Food safety

Can Cats Eat Beans?

Safe in small amounts — Beans for cats.

Safe in small amounts

Why: Plain cooked beans are not toxic to cats, but they are hard to digest and can cause gas and stomach upset. Never feed raw or dried beans, which contain lectins, and skip baked beans and chilli, which are seasoned, sugary and often contain onion.

Safe serving: One or two plain cooked beans as a rare treat. Skip canned beans in sauce and anything seasoned.

If your cat ate beans: No action needed for a few plain cooked beans. For raw beans or a large amount, watch for vomiting or diarrhoea and call your vet if it persists.

Related: Barley, Bread, Beef

Why this verdict

Plain cooked beans are not toxic to cats, but they are hard to digest and can cause gas and stomach upset. Never feed raw or dried beans, which contain lectins, and skip baked beans and chilli, which are seasoned, sugary and often contain onion.

Safe serving

One or two plain cooked beans as a rare treat. Skip canned beans in sauce and anything seasoned.

If your cat ate beans

No action needed for a few plain cooked beans. For raw beans or a large amount, watch for vomiting or diarrhoea and call your vet if it persists.

Related foods

Barley, Bread, 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.