Can Cats Eat Turkey? + Cat Foods With Turkey Meat

As carnivores, cats and kittens of all breeds must thrive mainly on meat.

Even though felines have been domesticated since time immemorial, they still have the wild inborn need to vary their food sources from time to time.

Besides, everyone (including your pet) will get tired from eating the same thing every single day.

These are just two reasons to switch between cat foods and to include different meats in your pet’s everyday diet. And with the most common types of meat in cat foods being chicken and fish, it comes only natural to ask if kitties can eat one of the most common types of deli meat – turkey.

Yes, cats can eat turkey.

It’s way more nutritious and healthy for them than other types of deli cuts, such as ham. What’s more, your kitty will truly enjoy the delicious taste of a lean turkey treat.

Is turkey good for cats?

In comparison to the ever-popular chicken, turkey meat is higher in cholesterol and lower in protein. That, however, doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy or that you should feed your cat with it only on rare occasions. On the contrary! Turkey offers a plethora of essential nutrients for your furball, such as:

  • Potassium
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B12
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Clean protein

And while turkey doesn’t offer as much Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids as tuna or salmon, it does contain some healthy fats. Furthermore, the fact that it’s low in calories and carbs is also a notable advantage. Go check out VeryWellFit’s article if you want to find out more nutrition facts about turkey meat.

All in all, turkey is more than suitable for your kitty’s everyday diet as it satisfies its nutritional requirements.

How to feed turkey to your cat

There are many ways to include turkey meat in your cat or kitten’s diet as a main ingredient. You can opt for using it in raw diets (although you should be careful with those). Another way to offer turkey to your pet is with turkey-based cat treats or with smoked, unseasoned lean deli cuts.

Of course, the safest way to feed your pet with turkey and not spoil it or cause malnourishment, is to stick to cat foods that include turkey in their recipes.

Choose one of our top-rated cat foods that offers a turkey option in their wet or dry recipes. See our picks here!

Emily Parker

Emily Parker is the Content Manager at Catological. She's passionate about helping cat parents love their cats better by providing the best information and recommendations about everything you'll need to know about your cat, from kitten to senior years. She believes natural, biologically-appropriate products are best...why wouldn't you provide the best for a member of your family?!