Can Cats Eat Honey (and is it good for them)?

Bowl of honey

When I was nine years old, my mother helped me give a “Honey Tasting Party for Winnie the Pooh” that was inspired by this book.

My mom and I were both surprised that — other than Kimmy Talhart, who loved the honey and wanted a few more spoonfuls — all the neighborhood girls at my party thought the honey tasted gross.

As an adult, I still love honey. (And I’m guessing that Kimmy Talhart does too.) Not only have I baked oatmeal cookies with it, and cooked carrots with it, but it’s great on biscuits and pancakes. And stir it a little mustard for a great chicken tender dipping sauce!

So of course I’ve wondered: Would my cats like honey? More importantly, is it safe for them to eat honey?

Let’s see where honey ranks as a suitable treat food for your feline friend. After reading this post you’ll know about some of the health benefits of honey, the problems that honey can potentially cause, how much honey is appropriate to give to your cat, and which type of honey is the best and most nutritious.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Is Honey Harmful To Cats?

A cat’s digestive system is very different from both humans and dogs because they’re obligate carnivores — which is a fancy way of saying that cats must have meat in their diet. Just because your cat is domesticated and spends most of their day laying on a window hammock doesn’t change this fact. They may be pampered and have access to human food, but they won’t survive if they share our exact diet.

As omnivores, we humans can digest a wide array of animal and plant proteins because our digestive tracts have the correct acids to break down these foods. Even though a cat’s staple dietary requirements consist of high protein and specific vitamins and minerals, there are certain foods it can consume in moderation.

Your cat may enjoy the taste of honey, but it’s harmful if consumed in large amounts. The effects of too much honey may range from mild to severe, depending on the amount it consumes daily.

One mild effect is that your kitty might simply get an upset tummy, possibly with some vomiting or diarrhea. This happens because the high levels of sugar in honey will start to interfere with the good bacteria in your cat’s gut.

A more serious complication can result from elevated blood sugar levels for your kitty. Your cats’ liver is not built for processing carbohydrate sugar, as it lacks glucokinase, the enzyme responsible for controlling blood sugar.

One side effect of eating too much honey over time is that your cat may become obese, which could trigger the onset of diabetes, a serious long-term illness. Too much honey will inevitably cause a spike in your cats’ insulin levels, and this is a dangerous thing to do regularly.

If your cat has undiagnosed diabetes, feeding it honey could cause significant complications, so if you have a kitty who’s already pretty tubby, it’s a good idea to avoid feeding team such a sweet treat as honey, just to be on the safe side. And if your cat already has diabetes, honey is absolutely off the table.

 

Kitten with candy
“Peter Parker”

 

Another serious but slightly less common side effect of consuming too much honey is Botulism, which is caused by clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that may be present in honey. Kittens and adult cats with compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible to this condition.

Botulism, the worst side effect of ingesting harmful bacteria, is fatal if not treated properly. The symptoms are progressive and may be hard to diagnose at first, so make yourself aware as this is a serious condition. Should you notice any symptoms, immediate treatment from a vet will be required.

The list of symptoms of Botulism includes the following:
• Lethargy
• Depression
• Loss in Appetite
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Weakness
• Excessive Salivation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Trouble Urinating
• Dehydration
• Constipation
• Tendons, Throat, and Eyes become unresponsive
• Partial paralysis in the hind limbs
• Progressive paralysis in other body parts
• Difficulty breathing
• Cardiac Arrest
• Death

You should NEVER give honey to a kitten under any circumstance because their underdeveloped immune system and delicate digestive tract will be unable to manage it. They’re bound to develop severe diarrhea, dehydration, and suppressed immunity from illness.

Too much honey can also cause cavities in your kitties’ pearly whites. Kittens may also have difficulty swallowing this sticky treat. Introducing a kitten to honey is almost a sure-fire way to make them sick and should be avoided at all costs.

So to sum up, never give honey to:

  • Kittens
  • Obese cats
  • Diabetic cats
  • Cats with a suppressed immune system

Healthy adult cats can enjoy about half a teaspoon of honey as a treat, but anything more than this can cause diarrhea and bouts of vomiting. Honey should be avoided as a treat for cats.

Cat in a bin
“Sarah”

 

Is Honey Good For Sick Cats?

My mother sometimes used to give me a spoonful of honey when I had a sore throat, and I still sometimes do this for myself. (Any excuse to eat honey.)

Honey may be used in small amounts to treat a cat who is experiencing a sore throat or some respiratory problems.

