Nutrition & Feeding11 min read8 August 2026
Foods Cats Can and Can't Eat: The Complete NZ List (2026)
A complete NZ list of foods cats can and can't eat, colour-coded 🟢🟡🟠🔴 with vet-based notes. Covers fruit, veg, meat, dairy and toxic foods.
Quick answer
This is a complete, at-a-glance list of common foods and whether they are safe for cats in New Zealand. Use the colour key, then read the note — the note is the important part.
Colour key: 🟢 Yes (safe as an occasional plain treat) · 🟡 In moderation (small plain amounts, with care) · 🟠 Best avoided (not toxic, but not a good idea) · 🔴 No (unsafe or toxic — keep away).
⚠️ In an emergency, if your cat has eaten something toxic (like chocolate, grapes, onion, or xylitol/"sugar-free" products), do not wait for symptoms. Call your vet, an after-hours clinic, or the Pet Poison Helpline straight away. Have the packet and an idea of the amount ready.
Foods Cats Can and Can't Eat
| Food | Safe for cats? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny piece of plain prepared apple, but they do not need fruit. Remove core, seeds and stem, and avoid apple pie, sauce, crumble… |
| Apricots | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid apricots for cats, especially the stone, stem and leaves. Cats do not need apricot as a treat, and stone-fruit scraps can create avoidable risk. |
| Avocado | 🟠 Best avoided | Best avoided. ASPCA lists avocado among people foods to avoid feeding pets, and its avocado guidance explains that avocado parts contain persin and can… |
| Bacon | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid giving bacon to cats. Bacon is salty, fatty processed meat and may be smoked, seasoned or cooked with garlic, onion or sauces. |
| Bananas | 🟡 In moderation | Tiny plain banana pieces may be okay if your cat wants them, but cats do not need banana. ASPCA lists bananas among foods that can be safely shared with pets. |
| Blueberries | 🟡 In moderation | Tiny plain blueberries may be okay if your cat is interested, but cats do not need fruit. ASPCA lists blueberries among pet-safe snack options. |
| Bones | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid bones as cat treats. VCA's raw-food guidance for cats lists foreign bodies such as swallowed bone pieces as a concern, and raw feeding adds… |
| Bread | 🟡 In moderation | Plain baked bread is not a useful cat food. Raw yeast dough, raisin bread, garlic bread, chocolate bread and sweetened products are different and should… |
| Broccoli | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually have a tiny nibble of plain cooked broccoli, but it should not replace complete cat food. Avoid cheese sauce, butter, salt, onion,… |
| Cantaloupe | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually have a tiny amount of plain cantaloupe flesh, but they do not need fruit. Remove rind and seeds and avoid fruit salad, syrup, dairy,… |
| Carrots | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually have a tiny amount of plain cooked carrot, but it is not useful cat nutrition. Avoid butter, salt, stock, onion, garlic, gravy and… |
| Cauliflower | 🟡 In moderation | Plain cauliflower is not a useful cat food, but a tiny plain nibble is different from cauliflower cheese, curry, soup or seasoned roast vegetables. |
| Celery | 🟡 In moderation | Plain celery is not a useful cat food, but a curious lick or nibble of washed, unseasoned celery is different from eating dip, soup, stock or seasoned… |
| Cheese | 🟡 In moderation | Best limited, and not a routine cat treat. VCA says cats should not be fed milk and notes many cats lose the ability to digest milk sugar after kittenhood. |
| Cherries | 🟠 Best avoided | No practical reason to feed cherries to cats. Avoid cherries, especially pits, stems and leaves. |
| Chives | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat chives. |
| Chocolate | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat chocolate. |
| Christmas Cake | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat Christmas cake. |
| Christmas Pudding | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat Christmas pudding. |
| Cinnamon | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid cinnamon for cats. Cats do not need spices, and cinnamon powder, essential oils, spice mixes and heavily spiced desserts are not appropriate cat foods. |
| Coconut | 🟡 In moderation | A tiny amount of plain coconut flesh may be okay for some cats, but it is not needed. Avoid chocolate coconut bars, sweet slices, coconut cream curries,… |
| Cooked Beef | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually eat a tiny amount of plain lean cooked beef. Avoid cooked bones, fat trimmings, onion, garlic, gravy, marinades, pie filling and… |
| Cooked Chicken | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually eat a little plain cooked boneless chicken, but it should not replace complete cat food. Avoid cooked bones, skin-heavy scraps,… |
