Can Cats Eat Bread – Is It Safe For Your Cat?

Plenty of cats love digging into a good loaf of bread, often pigging out on far more than they should! Of course, for cat owners that know that their beloved pets are obligate carnivores, this might seem strange. But, can cats eat bread?

Cats should not eat bread. Although cats can eat some bread safely, it’s not a nutritious addition to their diets. Most bread contains little or no fats and proteins, the essential parts of your cat’s diet.

That means that bread is not a good meal substitute for cats, even as a treat. Instead, think of bread a little like candy for your cat. They might enjoy it, but they aren’t getting any benefits and might be harmed by overeating. 

So, if bread isn’t good for your cat, why do they enjoy it so much? Are some slices of bread better than others? Are some breads dangerous? Let’s find out.

Why Do Cats Love Bread

Cats love bread because they are attracted to the yeast in the bread. They may also love bread due to nutrition deficiencies throughout their diet.

Before we dive into why cats seem to love bread, let’s deal with one common misconception. Not all cats love bread! There are plenty of cats that will turn up their noses when offered a slice of bread. It’s just not interesting or appealing enough for those cats to try a bite. 

Of course, that makes it even more confusing for those cat owners who have bread-loving bandits on their hands. 

Why are some cats so bread-crazed? Well, it turns out that there isn’t one definitive answer. Partially that’s because we can’t ask cats why they do or don’t like bread. But it’s also because there are so many reasons cats shouldn’t like bread that it’s rather hard to figure out why they would. 

Fortunately, there are a couple of theories. 

For one thing, bread contains yeast that cats may be attracted to. There are several varieties of yeast that are often included in cat foods as healthy digestion-supporting nutrients.

The types of yeast used in bread usually aren’t the same as that is used in cat foods, but they might smell similar enough to be tempting to some cats. 

Cats might also be looking for nutritional supplements if they aren’t getting something important from their regular food.

In this case, it might be less that your cat wants to eat bread and more that they’re willing to try anything to try and fill some of their nutritional gaps. 

Of course, it’s hard to predict if that’s what’s happening unless you know that your cat is a rescue or was raised a stray or feral cat.

In those cases, it’s common for cats to try and eat everything in sight until they get used to the idea that food will always be plentiful and good (if they ever do, not all rescued cats change their eating habits). This is because, just like people, all cats digest their food differently. 

For instance, that bread-loving cat we were talking about in the intro? He stopped going after bread after his owners switched from cat food with corn as the primary grain to cat food with brown rice.

The switch also helped his energy levels and coat quality, even though the food with corn was perfectly fine for his brother. 

So sometimes bread bandits need a diet change… though not always. 

It’s also true that some cats are simply going after whatever food is available and most accessible to get at. After all, bread products are usually kept in thin plastic or paper—easy barriers for a determined cat to get through to enjoy a meal. 

In these cases, it might be less that your cat is looking to eat bread and more that they are looking to eat any available food. 

Is Bread Bad For Cats 

Plain bread isn’t exactly bad for your cats so much as it’s not good for them. Bread essentially doesn’t contain any digestible nutrients for your cat unless it’s made with milk, broth, an egg, or all three.

Even then, most breads contain such small amounts of useful nutrients that they don’t have any nutritional benefit. However, bread does take up a lot of space in your cat’s stomach and might make them less interested in other, healthier options. 

In some cases, bread can be bad for cats depending on their health needs or because of potentially toxic ingredients in the bread itself.

Bread that contains anything your cat couldn’t eat on its own, including vegetables, fruits, and spices, should be treated as just as dangerous as the harmful ingredient. 

What Happens If A Cat Eats Bread

Most of the time, nothing serious will happen if your cat eats bread. A bite or two will generally cause no ill-effects except that they might not be quite as hungry for their next meal. 

However, a large meal of bread can lead to nutritional deficiencies and even a sore stomach. In addition, some cats might struggle to break down the carbs in bread, which can also mean diarrhea or constipation. 

Cats should not be allowed to eat unbaked bread dough or flour at all. That’s because both products can expand in your cat’s stomach, leading to discomfort and potentially worse problems depending on how much your cat eats. 

However, if your cat eats bread with toxic ingredients, it’s a good idea to take them to a vet to get them to throw up. That way, you can avoid the worst of the toxicity and make sure your cat has access to good nutrition, hydration, and emergency care if they need it. 

Can Cats Have A Little Bread

Yes, cats can have a little bread. However, we don’t recommend it. A little plain bread (literally a single bite) usually isn’t harmful unless your cat is diabetic or suffering from other digestive or nutritional disorders.

However, teaching your cat that bread is an okay food can encourage them to eat too much when they get the chance, which can cause worse nutritional issues. 

Worse, not all cats will be able to tell plain bread from bread that has potentially harmful ingredients like raisins. 

So, while it’s not the end of the world, if your bread bandit gets the occasional bite of crust or steals a few bites out of a loaf of plain bread, you probably shouldn’t encourage the behavior. 