If your cat has the cat flu, it’s most probably due to the Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) or the feline calicivirus (FCV). These common viral infections can cause a range of flu-like symptoms, including lack of energy, a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite, eye ulcers, a fever, discharge from the eyes, and mouth and eye ulcers.

One of my friends has a rescue cat who has FHV-1, which sometimes flares up, especially during the winter. These bouts of snuffles are challenging to treat since no antiviral drugs can cure this condition. Fortunately, an outbreak of cat flu is rarely fatal, and if the symptoms are kept under control, your cat will recover quickly.

To help ease cat flu symptoms, a tiny bit of honey may provide some relief, especially for a sore throat. Try putting a drop or two of honey on your cats’ wet food to help ease the discomfort. Remember only to feed your cat tiny amounts of honey every once in a while. (And of course remember the disclaimers above.)

While your under-the-weather kitty may benefit from honey’s antiviral and antioxidant properties, be aware that the high sugar content could cause an upset tummy. This will be the last thing your sick cat needs.

Honey is beneficial to feed an underweight cat so that he can fatten up a bit, but you should only give it in small amounts and monitor any adverse side effects.

Interestingly, if your cat has picked up an injury, honey is a great way to treat the wound. The antibacterial properties of honey will help your cats’ wounds heal much quicker while helping to prevent infections.

Honey is known as an effective treatment to soothe pain and reduce inflammation. Soaking bandages in honey before dressing an injury can help heal the wound faster. Many honey products such as bee propolis are suitable for treating wounds.

The antibacterial qualities of honey can help prevent infection from occurring in a wound. Always seek advice from a vet when you notice any open wounds on your fur baby.

An open wound formed by cancer, for instance, will not benefit from applying honey and needs proper medical attention. Wounds as a result of surgery or burn wounds have been known to react well to honey.

 

Orange cat on pillow by computer monitor
“Buddy”

 

How Much Honey Is Safe To Feed Your Cat?

You may wonder how much of this sweet treat is good to feed your cat. Firstly, you need to take into consideration your cats’ age and health. Honey is off-limits to kittens and older cats with compromised immune systems. If your adult cat is generally healthy, you can treat him to about half a teaspoon of honey.

 

Can Cats Lick Honey?

Interestingly, research has shown that cats aren’t necessarily attracted to the taste of sweet treats. They lack the gene that allows us to taste sweet things. The gene known as Tas1r2 is missing for cats, which means that honey tastes very different to them than it would for us humans!

So, why would your cat be willing to sample honey if not for the sweetness? Despite its significant sugar content, honey contains other ingredients your cat may be eager to get to, such as copper, riboflavin, or antioxidants.

This is just a theory, as honey lacks the main dietary requirement for a cat, which is protein and fat. The other reason they may be sniffling at the honeypot is that they may just be curious!

Like infants, cats explore the world through taste, smell, and play. Honey may hold a fascination for all these reasons, and your fur baby’s attempt at licking this sticky substance may be out of pure curiosity.

It’s perfectly fine for an adult cat to lick honey, but young kittens may struggle to get the sticky substance down their tiny throats.

 

Can Cats Eat Honey Yogurt?

There are foods that cats can eat in moderation, and yogurt is one of them.

Adult cats should not be fed large amounts of yogurt because they lack the enzyme Lactase in their digestive system to help them digest the Lactose in these milky treats.

Young kittens have slightly more tolerance to yogurt, especially when they are still being nursed on their mothers’ milk. As they’re gradually weaned from their mothers’ milk, their bodies stop producing Lactose.

Cats are attracted to yogurt because of its high protein content, but you should never consider feeding your cat a tub of yogurt, because it will almost certainly end in diarrhea, vomiting, and possibly dehydration.

Adult cats can only manage a small amount of yogurt without getting sick. A spoonful of yogurt every once in a while is about the limit for your lactose intolerant fluffball.

When it comes to honey yogurt, you should practice extreme caution. Not all yogurts are created equally, and there’s a massive difference between honey FLAVORED yogurt and the real deal.

Your cat may develop allergies from the artificial colorants, flavorings, and artificial preservatives in yogurt that is not plain. Often there’s also a higher sugar content in yogurts with honey flavors.

The safest yogurt for a kitty treat is the plain, unsweetened variety, such as Greek yogurt, with no flavorings, colorants, or artificial preservatives. Avoid any yogurt that has chocolate.