| Cucumber | 🟡 In moderation | Plain cucumber is not toxic to cats, but it is not needed in a cat's diet. If a cat wants a nibble, keep it washed, plain and away from dressings, onion,… |
| Curry | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid giving curry to cats. Curry commonly contains onion, garlic, salt, fat, chilli, spices, coconut cream, dairy or rich sauces. |
| Dog Food | 🔴 No | Do not feed dog food as a cat's diet. VCA explains that cats and dogs have different nutritional needs, including taurine and other nutrients cats… |
| Eggs | 🟡 In moderation | Plain cooked egg only as a tiny occasional treat; avoid raw egg. VCA's raw food guidance for cats highlights bacterial and balance risks. |
| Fruit Mince Pies | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat fruit mince pies. |
| Garlic | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat garlic. |
| Garlic Bread | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat garlic bread. |
| Grapes | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not be offered grapes, raisins or currants. |
| Green Beans | 🟡 In moderation | Plain green beans are not a useful cat food, but a tiny plain nibble is different from seasoned leftovers. Do not feed green beans with onion, garlic,… |
| Ham | 🟠 Best avoided | Best avoided. ASPCA warns that processed meats can be high in salt, and cats need complete cat food rather than processed human leftovers. |
| Hot Cross Buns | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat hot cross buns. |
| Instant Noodles | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat instant noodles. |
| Kiwifruit | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny amount of plain peeled kiwifruit flesh, but they do not need fruit. Avoid skin, large chunks, fruit salad, syrup, alcohol… |
| Leeks | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat leeks. |
| Lunch Meat | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid giving lunch meat to cats. Processed slices are often salty, fatty, smoked or seasoned, and may contain onion, garlic or other unsuitable ingredients. |
| Meat Pies | 🔴 No | No, cats should not eat meat pies. Pie pastry and fillings are usually rich, salty and fatty, and may contain onion, garlic, gravy or other unsafe… |
| Nutmeg | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid nutmeg for cats. A trace in a baked item is different from a cat eating spice directly, but nutmeg is not cat food and should be kept out of reach. |
| Onion Gravy | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat onion gravy. |
| Onions | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat onions. |
| Peaches | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid peaches for cats, especially peach stones, stems and leaves. A lick of plain peach flesh is not usually the main worry, but peaches are not useful… |
| Peanut Butter | 🟡 In moderation | Peanut butter is not a useful cat treat. If used at all, it must be plain and xylitol-free; avoid chocolate, sugar-free, salty and flavoured spreads. |
| Pecans | 🔴 No | No, avoid giving pecans to cats. They are fatty, not useful cat nutrition, and often appear in sweet baking or nut mixes with other risky ingredients. |
| Pepperoni | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid giving pepperoni to cats. It is processed human food and may contain salt, fat, garlic, onion, chilli or smoke flavouring. |
| Pineapple | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny amount of plain pineapple flesh, but it is not needed in their diet. Avoid tinned pineapple in syrup, fruit salad, alcohol… |
| Plums | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid plums for cats, especially the stone, stem and leaves. Cats do not need fruit treats, and a plum stone or sweet dessert plate is not worth the risk. |
| Popcorn | 🟡 In moderation | A few pieces of plain air-popped popcorn are usually low risk for cats, but popcorn is not useful cat nutrition. Avoid butter, salt, caramel, cheese… |
| Pork | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny piece of plain cooked pork, but skip ham, bacon, sausages, crackling, bones, marinades, onion, garlic and salty processed pork. |
| Pumpkin | 🟡 In moderation | Cats can sometimes eat plain cooked pumpkin, but it should be unseasoned and secondary to complete cat food. Avoid pumpkin with butter, onion, garlic,… |
| Raisins | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat raisins, sultanas, currants or dried-fruit baking. |
| Raw Bread Dough | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat raw bread dough. |
| Raw Chicken | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid raw chicken as an ad hoc cat treat. VCA says raw food diets for cats raise infectious-disease, nutritional-balance and foreign-body concerns. |
