eat uncooked rice?

Cats should never be fed uncooked rice - it’s seriously hard to digest and sometimes contains pesticides that will make your kitty very unwell.

Feeding your cat rice

As we’ve mentioned, rice should only be fed in seriously low quantities. While it holds minimal nutritional benefit to cats, you could simply steer clear of it and still have a completely happy and healthy kitty.

Meet our veterinary expert, Alexandra

This article has been checked by veterinarian Alexandra Lucy Warner BVMS. After graduating from Glasgow in 2010, Alex returned home to Lancashire and to rural mixed practice. In search of new challenges and experiences, she left Lancashire in 2014 and has since worked in a wide variety of veterinary practices across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, as well undergoing volunteer work in Fiji and the Greek islands. She enjoys communicating with people from all walks of life about their animals.

What other human foods can cats eat?

While rice is safe for cats in very small quantities, are there any other human foods that cats can eat? Yep, there are quite a few, in fact. Unfortunately though, there are many foods us humans love that aren’t safe or are even toxic for our feline friends. So, before letting your kitty nibble at whatever’s in the kitchen, be sure to read up before you serve up, and find out what cats can and can’t eat. To get you started, here are a few foods that are safe for cats…

• Oatmeal
• Bread
• Eggs
• Bananas