Should Cats Eat Olive Oil?

Cat climbing an olive tree

As a supplement to a healthy diet, olive oil has all kinds of benefits for people. Its antioxidants help fight damaging free radicals, decrease inflammation, prevent bone loss, regulate cholesterol, lower blood pressure and more.

The Dangers of Olive Oil for Cats

• Diarrhea 

• Vomiting

• Obesity

Siamese cat eating

While olive oil is marketed for dogs, it’s not the same for cats. While olive oil isn’t poisonous for cats, it can do more harm than good. When fed olive oil, kitties often experience unpleasant side effects, particularly diarrhea and vomiting. This is especially true for seniors. The older the cat, the more difficult it is for them to digest lots of fat.
That’s not to say that olive oil is all bad. Overweight cats that consume tiny amounts of olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, have been shown to eat less food overall than those supplemented with saturated fat (beef tallow)—although the study’s authors weren’t willing to go so far as to say that adding olive oil to the feline diet actually had any effect on weight loss. Considering that another study comparing diets containing beef tallow or olive oil found that the only difference in how much a kitty ate came down to whether they liked the flavor of the olive oil or not, it’s probably good that they didn’t make any sweeping conclusions.

A Little Olive Oil Goes a Long Way

The problem is that cats are “obligate carnivores.” Because animal-based proteins (meats, fish, poultry, and so on) make up the vast majority of a healthy diet. There is no protein in olive oil, but it does have a lot of calories. A 10-pound cat needs only about 200 calories total a day. Feeding them a tablespoon of olive oil would account for 119 of those calories—almost 60% of the daily requirement—without providing them with the essential proteins their system requires.

Adding even small amounts of olive oil to a cat’s diet then, can mean they are overeating. Over time, this will lead to weight gain or obesity, problems from which more than half of all domestic cats suffer, and which can significantly decrease their lifespan.

Cat licking her nose

This is also the reason cat parents should never use olive oil to treat dermatitis or improve the condition of their pet’s coat. Since cats habitually clean themselves by licking, it won’t be long before they target the topical olive oil with which you’ve treated them—leading to vomiting, diarrhea and weight gain over time.

What About Olives?

Cat in an olive tree

While your cat may not be pining for the olive oil in your kitchen, they’re likely to be more attracted to whole olives. Olives contain isoprenoid, a category of chemical compounds that includes nepetalactone, an ingredient in catnip. Whole olives aren’t technically dangerous for cats but unless they’re raw fruit straight from the tree, their high sodium content can be for those with chronic maladies like heart or kidney disease.

Even if your cat is in perfect health, olives should never be more than a sometimes treat—and even then, a tiny bit goes a long way. About a quarter of a large olive or half a small olive a couple times a week is plenty and it’s important to always remove pits first, which can cause a choking hazard or intestinal obstruction if swallowed. Also avoid olives stuffed with garlic—which is poisonous for felines—and other problematic foods like jalapenos and almonds.

With so many potential harmful health effects to consider, it’s best to keep cats and olive oil separate. If your cat is in need of the types of benefits olive oil has for human beings—decreased inflammation and blood pressure, for example, or healthier skin and hair—consult a veterinarian about what would be best for their unique needs.