By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team
Last updated: 10 November 2026
Potato is one of the few foods where the answer changes sharply with preparation. A spoonful of plain cooked potato is fine. A raw potato, a green one or the peelings are on veterinary poison lists. If your cat has had something from the potato bin, find out which kind it was before you decide how worried to be.
Key takeaways
- Lort Smith Melbourne Animal Hospital says cooked potatoes are not harmful to cats, but raw or green potatoes can cause poisoning.
- Peelings and the potato plant count too.
- Mash, roast potatoes and chips usually carry butter, salt, oil, garlic or onion.
- Cats do not need potato at all.
- Related: potato skins, potato chips, pumpkin.
Raw and green potato
Lort Smith says potato toxicity can be fatal, rates it as moderate, and says that if your pet has eaten parts of a raw potato or potato plant, including peelings, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Raw potatoes contain a combination of toxic alkaloids that cause gastrointestinal irritation and neurological signs, and the mechanism is incompletely understood. Signs progress from vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain to heart rhythm changes and then tremors, unsteadiness and seizures. Treatment can include decontamination, intravenous fluids and anti-vomiting medicine, and pets may be hospitalised for a few days, with full recovery taking days or weeks depending on severity.
Cooked potato
Cooked potatoes are not harmful, per Lort Smith, but a cat gains little from them. The RSPCA Australia knowledgebase says cats are obligate carnivores and cannot use plant foods like many other animals. Cornell says a cat's natural diet is high in protein, moderate in fat and very low in carbohydrate.
Prepared potato foods
- Mash. Butter, milk, salt and sometimes garlic. The ASPCA says dairy can cause diarrhoea in pets.
- Roast potatoes. Oil, salt and herbs such as garlic.
- Hot chips and wedges. Salt, oil and sauces. Lort Smith rates salt as severe toxicity at large intakes.
- Gratin and scalloped potato. Cream, cheese and onion.
If your cat ate potato
- Work out whether it was raw, green, cooked plain, or prepared with seasonings.
- Offer fresh water.
- Do not make your cat vomit unless your vet instructs it.
- A lick of plain cooked potato: no action needed.
- Raw or green potato, peelings or the plant: call your vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738.
Signs to watch for
- Vomiting, drooling or diarrhoea
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain
- Wobbly walking
- Muscle tremors
- Seizures
- Strong thirst
When to see a vet urgently
Go to a clinic for tremors, seizures, collapse, unsteady walking or a change in heart rate or breathing. Lort Smith advises contacting your vet immediately for any raw potato exposure.
Handling potatoes around cats
Most trouble comes from the pantry rather than the plate. Store potatoes in a closed cupboard or container, not a low open basket, because sprouting and green patches develop over time and cats like to roll and bat them. Peel into a lidded caddy and tip it out straight away, since peelings are one of the parts Lort Smith names.
If you grow potatoes, fence off the bed. The plant itself is listed among the parts that can harm pets. After meals, scrape leftover mash and roasts into the bin rather than leaving the pot on the bench. If you see your cat with a raw potato, take it away calmly and call your vet if any was eaten.
FAQ
Are potatoes bad for cats?
Cooked plain potato is not harmful. Raw and green potato is the problem.
What about sweet potato?
It is a different plant. Check with your vet before offering any, and keep it plain.
Can potato plants in the garden hurt my cat?
Lort Smith includes the potato plant among the parts that can poison pets.
Is potato in cat food a problem?
Complete commercial diets are formulated for cats. Ask your vet about specific foods.
Talk with a vet
If your cat has eaten any raw or green potato, call your vet first. For questions about cooked potato or what was added to it, book a video consult with Dial A Vet's real vets and vet nurses. We help with dogs and cats, with same-day and extended hours. Book a Dial A Vet consult.
References
- Lort Smith Melbourne Animal Hospital. Potatoes - cats.
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase. Do cats have special nutritional requirements?.
- Cornell Feline Health Center. Feeding Your Cat.
- ASPCA. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- Lort Smith Melbourne Animal Hospital. Salt - cats.
- VCA Animal Hospitals. Vomiting in Cats.
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 vet clinic.