Food safety

Can Cats Eat Catfish?

Safe in small amounts — Catfish for cats.

Safe in small amounts

Why: Plain cooked catfish is a lean protein cats can eat. Serve it boneless and unseasoned — fried or heavily seasoned catfish adds fat and salt a cat does not need.

Safe serving: A small piece of plain cooked boneless catfish as an occasional treat.

If your cat ate catfish: No action needed for plain cooked catfish. If it was fried or seasoned, watch for an upset stomach.

Related: Salmon, Sardines, Shrimp

Why this verdict

Plain cooked catfish is a lean protein cats can eat. Serve it boneless and unseasoned — fried or heavily seasoned catfish adds fat and salt a cat does not need.

Safe serving

A small piece of plain cooked boneless catfish as an occasional treat.

If your cat ate catfish

No action needed for plain cooked catfish. If it was fried or seasoned, watch for an upset stomach.

Related foods

Salmon, Sardines, Shrimp

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.