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Can Cats Eat It?

Can Cats Eat Mashed Potatoes?

By Pettings · Sources checked Nov 2, 2026

No

No. Keep mashed potatoes away from cats. The potato itself is not the main issue. What makes the dish a problem is what goes into the bowl with it: butter, milk or cream, salt, and very often garlic. Cats are obligate carnivores, so a scoop of starch adds nothing they need, as Cornell's Feline Health Center notes.

A bowl of mashed potatoes
Photo: IARA MELO on Pexels

Why Mashed Potatoes Are a Problem for Cats

Some recipes call for roasted garlic, garlic powder or garlic salt. Others add chives. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the most susceptible species to onion and garlic poisoning, and that it can follow a small amount. The damage is to red blood cells and can lead to anemia.

Dairy is the next concern. Mashed potatoes are often whipped with whole milk, cream, butter and sometimes cream cheese. The ASPCA explains that pets lack much lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, so dairy can cause diarrhea or other stomach upset. WSAVA lists milk and dairy products among foods to keep from cats.

Butter and cream also make the dish rich. Tufts veterinary nutritionists advise staying away from vegetables made with lots of butter, sauces, salt and seasonings, and they note that pets with a sensitive stomach can easily develop diarrhea or vomiting when fed foods they do not typically eat or high fat foods. Salt is the last piece. The ASPCA warns that too much salt can cause vomiting, tremors and seizures.

Instant mashed potato flakes are not a workaround. Some boxed varieties are flavored with butter, cheese, garlic or herbs. A USDA table lists 1 cup of mashed potatoes made from granules with whole milk and butter at 227 calories, which is about a full day's food for a small cat.

Signs to Watch For

If the potatoes contained garlic, onion or chives, the Merck Veterinary Manual says signs of anemia usually appear several days later. Look for weakness, low energy, a poor appetite, fast breathing, pale or yellowish gums and reddish brown urine. Dairy and fat more often cause vomiting, diarrhea or a messy litter box within a day.

What to Do If Your Cat Ate Mashed Potatoes

If the batch had garlic, onion or chives in it, or your cat ate more than a lick, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away. Do not try to make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to. Bring the recipe or the instant potato box so the vet can see what was in it.

Cats with diabetes, digestive disease or any medical condition should eat only what their veterinarian has approved.

Common Questions

Can cats eat plain potatoes?

A cat has no need for potato. Cornell's Feline Health Center describes cats as obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients found only in animal products, and complete cat foods already supply them. A small bite of plain boiled potato with no butter, milk or salt is unlikely to cause trouble, but it gives your cat calories without the protein it needs.

Can cats eat garlic mashed potatoes?

No. Garlic mashed potatoes are the version to worry about most. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the most susceptible species to onion and garlic poisoning, which damages red blood cells. Signs such as weakness, pale gums and dark urine may not appear for several days. If your cat ate some, call your veterinarian even if it seems fine today.

Can kittens eat mashed potatoes?

No. Kittens are small, so the butter, milk, salt and garlic in mashed potatoes reach them in a larger dose for their size. A kitten also needs every bite to come from a complete kitten food while it grows. If your kitten licked a plate, watch for vomiting or diarrhea, and call your veterinarian if the potatoes had garlic or onion in them.

Are mashed potatoes good for cats with diarrhea?

No. Mashed potatoes usually contain milk, cream or butter, and the ASPCA says pets lack enough lactase to digest milk sugar, so dairy can cause diarrhea. Fat and salt can make an upset stomach worse. A cat with diarrhea that lasts more than a day, or that comes with vomiting or lethargy, needs a call to your veterinarian rather than a home remedy.

Why does my cat like mashed potatoes?

Your cat is most likely after the butter and milk. Fat and dairy smell strong, and a warm bowl of mashed potatoes gives off plenty of both. Cats are not drawn to starch for its own sake. That interest is the reason to keep the dish covered, since the ASPCA says dairy can upset pets' stomachs and garlic can damage a cat's red blood cells.

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