Can You Get Sick From Eating After A Cat – What To Know!

It has happened to every cat owner at least once. You make dinner and walk away to eat or do a quick chore. When you turn back around, your cat is on the counter and chomping on your leftover! You’re not sure if you can get sick, but you don’t want to toss out all that food! Therefore, you ask yourself: Can you get sick from eating after a cat?

Yes, you can get sick from eating after a cat. However, getting sick from eating after cats is a rare occurrence. Cat saliva left on food contains bacteria and may cause allergies. and discomfort if consumed.

It’s not best practice to share food with your cat, but there is no reason for concern if it happens. Even so, we’ll discuss some of the things that can happen when you share food or drink with a cat. Keep on reading to learn more! 

Is It Safe To Eat Food Eaten By Cats

While you could be perfectly fine if you eat food eaten by cats, you probably don’t want to if you can help it. 

Although you may not get seriously ill from sharing with your cat, you’re never too sure what your cat has gotten into.

Indoor cats can be up to as much trouble as outdoor cats, and you can never know all of the things that your cat ate or licked.

Your cat could be licking or eating dust, cat food, bugs, or just about anything else that he could find around the house. 

Again, none of those things could make you severely ill, but that also doesn’t mean that you want to be tasting them too. 

Can You Get Rabies From Food That A Cat Licked

You will rarely get rabies in general, but it is also not likely that you will get rabies from food that a cat licked.

There are a few things to unpack here, but let’s start with the idea that rabies is easily transmissible.

Rabies is indeed highly contagious, but there is only a small number of people who got rabies from animals. The number is less than 100 in 10 years! 

You do not need to be worried about getting rabies from any animal but especially not from a cat. If you are attacked by a wild animal, like a raccoon, there is more reason to worry, but not from your domesticated cat. 

The second thing to think about is the cat that is licking your food. Chances are is that the cat licking your food is your cat. Even if your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, your cat is domesticated and most likely doesn’t have rabies.

If your cat had rabies, he would not be acting as he usually does and would not be coming close enough to you to be licking your food. 

Can I Get Sick From Drinking The Same Milk As My Cat

It is unlikely that you will get sick from drinking the same milk as your cat.

If you don’t realize that your cat drank from your glass of milk until it’s too late, you don’t have any reason to be worried.

You will not get sick from drinking the same milk as your cat, even though it may not be pleasant. Your cat may have just eaten, so you may taste some hints of the tuna breakfast your cat just ate.

Even though you do not get sick from sharing milk with your cat, it is a habit that you probably don’t want to begin with your furry friend. 

Is Cat Saliva Harmful To Humans

In most instances, cat saliva is not harmful to humans, but there are times where cat saliva can be harmful.

You do not need to worry every time your cat bites you. Most domesticated indoor cats have few diseases that you need to worry about.

Here are a few diseases that cat saliva can carry that can make you sick:

• Cat scratch fever
• Rabies, though this is extremely rare 
• Allergies if you are allergic to cats

The most common way that cat saliva will “harm” you is if you are allergic to a protein called Fel d1 in your cat’s saliva. This is the protein that most people are allergic to when they say they are allergic to cats.

Other more severe diseases are called zoonotic, but that means that it is an illness that can be passed from animals to humans and does not necessarily mean only cats will give it to you. 

Things To Consider

As I’ve alluded to once or twice in this article, it’s not always easy to make sure that you do not share food or drink with your cat.

Sometimes it is entirely by accident that you eat or drink something that your cat tasted too. 

The following are a few strategies you can use to avoid sharing with your cat.

Cover Foods

If you just made dinner and know that your cat likes to sample your food, make sure to cover your food when you go to eat.

You can use plastic wrap or lay a piece of paper towel over the dishes.

Most cats will not bother food if it is covered, however simply.

Do Not Leave Full Cups Or Plates Out

We all like to come back to a glass of juice or a plate with food later, but that isn’t a good idea if you live in a house with a curious cat. 

Do not leave plates or cups with food or drink unattended in your household. This is especially true if they are in an easy-to-reach place for your cat.

Finish any food on your plate that you may want or drink all the liquid in your cat.

That way, you won’t have to wonder if there were kitty lips there too. 

Train Your Cat To Stay Away From Food

Although it may be difficult, you can also train your cat to stay away from people’s food and drinks.

The best way to do this is to feed your cat at the same time that you eat.

Your cat will be busy eating and not be concerned with the food that you are eating too. It’s an annoying extra step when all you want to do is have dinner, but it is a safer option. 

It can be frustrating to change your ways to avoid your food being sampled by your cat, but most of that is due to your cat’s instincts to find food.