Can Cats Eat Fish Bones? (Yes & When not to feed?)

Once I visited India, I was very intrigued by the local cuisine. One of the most popular dishes is curry, which often contains fish bones. I wondered if it would be safe to feed my cats this dish, since they love fish so much. After doing some research, I discovered that there are benefits and risks to feeding your cat fish bones.

Yes, cats can eat fish bones but its not what I would recommend as a first meal. The bone could splinter and puncture your cat’s digestive tract or get caught in their throat. If you do feed your cat fish bones, make sure to remove the small bones and keep an eye on them while they’re eating.

In this blog post I’ll discuss everything you should know before feeding tour cat fish bones. So whether you’re considering it or it’s just happened, read on for more information.

Can Kittens Eat Fish Bones?

No, I’ll not going to give you any risky ideas. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

While it’s technically possible for a kitten to eat fish bones, I wouldn’t recommend it. Their digestive system is still developing and they’re more likely to suffer from the consequences of eating fish bones.

If you must give your kitten fish bones, make sure to remove all the small bones and supervise them while they eat. It’s also a good idea to give them boneless fish until they’re older.

Kittens are more likely to suffer from the consequences of eating fish bones. If you must give your kitten fish bones, make sure to remove all the small bones and supervise them while they eat.

Can Cats Eat Raw Fish Bones?

Here’s comes an interesting story! After several days in India, I was on Kolkata for a while. As Kolkata is famous for fish I went a big market name “Howrah Fish Market” to get some fish. All in a sudden I discovered a cat near fish vendor eating fish bones and I was like “what the hack”.

I immediately go and ask this vendor that “is it safe to give raw fish bones to cats?”. He said “yes, we’ve been doing this for years. It’s good for their health”.

So, I was in two minds whether to give my cats raw fish bones or not. On one side, the vendor was saying that it’s safe and on the other side, I was thinking what if something goes wrong.

Anyways, I decided to give it a try as I was running out of options (and my cats were getting restless). But I don’t know my inner mind didn’t satisfied and again it’s time to do a little homework.

As per my research, it’s not recommended to give your cats raw fish bones. This is because there’s a risk of them choking or the bones splintering and puncturing their digestive tract. If you do decide to give your cat raw fish bones, make sure to remove all the small bones and supervise them while they eat.

Can Cats Eat Small Fish Bones?

While I was doing research about raw fish bones and bla bla bla, I discovered an interesting fact. It’s not only the size of fish bones that matters, but also the type of fish.

For example, cats can safely eat the bones of some types of fish, like salmon and sardines. But they shouldn’t eat the bones of other types of fish, like tilapia and catfish. This is because the bones of some types of fish are more likely to splinter and cause problems.

So, if you’re going to give your cat small fish bones, make sure to remove all the bones and only give them boneless fish. And as always, supervise them while they eat.

Can Cats Eat Fried Fish Bones?

Another common question are trending on google is “can cats eat fried fish bones?”

The answer is NO. You should never give your cat fried fish bones. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems. Additionally, the fat in fried fish can be bad for your cat’s health.

So, if your mom or wife or whoever is in charge of cooking gives your cat fried fish bones, make sure to remove all the bones and only give them boneless fish.

The Benefits of Feeding your Cat Fish Bones

Here I’ll give you some benefits of feeding your cat fish bones which I found during my research.

1. Fish bones are a good source of calcium

Yes, you read it right. Fish bones are a good source of calcium. This is because they contain phosphorus, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium.

Additionally, fish bones also contain other minerals that are necessary for the health of your cat’s bones.

2. Fish bones can help improve your cat’s digestion

Another benefits of feeding your cat fish bones is that it can help improve their digestion. This is because the bones contain collagen, which is necessary for the health of your cat’s digestive tract.

Additionally, the bones can also help to scrape away plaque and tartar from your cat’s teeth.

3. Fish bones can help keep your cat’s fur healthy

Another benefits of feeding your cat fish bones is that it can help keep their fur healthy. This is because the bones contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for the health of your cat’s skin and fur.

Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish bones can also help to reduce inflammation and improve joint health.

