Can Cats Eat Cheese? Which Cheeses Are Safe, How Much, and When to Call a Vet

Is cheese bad for cats?

Cheese is not toxic to cats, but it is bad for them in anything more than a tiny amount, because it combines lactose (which many cats digest poorly), saturated fat, salt and a lot of calories in a small bite. The ASPCA notes that pets do not make enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, so dairy often causes diarrhea and stomach upset.

• Lactose: kittens make lactase to digest their mother’s milk, but most cats make much less once weaned.
• Fat: rich food can trigger vomiting, and in susceptible cats, pancreatitis.
• Salt: a problem for cats with kidney or heart disease, which are common in older cats.
• Calories: 28 g (1 oz) of cheddar has about 115 kcal, roughly half of what a 10 lb spayed or neutered cat needs in a whole day.

Intolerance and allergy are different: lactose intolerance causes gut upset, while a true dairy allergy can also show up as itchy skin, over-grooming or ear problems.

How much cheese can a cat have?

A cat can have about 2 to 4 g of hard cheese on a treat day, roughly a pea-sized to half-inch cube, which keeps it within half of the 10% treat budget vets recommend for caution foods. Once or twice a week is plenty, and skip other treats that day.

A half-inch cube of hard cheese weighs roughly 2 to 3 g; a pea-sized nub is about 1 g. The calculator uses the NRC energy formula the WSAVA uses in its cat treat chart, with cheese limited to half the usual 10% treat allowance and capped at 5 g. Kittens and cats with health problems should skip cheese; adjust for them in the full food checker.

What kind of cheese can cats eat?

The safest cheeses for cats are plain, aged hard cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, gouda and provolone, because aging leaves only traces of lactose, while fresh soft cheeses carry more lactose and flavored, moldy or processed cheeses should be avoided. Lower salt matters too, which is why Swiss tops the list.

Calories are approximate per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central; lactose and salt levels are general for each style and vary by brand. Check labels for garlic, onion, chives or spices, all of which turn a caution food into a dangerous one.

Can cats eat cottage cheese?

Cats can have a teaspoon of plain cottage cheese occasionally, but it is not the “safe dairy” it is often called: as a fresh cheese it holds more lactose than cheddar or Swiss, even though it is much lower in calories. Choose plain, low-fat, unsalted or low-sodium versions, and stop if stools loosen.

Cottage cheese makes sense for a cat who tolerates dairy and needs a lower-calorie topper, not as a cure for an upset stomach. For sensitive cats, plain cooked chicken or egg is a better choice; see can cats eat eggs.

Can cats eat cream cheese?

Cats can lick a fingertip of plain cream cheese without harm, but it is fatty, contains more lactose than hard cheese and offers no benefit, so it should stay a rare taste. Never share flavored cream cheese, frosting or bagel spreads.

• Chive, onion, garlic or “everything” cream cheese: dangerous; alliums damage a cat’s red blood cells.
• Strawberry or honey cream cheese: added sugar; skip.
• Cream cheese frosting: sugar and fat; skip, and check for xylitol in sugar-free versions.

Can cats eat string cheese or mozzarella?

Yes, a small piece of plain string cheese or mozzarella is one of the gentler cheeses for cats, since part-skim mozzarella is lower in fat and calories than cheddar, though it still contains lactose and salt. Pull off a thin strand rather than offering a whole stick, which is several days’ worth of treats.

Skip smoked, flavored or “pizza” mozzarella blends with garlic or herbs.

Can cats eat mac and cheese, cheese pizza, cheesecake or cheese snacks?

No, cats should not eat mac and cheese, cheese pizza, cheesecake, cheese puffs or cheese crackers, because these foods add butter, salt, sugar, refined starch and often garlic or onion powder on top of the cheese. A stolen lick is unlikely to cause harm, but none of these should be shared.

• Mac and cheese: butter, milk, salt and sometimes garlic or onion powder in the sauce.
• Cheese pizza: the sauce and crust usually contain garlic and onion.
• Cheesecake: sugar, cream cheese and fat; chocolate versions are toxic.
• Cheese puffs and crackers: salt and seasoning powders that often include onion and garlic.
• Vegan cheese: not dairy, but usually made with oils, starches and seasonings that cats do not need.

Can kittens eat cheese?

No, kittens should not eat cheese: once weaned they lose much of their ability to digest lactose, their stomachs upset easily, and every calorie should come from complete kitten food. If a kitten steals a crumb, watch for diarrhea and keep fresh water available.

Kittens that need extra milk should get kitten milk replacer, never cow’s milk or dairy products.

Why do cats like cheese?

Cats are drawn to cheese mainly because of its fat and protein, which carry strong savory smells, not because they taste its sweetness: cats lack a working sweet-taste receptor. That attraction is why cheese works so well for hiding pills.

A cat that begs for cheese is not telling you it needs dairy. Offer a cat-appropriate treat instead, such as a flake of plain cooked chicken.

My cat ate cheese: what should I do?

If your cat ate a small amount of plain cheese, it will usually be fine; watch for vomiting, diarrhea, gas or a sore belly over the next 12 to 24 hours and keep water available, but call your vet if the cheese contained garlic, onion, chives or peppers, if it was blue cheese, or if your cat ate a large amount.

• Plain cheese, small piece: no action beyond watching the litter box.
• Large amount: skip treats for a day; call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than a day, or your cat stops eating.
• Garlic, onion or chive cheese: call your vet even if your cat seems fine; red blood cell damage can appear days later.
• Blue cheese or moldy cheese: call your vet; molds can produce toxins that affect the nervous system.

What can I use instead of cheese to give my cat a pill?

Better pill hiders than cheese are a pea-sized piece of hard-boiled egg yolk, a flake of plain cooked chicken, a lick of your cat’s own wet food, or a soft pill treat made for cats. They carry less salt and lactose, and wet food is the most reliable for many cats.

1. Offer one “empty” treat first so your cat expects a reward.
2. Hide the pill in the second treat, pressed in fully.
3. Follow at once with a third empty treat.

Always check with your vet that a medicine can be given with food. For a treat made for cats, see vet-brand cat treats (affiliate link).

Which cats should never eat cheese?

Kittens and cats with kidney disease, heart disease, pancreatitis, diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease or a dairy allergy should not eat cheese, and neither should cats on a prescription diet unless their vet agrees. Salt, fat and lactose all work against these conditions.

If your cat has started turning down its own food after table scraps, read why is my cat not eating and our list of indoor cat feeding mistakes.