Can Cats Eat Potato Salad?
By Pettings · Sources checked Nov 2, 2026
No. Keep potato salad away from cats. Potato salad is boiled potatoes folded into mayonnaise with chopped onion, celery, pickle relish, mustard, salt and often hard boiled egg and paprika. The onion and the rich dressing are the main problems, and a cat gets nothing from the potato.
Why Potato Salad Is a Problem for Cats
Onion is in most potato salads, either raw and diced, as green onion, or as onion powder in the dressing. Some cooks add chives or garlic. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the most susceptible species to onion and garlic poisoning and that it damages red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Because the onion is mixed through the whole bowl, no spoonful is free of it.
The dressing is mostly mayonnaise, sometimes with sour cream. The ASPCA notes that the oils and fats in nuts can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and potentially pancreatitis in some pets, and that dairy can cause diarrhea because pets lack much lactase. Tufts veterinary nutritionists advise staying away from vegetables made with lots of butter, sauces, salt and other seasonings. Pickle relish and mustard add salt, and the ASPCA warns that too much salt can bring vomiting, tremors and seizures. Bacon potato salad adds more salt and fat. German potato salad swaps mayonnaise for bacon fat and vinegar but keeps the onion.
The potato adds starch only. Cornell's Feline Health Center describes cats as obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients found in animal products.
Coleslaw is a close cousin at the picnic table. It is shredded raw cabbage and carrot in a dressing of mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar, and many recipes add grated onion or onion powder. The cabbage is not on the ASPCA list of foods to avoid, but the dressing brings the same fat, salt and onion concerns.
Signs to Watch For
If the salad had onion or garlic, the Merck Veterinary Manual says signs of red blood cell damage usually appear several days after the meal. Watch for weakness, lethargy, a poor appetite, fast breathing, pale or yellow gums and reddish urine. The mayonnaise and salt can cause vomiting or diarrhea within hours.
What to Do If Your Cat Ate Potato Salad
Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away if your cat ate more than a lick, or if you know the salad had onion, chives or garlic. Do not try to make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to. Tell the vet what was in the dressing.
If your cat has pancreatitis, diabetes or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian before sharing any food from a cookout.
Common Questions
Can cats eat coleslaw?
No. Coleslaw is shredded cabbage and carrot in a dressing of mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar, and many recipes add onion. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the species most sensitive to onion and garlic, and the dressing is rich in fat. Keep the coleslaw bowl covered and out of reach at cookouts.
Can cats eat cabbage?
Plain cabbage is not on the ASPCA list of people foods to avoid, but a cat has no need for it. Cornell describes cats as obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients found in animal products. If your cat nibbles a shred of plain cooked cabbage, that is unlikely to matter. Coleslaw with dressing is another story.
Can cats eat potato salad without onion?
It is still a poor choice. Even without onion, potato salad is coated in mayonnaise and often sour cream, and the ASPCA says dairy can cause diarrhea in pets. Relish and mustard add salt. Recipes also vary, and a store-bought salad may list onion powder in the dressing. Offer your cat a cat treat or plain cooked meat instead.
Can kittens eat potato salad?
No. Kittens are small, so the onion, salt and fat in potato salad reach them in a larger dose for their size, and they need a complete kitten food to grow. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the species most sensitive to onion. If your kitten ate potato salad, call your veterinarian rather than waiting to see what happens.
What happens if my cat eats potato salad?
A cat that eats potato salad may vomit or have diarrhea within hours from the mayonnaise, salt and mustard. If the salad had onion or chives, Merck says signs of red blood cell damage such as weakness, pale gums and reddish urine can appear several days later. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.