By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team
The roast chicken carcass on the bench, a chop bone dropped under the table, the bin left open after a barbecue. Cooked bones are one of the most common kitchen hazards for cats, and there is no safe version. Cooking makes bone brittle, so it breaks into sharp pieces that can lodge in the mouth or throat or injure the stomach and intestines.
Key takeaways
- Never give a cat cooked bones of any kind, including chicken, fish, lamb, pork or beef.
- The RSPCA warns that cooked bones can splinter and cause potentially fatal internal damage or blockage.
- The RSPCA also says bones and raw meat are not recommended for cats because of bacteria, broken teeth, constipation and blockages.
- Signs of a problem include gagging, drooling, vomiting, belly pain, straining and not eating.
- If your cat swallowed a cooked bone, call your vet for advice even if it seems well. Do not try to make it vomit.
- Related reading: constipation in cats, vomiting and diarrhoea in cats.
Why cooked bones are dangerous
The RSPCA's feeding advice is clear: never feed cooked bones, as they can splinter, causing potentially fatal internal damage or blockage. Raw and cooked bone behave differently. Cooking dries out bone and changes its structure, so it shatters into hard shards instead of crushing.
The risks include:
- Mouth and throat injuries. Shards can wedge between teeth, across the roof of the mouth or in the throat.
- Choking. A piece can block the airway.
- Gut injury. Sharp fragments can scratch or puncture the stomach or intestine.
- Blockage. Merck Veterinary Manual lists bones among slowly digested foreign bodies that can cause gastrointestinal obstruction, which it describes as an emergency.
- Constipation. Bone fragments can form hard, painful stools.
What about raw bones?
You may read that raw bones are a safe alternative. The RSPCA's position for cats is more cautious than that. It says bones and raw meat are not recommended because they can carry bacteria that make animals and people ill, and bones can break teeth and cause constipation and internal blockages. If an owner does choose to feed raw bones, the RSPCA says they must always be raw, introduced gradually and supervised. The ASPCA also warns that raw meat can contain Salmonella and E. coli.
If you are thinking about bones for dental health, talk with your vet first. The RSPCA suggests that special dental foods and chews are a good alternative.
Common ways cats get cooked bones
- picking at a roast chicken carcass left to cool
- fish heads and frames from the barbecue
- chop and T-bone leftovers on plates
- rubbish bins and compost
- string from rolled roasts and absorbent meat tray pads, which the RSPCA also warns about
Signs to watch for
Signs can appear within minutes (mouth or throat) or over the next day or two (gut). Watch for:
- gagging, retching or repeated swallowing
- drooling, pawing at the mouth or a bad smell from the mouth
- vomiting, sometimes with blood
- refusing food or treats
- belly pain, a hunched posture or reluctance to be picked up
- straining in the litter tray, very hard stools or no stools
- blood in the stool or black, tarry stool
- lethargy or hiding
VCA lists vomiting, diarrhoea, belly pain and reduced appetite as common signs of a swallowed foreign body in cats.
When it is an emergency
Go to your vet or an emergency clinic now if your cat:
- is choking, struggling to breathe or pawing frantically at its mouth
- vomits repeatedly or vomits blood
- seems painful, very flat or collapses
- is straining without producing stool
Even if your cat seems fine, call your vet for advice after any cooked bone. Do not try to remove a lodged bone from the throat yourself, and do not induce vomiting. A bone that comes back up can cause more injury on the way.
How vets diagnose and treat
VCA describes diagnosis of a foreign body using history, examination, X-rays and sometimes ultrasound. Bones often show up well on X-ray. Depending on where the bone is and what damage it has caused, your vet may recommend monitoring, removal under anaesthetic, endoscopy or surgery. VCA notes that time is critical when the gut is blocked. The plan is decided by the vet who examines your cat.
Prevention
- Strip roast carcasses and bin bones straight away in a lidded bin.
- Do not put bones in open compost your cat can reach.
- Clear plates before leaving the table.
- Take rubbish out after barbecues and roasts.
- Ask visitors not to share scraps.
FAQ
Are cooked fish bones safer because they are small?
No. Small, fine bones lodge easily in the mouth and throat. The RSPCA advises care with fish bones even when feeding tinned fish.
My cat ate a cooked chicken bone and seems fine. Should I still call?
Yes. Your vet can advise on what to watch for and whether an X-ray is worthwhile. Problems can appear a day or two later.
Should I feed bread or rice to cushion the bone?
Do not try home remedies without veterinary advice. Call your vet and follow their guidance.
Is bone broth safe?
Plain homemade broth with all bone removed and no onion, garlic or salt is a different thing from bones. See our guide to bone broth for cats.
Talk with a vet
If your cat has eaten a cooked bone and you are not sure how worried to be, a Dial A Vet veterinarian can help you decide whether to go in now. Book a Dial A Vet consult.
References
- RSPCA Knowledgebase. What should I feed my cat?.
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Gastrointestinal Obstruction in Small Animals.
- VCA Animal Hospitals. Ingestion of Foreign Bodies in Cats.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- Animal Poisons Helpline (Australia, 1300 869 738). Animal Poisons Helpline | 24/7 Pet Poisoning Advice.
Disclaimer: Educational only. This page does not replace an examination or advice from your own veterinarian. If you are worried about your pet right now, contact your local vet or nearest emergency animal hospital.