Can cats eat peanut butter?

Updated 29/09/2023

Ah, peanut butter: the stuff of our childhood (snack-filled) dreams. While we can't get enough of the good stuff, pet parents partial to a PB&J may be wondering this: can cats eat peanut butter, or - like many other 'human' foods - is it best avoided by our feline friends? Let's find out.

Can a cat eat peanut butter?

Technically, yes, cats can eat peanut butter, but it should be avoided by our feline friends. Your kitty is an obligate carnivore - that means they rely on meat and animal protein for nutrition, and foods like peanut butter provide them with zero nutritional value. Even though peanut butter isn’t poisonous or toxic, the ingredients may be harmful to cats. 

Not to mention, peanut butter is seriously high in sodium, which could result in vomiting, diarrhea, excess thirst/urination and even seizures in severe cases. Too much sodium could even lead to more serious health conditions, such as heart or kidney issues. Likewise, the high oil and fat content in peanut butter could cause your kitty gastrointestinal issues and the high calorific content of peanut butter could quickly lead to your kitty piling on the pounds. 

If that wasn't bad enough, many store-bought peanut butters also contain xylitol - a common artificial sweetener - which is toxic to cats and could lead to a deadly dip in your pet's blood sugar levels. Finally, the thick, chunky consistency of peanut butter could get stuck in your cat's throat and pose a choking hazard. In short? Avoid!

Can cats eat peanut butter as a treat?

Peanut butter is often a go-to treat for dog parents, but the same rules don’t apply to your kitty. While peanut butter is technically safe for cats (providing it doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients such as xylitol), and it can be a useful tool if you need to give your cat medication, peanut butter really isn't an ideal treat for cats due to its high fat, sodium, and calorific content. Peanut butter also tends to stick to the roof of cat’s mouths, which isn’t very useful when we’re trying to give them medication. 

Instead, stick to commercially available cat treats that you can be sure are 100% safe for them to eat and may even provide them some extra nutritional benefit. And remember, treats should never make up more than 10% of your cat’s overall daily caloric intake!

Can cats eat peanut butter and jelly?

It might be an all-American classic, but again, we'd advise against it. Jelly (or jam, depending on which side of the pond you’re from) is seriously high in sugar and provides no nutritional benefit to cats. High sugar content is particularly harmful to diabetic cats. Some jelly flavors may also contain ingredients that are toxic to cats (such as grape, plum, or cherry jelly), or may have added sweeteners like xylitol which is also toxic to cats.

What to do if your cat eats peanut butter

Unlike many other ‘human’ foods, peanut butter isn’t toxic to cats per se. So, you don’t need to panic if you catch them licking the remains of your breakfast (providing it contains no xylitol, of course - if you do suspect your cat may have ingested xylitol, it’s important to contact your vet immediately for advice). Just keep an eye in case any gastrointestinal reactions follow (like vomiting and diarrhea) and make sure you’re close by if it happens, and contact your veterinarian if you’re concerned.

Meet our veterinary expert, Aisling

This article has been checked by veterinarian Aisling O’Keeffe MVB CertSAM ISFMCertAdvFB. Aisling qualified as a vet 7 years ago from University College Dublin. She has worked in a mixture of UK small animal hospitals along with Irish practices. She worked for 3 years in a feline-only hospital where she further developed her feline medicine and surgery skills. She currently lives and works in a small animal hospital in Cork, Ireland. 

Foods that are unsafe for cats

Hopefully, we’ve helped to answer all your ‘can my cat eat peanut butter’ quandaries. Unfortunately, the list of foods that cats should avoid doesn’t end there. Here are a few more popular ‘human’ foods that are not safe for our feline friends: 

• Dairy products (such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream) - cats are lactose intolerant! 
• Certain fruits (such as raisins, grapes, cherries, and plums) and citrus fruits
• Tomatoes
• Onions, garlic, and leeks