If you like the idea of giving your kitty a little bit of honey yogurt, my advice would be to just add natural honey to your plain yogurt and feed it to your cat. Sometimes it can be challenging to determine whether the honey in your store-bought yogurt is simply an added flavor or actual honey. If you’re the one adding it, you know exactly what it is.

Even though most cats are fond of yogurt, you should resist feeding them anything more than a small nibble. Depending on your cat’s age and digestive health, you could get a reaction ranging from mild to unpleasant.

 

Black and white kitty face
“Mira”

 

Can Dogs Eat Honey?

Even though we don’t have dogs, there are a lot of cat owners who also have dogs, so let’s talk about those other four-legged friends for a moment.

Many dog parents claim that honey is good for seasonal allergies, but there’s no scientific proof to back that up. Dogs with diabetes and obese dogs should be kept away from honey.

Dogs are very similar to cats when it comes to honey. They are also at risk of Botulism should you feed them honey that may contain bacteria. Puppies must also wait until they’re older to indulge in this treat.

Because honey contains so much sugar, make sure to have your dog run off the excess energy after his honey treat. Too much sugar in a dogs’ system may cause obesity and diabetes.

 

Medicinal And Nutritional Value Of Honey For Cats

Honey is more than a gooey, sweet treat that can jazz up a chicken biscuit. It actually has some decent health benefits for humans. Honey is a good source of:

  • Antioxidants
  • Energy
  • Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Properties

Honey consists mainly of fructose and water but it also contains various vitamins, minerals, phenol antioxidants, amino acids, proteins, antibiotic-rich inhibine, and micronutrients. (Although, not surprisingly, these are all present in very small amounts.)

There is a range of minerals in honey that are good for cats. The problem is that the sugar content is too high for cats to digest honey properly. The high sugar content interferes with the good bacteria in your cats’ gut which is why they can’t overindulge.

The following vitamins and minerals in honey are beneficial for cats:

• Sodium
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Copper
• Iron
• Manganese
• Chromium
• Zinc
• Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Niacin (Vitamin B3)
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
• Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
• Folic Acid

Even though there are many beneficial vitamins and minerals in honey that can benefit cats, they’re only present in tiny amounts.

In fact, honey’s official content is:

  • 80% sugar
  • 18% water
  • 2% vitamins, minerals, and proteins together

So yeah, I’m real sorry to have to that loading up your waffles with honey every morning isn’t really going to make your breakfast more healthy.

 

Two tabby cats
“Marcie and Millie”

 

Do Cats Enjoy Honey?

There’s no conclusive proof that honey is a treat that cats actually enjoy. Most of the evidence points in the opposite direction. (And full disclosure: I have not actually tried giving honey to my cats.)

Considering that we don’t understand what exactly honey tastes like for a cat, this may be a treat your cat can very well go without. I’m quite sure that they don’t enjoy the discomfort of diarrhea and the bouts of vomiting that can come from eating this treat.

It’s possible that just like their human counterparts, cats enjoy the smell of honey. Cats are inquisitive about smells (among other things), and if they’re attracted to something that smells good, they may be tempted to investigate further by giving it a lick.

 

Which Honey Is Best To Treat Your Cat?

If you’ve decided to indulge your cat with a small amount of honey, make sure that it’s natural honey. Any overly processed honey may have no health benefits at all, and you might as well be feeding your cat pure sugar.

Manuka honey has been known to possess potent medicinal properties, and this may be a good choice if your cat would like to take a lick. Stick to raw, unprocessed honey from a reliable source as. Often that cute, bear-shaped container of honey that you find in Kroger contains very few of the health benefits that honey can provide.

Nature Nate's 100% Pure Organic, Raw & Unfiltered Honey, Squeeze BottleNature Nate’s 100% Pure Organic, Raw & Unfiltered Honey, Squeeze BottleNature Nate's 100% Pure Organic, Raw & Unfiltered Honey, Squeeze BottleMeluka Australia Premium Raw HoneyMeluka Australia Premium Raw HoneyMeluka Australia Premium Raw Honey

 

At the end of the day, there’s very little evidence to prove that honey is a desirable treat to give to your cat. In my opinion, it’s not worth the risk, as sugar is something that’s not beneficial to cats in any way.

For a delicious treat that is sure to be both healthy and tasty for your cat, instead experiment with different types of meat such as tuna, beef, lamb, or turkey soaked in a delicious gravy. Remember, your cat is more like Tigger than Winnie the Pooh, and they will always be strictly carnivorous and require protein above all else to keep them healthy.

Resources: