Food safety

Can Cats Drink Bone Broth?

Safe in small amounts — Bone Broth for cats.

Safe in small amounts

Why: Plain bone broth made for cats — no onion, garlic, salt or seasoning — is a good way to add water and a little protein, and many cats love it. Shop-bought human broth is the problem: it almost always contains onion, garlic or a lot of salt.

Safe serving: A few tablespoons of plain, unsalted, onion-free broth poured over food or offered as a drink, a few times a week.

If your cat ate bone broth: No action needed for plain cat-safe broth. If it was human broth with onion or garlic, watch for vomiting or lethargy and call your vet if you are unsure how much was in it.

Related: Milk, Distilled Water, Beef

Why this verdict

Plain bone broth made for cats — no onion, garlic, salt or seasoning — is a good way to add water and a little protein, and many cats love it. Shop-bought human broth is the problem: it almost always contains onion, garlic or a lot of salt.

Safe serving

A few tablespoons of plain, unsalted, onion-free broth poured over food or offered as a drink, a few times a week.

If your cat ate bone broth

No action needed for plain cat-safe broth. If it was human broth with onion or garlic, watch for vomiting or lethargy and call your vet if you are unsure how much was in it.

Related foods

Milk, Distilled Water, Beef

Check another food

Back to the Food-Safety Checker to check all 90 foods, or see the beginner feeding guide and the feeding estimator.

Before you use the result

Use the result as a starting point for observation and planning. Cats vary by age, body condition, temperament, medical history, and household setup.

Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and the Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat. Chocolate toxicity figures are approximate values from the Merck Veterinary Manual. If your cat ate something on the toxic list, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.