The Risks of Feeding your Cat Fish Bones

That’s what I always do, I’ll give you both side of information so that you can make a decision.

Even though there are some benefits of feeding your cat fish bones, there are also some risks that you should be aware of.

1. There’s a risk of your cat choking on the bones

One of the biggest risks of feeding your cat fish bones is that they could choke on them. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems.

Additionally, the bones can also block your cat’s airway and cause them to suffocate.

2. There’s a risk of the bones puncturing your cat’s digestive tract

Another risk of feeding your cat fish bones is that the bones could puncture their digestive tract. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems.

Additionally, if the bones are not properly digested, they could cause an obstruction in your cat’s intestines.

3. There’s a risk of the fish being contaminated with toxins

Another risk of feeding your cat fish bones is that the fish could be contaminated with toxins. This is because some fish are more likely to be contaminated with toxins than others.

Additionally, if the fish is not properly cooked, the toxins could be released and cause problems.

So, those are some of the risks that you should be aware of before feeding your cat fish bones.

How to Prepare Fish Bones for your Cat?

So you’re like Kolkata vendor who’s still want to feed their cat fish bones even after knowing the risks? (Jokes apart!)

If so, then you should at least know how to prepare the fish bones properly.

1. Remove all the meat from the bones

The first thing that you need to do is to remove all the meat from the bones. This is because the meat can be contaminated with toxins.

Additionally, the meat can also block your cat’s airway and cause them to suffocate.

2. Cut the bones into small pieces

The next thing that you need to do is to cut the bones into small pieces. This is because the smaller the pieces are, the less likely it is for your cat to choke on them.

3. Cook the bones until they’re soft

The next thing that you need to do is to cook the bones until they’re soft. This is because the softer the bones are, the less likely it is for them to splinter and cause problems.

4. Remove all the skin and fat from the bones

The next thing that you need to do is to remove all the skin and fat from the bones. This is because the skin and fat can be contaminated with toxins.

5. Give the bones to your cat in small amounts

The last thing that you need to do is to give the bones to your cat in small amounts. This is because you don’t want your cat to eat too many at once and cause problems.

So, those are some tips on how to prepare fish bones for your cat.

When Not to Feed Fish Bones to your Cat?

Even though there are some benefits of feeding your cat fish bones, there are also some times when you shouldn’t do it.

1. If your cat is pregnant or nursing

One of the times when you shouldn’t feed your cat fish bones is if they’re pregnant or nursing. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems.

Additionally, the bones can also block your cat’s airway and cause them to suffocate.

2. If your cat is a kitten

Another time when you shouldn’t feed your cat fish bones is if they’re a kitten. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems.

Additionally, the bones can also block your cat’s airway and cause them to suffocate.

3. If your cat has health problems

Another time when you shouldn’t feed your cat fish bones is if they have health problems. This is because the bones can splinter and cause problems.

Additionally, the bones can also block your cat’s airway and cause them to suffocate.

So, those are some of the times when you shouldn’t feed your cat fish bones.

What to Do if a Bone Stuck on Your Cat Throat?

I’m really sorry if you’re just here reading this because your cat has a bone stuck in their throat. No worries, it happens! Here I’ll tell you what to do in that situation.

1. Try to remove the bone with your fingers

The first thing that you should try to do is to remove the bone with your fingers. This is because the bone might not be stuck too far down and you might be able to reach it. Additionally, if you can’t reach it, you can try using tweezers.

2. Give your cat a drink of water

The next thing that you should do is to give your cat a drink of water. This is because the water can help to dislodge the bone.

3. Perform the Heimlich maneuver

If the previous two steps don’t work, then you should try to perform the Heimlich maneuver on your cat. This is a technique that can help to dislodge the bone.

4. Take your cat to the vet

If none of those steps work, then you should take your cat to the vet. This is because they might need to be surgically removed.

So, those are some of the things that you can do if your cat has a bone stuck in their throat.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are both benefits and risks of feeding your cat fish bones.

So, you should weigh the pros and cons before decide whether or not you want to do it.

If you do decide to feed your cat fish bones, then you should at least know how to prepare them properly.

And, if you have any questions or concerns, then you should talk to your veterinarian.