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Can cats eat turkey?

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

Turkey is only for small amounts, or in certain forms, for cats. Source: VCA Animal Hospitals. The sources say lean, plain, boneless white turkey is okay for pets in moderation, and the dark meat can be too rich for a cat. Keep it to a tiny treat. A few small pieces of plain, cooked, boneless white meat. A salty turkey brine can also give pets salt poisoning.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Small amountsOnly a little, and only the way described below.

Why

The sources say lean, plain, boneless white turkey is okay for pets in moderation, and the dark meat can be too rich for a cat. Keep it to a tiny treat.

How to serve it

A few small pieces of plain, cooked, boneless white meat.

Good to know

Turkey meat is fine, but its bones are not: they can splinter and cause choking or a blockage in the gut. A salty turkey brine can also give pets salt poisoning.

Watch for: Turkey skin, gravy and drippings are fatty and can cause pancreatitis, and pets may lap up leftover brine. Call a vet or poison line if a pet got into any of these.

Already ate it?

If your pet ate a lot, or you are worried, call your vet. Say what was eaten, how much and when, and have your pet's weight ready.

Poison emergency? Call now

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

For the children

"Turkey is only a tiny treat for cats, and only a grown-up decides how much."

A job: Be the label reader. Before a grown-up shares any food with the cat, check this page, and ask a grown-up if the food is not on it.

This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your cat. Cats differ.

Sources