Can Cats Eat Bread? Yes, in moderation: Safe Amount by Weight

In moderation

Yes, in moderation

a small piece of plain baked bread is safe for cats, but it offers no nutritional benefit. Raw bread dough is dangerous: it expands in the stomach and produces alcohol. Avoid garlic bread and breads with raisins.

Bread for cats at a glance

Can cats eat it?	In moderation
Calories	About 10 kcal per small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)
Main benefit	Plain bread is not toxic
Main risk	Raw yeast dough can cause bloating and alcohol poisoning
Kittens?	In tiny amounts once on solid food; kittens have sensitive stomachs

How much bread can a cat eat?

Vets recommend keeping all treats under 10% of daily calories. One small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice) has about 10 kcal. The chart shows the most a typical spayed or neutered adult cat could have in a day if bread were the only treat.

Cat weight	Daily treat budget	Max bread per day
6 lb (2.7 kg)	18 kcal	1.5 × small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)
8 lb (3.6 kg)	22 kcal	2 × small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)
10 lb (4.5 kg)	26 kcal	2.5 × small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)
12 lb (5.4 kg)	30 kcal	2.5 × small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)
14 lb (6.4 kg)	34 kcal	3 × small piece of plain bread (1/8 slice)

Benefits and risks

Benefits

Plain bread is not toxic
Can be used to hide a pill (small piece)
No nutritional value for cats

Risks

Raw yeast dough can cause bloating and alcohol poisoning
Garlic bread and onion bread are toxic
Raisin bread may be harmful

How to feed bread to your cat

Offer a tiny piece of plain baked bread only
Keep rising dough away from cats
Do not use bread as a regular treat

What if my cat ate too much bread?

Eating more than the recommended amount usually causes nothing worse than an upset stomach: soft stool, gas or vomiting. Skip treats for the rest of the day, keep fresh water available and call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or your cat seems unwell.

Check your cat's full daily needs with the cat food calculator.

Bread and cats: FAQ

Can cats have bread?

Yes, a small piece of plain baked bread is safe for cats, but it offers no nutritional benefit. Raw bread dough is dangerous: it expands in the stomach and produces alcohol. Avoid garlic bread and breads with raisins.

My cat ate raw bread dough. What should I do?

Call your vet or poison control right away. Rising dough can cause bloating and alcohol toxicity.

Can kittens eat bread?

Yes, in very small amounts once they are eating solid food. Kittens have sensitive stomachs, so offer a tiny piece and stop if you see loose stool. Most of their calories should come from a complete kitten food.

More "can cats eat" guides

Browse lists: human foods cats can eat · foods cats can't eat

Sources

This guide is general information for healthy adult cats. Cats with medical conditions (such as diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease or food allergies) may need different advice from their vet.

Can Cats Eat Bread?