What Ingredients Are In Bread

The most basic breads are just flour and some liquid. These are unleavened breads like tortillas and other flatbreads.

Leavened bread also contains a leavener like eggs, baking soda, or yeast. Suitable liquids for bread include water, milk, broth, and even sometimes juices or alcohols like beer, wine, or liquor. 

Even with that essential list, there is a lot of variability in the health and safety of bread for cats. Add to the mix other add-ins like fruits, vegetables, and seasoning, and there is a wide range of breads from potentially safe options to almost undoubtedly toxic. 

What Kind Of Bread Can Cats Eat

While we don’t recommend feeding your cats bread, plain white or wheat bread with minimal sugar and no seasoning is usually the safest option—the fewer ingredients, the better when it comes to bread safety for cats. 

That’s because those plain bread recipes are mostly just carb-heavy and too dry for your cat, not hard to digest or actively toxic. 

Is Garlic Bread Bad For Cats

Yes, garlic bread is bad for cats.

In fact, it’s a big no-no for your cat regardless of whether the garlic is in a butter spread or baked directly into the bread. 

That’s because garlic is incredibly toxic to cats. Even garlic’s relatives like onions, scallions, and chives are potentially dangerous for your cat, though garlic is usually the most toxic of the group. 

Even just dried garlic in a spice mix is probably too much for your cat’s digestive system to handle. Garlic is included in many proprietary mixes and is common in most cuisines, so if you don’t know every ingredient in your bread, it’s best to keep it away from your cat. 

Is Banana Bread Bad For Cats

Banana bread can be bad for cats. When it comes to banana bread, a lot depends on the contents of the loaf. Bananas themselves aren’t toxic to your cat, but they aren’t suitable for your cat either and can have some digestive consequences if your cat eats too much. 

But, many banana breads include a lot of sugar that isn’t good for your cat, especially if they have diabetes. Cats actually can’t taste sweetness at all, and their digestive systems aren’t designed to handle high-sugar foods at all. That means that too much sugar can be very bad for your cat and might even require a vet visit. 

The spices in banana bread might not be known as toxins like garlic, but they also probably aren’t very good for your cat. So a heavily spiced banana bread isn’t a good idea, even for a single bite. 

Lastly, if you like to include chocolate chips in your banana bread, you should keep it far from bread-loving cats.

Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs, though cats are usually less likely to eat it since they can’t taste sweetness. Accidentally eating chocolate is cause for an immediate vet visit since it’s toxic and should be evacuated as quickly as possible for your cat’s health. 

Is Wheat Bread Bad For Cats 

Plain wheat bread usually isn’t too bad for your cat. However, there are exceptions, like sweetbreads, heavily spiced wheat breads, and high-calorie wheat breads.

That’s just because all those extra ingredients can either cause digestive consequences for your cat or even be downright harmful to them. 

Is Sourdough Bread Bad For Cats

There’s nothing about sourdough bread that makes it inherently better or worse than other kinds of bread for cats. Sourdough breads use a different bacterial process to help the bread rise, giving them the sour fermented flavor.

However, since any alcohol in the bread should evaporate during the baking process, it’s not dangerous for cats assuming the other ingredients are safe. 

However, like some people can get a stomach ache after eating sourdough bread, not all cats will be interested in sourdough, and some cats may get an upset stomach after eating it. 

Like all breads, it’s best to limit your cat to no more than a bite or two of the bread, and only on rare occasions. 

How To Stop Cats From Eating Bread

We’ve talked a lot about whether bread is good for cats and which kinds of bread are or aren’t safe, but what if you need to stop your cat from getting into bread in the first place? 

The best option is to keep bread far away from where your cats could get into it. A simple plastic bag will deter some cats, but other cats will rip through the bag.

Most bread will be safe in a cabinet, pantry, or refrigerator with a door. However, if your cat is particularly determined, you may need to get a toddler lock to help keep them out. 

Of course, keeping bread away from your cats also means restricting access to leftover bread products on your dishes and in the trash.

A lid for your trash can is usually the best solution there, but you’ll have to be careful about leftover bread and pizza crusts when you have uneaten food. Even pasta is a likely target for bread bandit cats, so don’t leave spaghetti or mac n cheese loose either!

Things To Consider

Cat breading might have just been a silly meme, but cats’ love of bread is very real.

If you have a cat that you really cannot keep out of bread, consider taking them to a vet. There may be a medical reason for the behavior, anything from a nutritional deficiency to worms to diabetes or food allergies.

Your vet might also have some tips and tricks to help make bread less appealing to your cat if no medical cause appears. 

It is also important to remember that not all cats are the same regarding their food requirements. For example, some spices and seasonings might be generally safe for cats, but you never know when your cat might have an unknown allergy or sensitivity. 

While it’s alright if your cat gets an occasional bite of bread, too much can put your cat at risk for nutritional deficiencies and diabetes, and obesity. So while your cat’s bread obsession might be cute, it’s not good for them to eat too much.