Can Cats Eat Hummus – What You Should Know

You pop open a container of hummus for a night on the couch. Your cat, of course, comes running at the sound of the hummus container opening. Hummus is great for humans, but is it great for cats too? You want to give your cat a taste, but you’re not sure if there’s anything harmful in it. The question is: can cats eat hummus?

Cats should not eat hummus. Hummus contains several ingredients such as chickpeas and garlic, which is toxic to cats. Hummus provides very little nutritional value to cats and should be avoided.

Ingredients in hummus vary from flavor to flavor, but there are a few key ingredients in hummus, like chickpeas and garlic. Neither of those ingredients is the best to give to your cat. In fact, garlic can be toxic to cats, even in small amounts. I know you want to share everything with your best furry friend, but hummus is one of those things that only humans should stick to. 

Do Cats Like Hummus

Your cat might be interested in hummus because your cat sees you eating it. Even if your cat manages to taste some hummus and seems to like it, you should avoid giving your cat more hummus.

Your cat might not realize that some ingredients like garlic, lemon juice, and chickpeas are harmful. Unlike humans who might break out in hives or understand that some foods make them sick, cats do not. It is up to you, as a cat owner, to stop your cat from eating hummus.

It might look like your cat is enjoying hummus when he eats it, and he might, but it is better to take it off your cat before they eat too much.

Just remember this: I know you love your cat. I do too. At the end of the day, though, your cat is an animal and may not understand that something can potentially hurt them. It is up to you, then, to step in and stop your cat from hurting itself. 

Can Hummus Hurt Cats

Hummus is harmful to cats because of the ingredients it includes.

If you’ve ever made hummus or read the ingredients on the back of store-bought hummus, you know how many ingredients go into creating that creamy texture. It tastes great with pita chips, and it is easy to eat while watching TV.

Just because hummus is great for you doesn’t mean that it is an excellent snack for your cat, even though you might be tempted to give your cat a lick from your finger.

Hummus contains some of the following ingredients that aren’t the best for your cat to eat:

• Chickpeas
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Tahini

These ingredients are not all toxic to cats, but some are, so it is best not to give your cat any of your hummus. 

What to Do If Your Cat Eats Hummus

If your cat only eats a small lick of hummus, you might not have to worry, but if your cat eats more than that, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.

Even though there is garlic in hummus, a small taste of hummus won’t be immediately fatal to your cat. Think about it: there is a specific amount of garlic in hummus, and the lick your cat took got even less garlic. That small taste shouldn’t be any cause for worry.

However, let’s think about this. You scoop out some hummus on your plate and leave the open container on the counter while you beat the commercials and hurry back to your show. You hear some clanking and realize your cat has started eating out the container! Oh no!

If your cat ate this much hummus, you have two options. One is to wait until morning to see how your cat is doing. Eating that much hummus may upset his stomach overnight, but he may be fine by the morning after some bellyaches. If you like to be sure that your cat is going to be okay, contact your vet or make a trip to the emergency vet.  

Can Cats Eat Chickpeas

Even though chickpeas aren’t toxic to cats, it is not a good idea to feed chickpeas to your cat. 

As you have probably heard before, cats are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Chickpeas are not meat, which means they have no nutritional value for your cat.

Chickpeas and other legumes may be a great part of your diet; you should never stay away from feeding them to your cat. If you drop a chickpea on the floor and your cat eats it, you shouldn’t fret because it won’t hurt them. Just don’t make chickpeas a snack that you give your cat all the time.

Since hummus is primarily made of chickpeas, that’s another good reason not to feed hummus to your cat.

How Bad is Garlic for Cats

Garlic can be toxic to your cat, even in small doses, so it is best to avoid feeding your cat garlic at all costs. 

Unlike chickpeas that may not be an excellent choice for your cat, garlic is toxic to cats. Large amounts of garlic are bad for your cat, but even eating small amounts of garlic over time can be harmful to your cat as well. 

If your cat eats garlic, you may notice the following symptoms in your cat:

• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Loss of appetite

If you notice any of these symptoms or more, contact your vet as soon as possible.

Remember that garlic cloves are not the only form of garlic either. Dishes like hummus have a large amount of garlic, which may be great for humans at a dinner party, but not so great for your cat. 

Can Cats Eat Lemon Juice

Lemon juice, like garlic, is toxic to cats, so it should be avoided.

Unlike garlic, small amounts of lemon juice are not toxic to cats. Your cat will need quite a bit of lemon juice for you to realize the consequences of your cat consuming it. 

Regardless of how much lemon juice your cat can safely have, it’s one ingredient that is safer to stay away from than risk giving your pet.

Hummus probably doesn’t have large amounts of lemon juice in it, but it is still there. Combined with other ingredients like chickpeas and garlic, you can begin to see why your cat should avoid eating hummus. There may be small amounts of all these ingredients, but together, they can spell danger for your cat. 

What Human Foods Can Cats Eat

If you’re having hummus but want to give your cat some “people food,” you have some options that aren’t as dangerous to cat.

Instead of hummus, here are some other things you can feed your cat:

• Chicken without skin or bones
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Bread
• Turkey, also without skin

Foods like those listed above are much safer for your cat to eat than your container of hummus. They don’t include ingredients that could potentially hurt your cat. If you really want to share with your cat, skip the hummus and try one of these! After all, who hasn’t eaten a piece of cheese while watching TV at night?

Hummus is an awesome snack for cat owners – but so much for cats. Hummus is full of ingredients that are not great for cats. Garlic, specifically, can be toxic to cats. Chickpeas, on the other hand, are just some empty calories for your cat. Even though you might be tempted to give your cat a couple of licks, it’s best to keep this snack to yourself.