| Raw Fish | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid raw fish as a routine cat treat. VCA's raw food guidance for cats highlights infectious-disease and nutritional-balance concerns, and VCA also warns… |
| Rice | 🟡 In moderation | Plain cooked rice is usually low risk in a tiny amount, but it should not replace complete cat food. Avoid fried rice, salt, butter, stock, onion, garlic,… |
| Salami | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid giving salami to cats. It is processed human food and may contain salt, fat, garlic, onion, spices or smoke flavouring. |
| Salt | 🔴 No | Cats should not be given salt as a treat, and very salty foods are best avoided. Salt-heavy snacks, cured meats, stock powder and salt dough are not cat… |
| Sausage Rolls | 🔴 No | No, cats should not eat sausage rolls. The processed filling and pastry are usually salty, fatty and seasoned, and may contain onion, garlic or sauces. |
| Sausages | 🟠 Best avoided | Avoid sausages for cats. Sausages are processed meats that are extremely high in sodium, fats, and seasonings like onion and garlic, which are dangerous… |
| Spring Onions | 🔴 No | No, cats should not eat spring onions. Avoid raw spring onion, cooked spring onion, garnishes, salads, stir-fries, noodles, dumplings and leftovers. |
| Stock Cubes | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat stock cubes. |
| Strawberries | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny piece of plain strawberry, but fruit is not needed in a cat diet. Avoid cream, yoghurt, chocolate, jam, pavlova topping,… |
| Stuffing | 🔴 No | No, cats should not eat stuffing. It can contain onion, garlic, chives, leeks, raisins, currants, alcohol, rich fat and salty seasoning. |
| Trifle | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not eat trifle. |
| Tuna | 🟡 In moderation | Not as a regular food. VCA says cats should not be fed tuna as a routine food. |
| Turkey | 🟢 Yes | Yes, cats can usually eat a little plain cooked boneless turkey, but it should not replace complete cat food. Avoid cooked bones, stuffing, onion, garlic,… |
| Watermelon | 🟢 Yes | Cats can usually have a tiny piece of plain watermelon flesh, but they do not need fruit. Remove rind and seeds and avoid fruit salad, syrup, alcohol… |
Drinks
| Drink | Safe for cats? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not drink alcohol. |
| Coffee | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not drink coffee or eat coffee grounds, beans, caffeine tablets, energy drinks or coffee-flavoured desserts. |
| Milk | 🔴 No | Usually no. Milk is a common cat myth, but VCA says cats should not be fed milk, and notes that many cats lose the ability to digest milk sugar after… |
| Tea | 🔴 No | No. Cats should not drink tea. |
How to read this list
A 🟢 or 🟡 rating means a food is generally tolerated as an occasional, plain, properly prepared treat — not a meal, and not a daily habit. Treats of any kind should stay under about 10% of your cat's daily calories; the rest should come from a complete, balanced cat food. Introduce any new food in a tiny amount and watch for stomach upset.
A 🟠 or 🔴 rating means skip it. "Best avoided" foods aren't usually poisonous but carry a choking, fat, or digestive risk that isn't worth it. "No" foods are genuinely unsafe — some are toxic even in small amounts.
Individual cat tolerance varies, and this list is general guidance for healthy adult cats, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your cat has a health condition, is very young or old, or you're unsure, check with your vet first.
References
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control, People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
- Pet Poison Helpline, Poison List (toxins by severity): https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Food Hazards for Small Animals: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/special-pet-topics/poisoning/food-hazards
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- Cat FoodStart with food that matches your cat's life stage — change brands slowly over 7–10 days to avoid digestive upset.
- Cat LitterClumping or crystal, most cats prefer an unscented litter and a clean tray — one tray per cat plus one spare is the NZ rule of thumb.
- Cat TreatsGreat for bonding and training — keep treats under 10% of daily calories to protect your cat's waistline.
- Cat ToysA small rotation of toys (feather wand, puzzle feeder, and comfort toy) usually works better than buying many at once.
- Cat GroomingRegular brushing cuts hairballs and shedding — essential for long-haired breeds like Ragdolls and British Longhairs.
- Flea & Worm TreatmentFor NZ conditions, choose protection that fits your cat's weight and lifestyle (indoor vs outdoor) and keep it regular.