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Can Cats Eat Bacon? Vet-Reviewed Facts & Safety Guide

Quincy Miller

By Quincy Miller

Can Cats Eat bacon

Vet approved

Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca

BVSc GPCert (Ophthal) MRCVS (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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There’s nothing like having a morning routine that you follow every day. One of the best that we’ve found is waking up, making breakfast, and trying to convince the cat wrapped around your feet that they don’t need to share your bacon.

What if you have a moment of weakness, though? Will feeding your cat bacon do them harm? As it turns out, the answer is both yes and no — read on to learn exactly what that means.

Is Bacon Safe for Cats?

Bacon is a salt-cured cut of pork. However, it is sometimes made with other meats; turkey bacon is the second most common form of this food. Likewise, “macon” is made of mutton, and vegetarian bacon is made from plant-based foods.

Generally speaking, almost all forms of bacon aren’t toxic to cats (provided they are offered without additional seasonings), so giving your cat a bite or two of bacon very sporadically isn’t likely to have any effect on them.

The problem is that bacon is loaded with fat and salt. Those things aren’t good for your cat (they’re not that great for you either, but we’ll spare you the lecture). Roughly half the nutritional composition of bacon is fat, rendering it extremely calorie-dense. This also makes it a very poor source of protein for cats.

As a result, bacon isn’t likely to do much harm to your cat in the short term, unless they eat so much of it that it gives them digestive issues or other complications. However, if they are routinely fed bacon, over time, it can wreak havoc on their health.

Eating too much fat can lead to health problems. The high amount of calories in fat can lead to weight gain, which can result in obesity. Feline obesity can predispose them to a number of medical conditions, such as diabetes, joint problems, feline lower urinary tract disease, and ultimately in a reduction of your cat’s quality of life and lifespan.

Giving your cat a bite or two of bacon isn’t likely to have any effect on them. However, don’t give them too much, and you certainly don’t want to make a habit of it. They’ll be in much better shape if you simply tell them “no” every once in a while.

What About Raw Bacon?

Bacon is a cured meat, and it can harbor bacteria and parasites if it is not cooked before consumption. While cats have evolved to eat raw meat, it’s the rare housecat that’s capable of taking down a pig. Raw pork may have parasites or microbes that pose a risk to cats and us, so you’ll be taking a risk by feeding it to them.

Raw bacon may be harder for them to chew as well (cats actually cannot chew food in the way humans do), so it can pose more of a choking hazard than bits of cooked bacon.

Even if your cat is on a raw diet, bacon is simply not healthy for them and therefore not recommended (unless included in a diet at the discretion of an animal nutritionist). However, if they manage to sneak some behind your back, there’s little to be concerned about (assuming that they get it down, of course).

Slices of tasty fried bacon on black wooden table
Image By: New Africa, Shutterstock

What About Turkey Bacon?

Turkey bacon is often seen as a healthier alternative to regular bacon, and it certainly is that — for both you and your cat. You should understand, however, that “healthier” doesn’t quite mean healthy. The term “healthier” is used in comparison to pork bacon, which isn’t a very tall order from a nutritional standpoint.

Turkey bacon is still going to be fatty and greasy, and it has way more salt than your cat needs. It’s not good for them, even if it is better than pork bacon.

If you simply can’t refuse their cute face, then go ahead and give them turkey bacon instead of the regular stuff. Just don’t try to convince yourself that you’re giving them a healthy snack by doing so.

What About All the Other Types of Bacon?

If you’ve spent as much time perusing the bacon aisle of your grocery store as we have, then you know there’s a massive number of choices when it comes to this breakfast staple.

None of them are good for your cat. Some are worse than others, but while most aren’t toxic, none are healthy either. Bacon Bits might be the worst because they’re loaded with sodium and preservatives, but the difference is minimal.

As a general rule, if it’s bacon, it’s not good cat food.

bacon in a pan
Image By: joshuavanhierden, Pixabay

Are There Any Health Benefits to Giving Your Cat Bacon?

Not really. Bacon has more fat than protein in it, and cats need a lot of protein and a small amount of fat.

There’s one circumstance in which giving your cat a tiny piece of bacon might be acceptable, though. If you’re struggling to get them to take a tablet, such as a worming tablet, wrapping it in bacon might solve your problem. You must check with your vet before doing so in case your cat has any special circumstance in which bacon is not suitable for them even in the tiniest amount.

Then again, there are healthier options for wrapping a cat’s pill. Therefore, this circumstantial “benefit” is still considered very niche and not a legitimate reason to offer your cat bacon.

One Other Thing to Worry About

So far, we’ve focused on the health impacts that can occur if your cat eats the bacon. Bacon can be dangerous in other ways, though.

Many cats can get burned if you give them bacon that’s fresh from the skillet, so make sure that it’s cool before you share it. Keep them away from the skillet and stove as well, as long as they’re both hot.

You should also dispose of the grease as soon as you can. Grease has all the negative traits of bacon, but to the nth degree, and it can also make your cat sick in the short term. Throw the grease away, and get it completely out of the house if you can, especially if your cat likes to go through your trash.

fried bacon strips
Image By: jhusemannde, Pixabay

How Much Bacon Can You Safely Give Your Cat?

Giving your cat the very occasional small piece is no big deal. Limit the serving size to less than a pencil eraser, and only give them one or two pieces at a time. However, we must emphasize that this isn’t recommended; your cat can quickly put 2 and 2 together and learn to incessantly beg whenever they see bacon.

What’s the Verdict? Is Bacon Safe for Cats?

Bacon won’t poison your cat, so there’s no need to worry if your cat steals some off your dish. It’s not healthy, though, and you’re much better off denying it to your cat.

That means telling your cat “no,” of course, and we know that’s not easy. Still, it’s better to have an angry cat than one that’s not going to live very long — and as a bonus, it means even more bacon for you.

Learn more about what your cat can and can’t eat:

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