October 6, 2026, 11:29 am | Read time: 4 minutes

Can Cats Eat Chips?

Cats should not eat chips. Various spices in potato chips can be harmful even in small amounts. The sulfur compounds found in onions and leeks are toxic to cats, even in dried and powdered form. The same goes for garlic, paprika, and tomato.

The high salt content in chips is also not to be underestimated. On average, a cat should consume no more than 40 milligrams of salt daily. In comparison, 100 grams of potato chips contain about 1.3 grams of salt. This means that just two or three chips could be too much for a small cat’s body.

Flavor enhancers also require caution. Many types of chips contain yeast extract, which gives chips a pleasant umami taste for humans. Particularly tricky: Yeast extract contains glutamate, which can increase a cat’s addiction potential. This can lead to higher food consumption, which in turn can cause obesity.

Even calorie-reduced, unsalted, or additive-reduced types and varieties of chips are not suitable for cats.

Salt Deficiency as a Reason for Interest in Chips

Sometimes, curiosity isn’t the only reason for interest in chips, pretzels, or similar snacks. If a cat generally shows a tendency toward salty foods, a veterinarian should check for a possible salt deficiency. Instinctively, the animals try to compensate for this. However, chips are, of course, not suitable for this purpose.

What to Do if the Cat Has Eaten a Large Amount of Chips?

If the cat has eaten a few chips, it’s usually not a big problem. There should be enough water available, as increased thirst is always the result.

The animal may vomit due to an upset stomach. This can be well balanced with the feeding of bland food in the following days.

As long as the animal shows no signs of fever, persistent diarrhea, vomiting, or severe pain, the body usually calms down on its own. Otherwise, a visit to the veterinarian is essential to rule out sodium poisoning and consequential organ damage.

Also interesting: These 12 Foods Can Be Toxic for Cats

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What Should a Cat Actually Eat?

Cats are predators and thus highly specialized carnivores. Due to their anatomy, they must consume easily digestible food, ideally rich in protein and fat, with few fibers.

Therefore, a cat’s natural diet consists of 95 percent animal content, including muscle meat, organs, bones, and blood. Only five percent of the diet is plant-based, such as the stomach contents of prey, grasses, herbs, fruits, or berries.

Fruits and vegetables like potatoes are theoretically also on our house cats’ menu–at least in small amounts. However, this only applies to cooked potatoes. Raw vegetables are unsuitable for feeding cats and can be toxic, as they contain the toxin solanine. This escapes during heating, meaning cooked, unsalted potatoes in small amounts are healthy and ideal for preparing bland food.

Recipe for a Chip Alternative for Cats

If the cat persistently begs while the human snacks on chips, healthier alternatives can easily be used.

There are great snack chips for cats available in pet stores, made from dried meat, vegetables, or fruits, and they are just as crunchy as real potato chips without additives.

Cat chips can also be easily made at home. For example, chicken fillet can be sliced, placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and baked at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Then, the temperature is reduced to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, and the chips are dried for another 40 minutes with the oven door slightly open. Without spices or additives, these chips are a crunchy snack no cat can resist.

Those with a dehydrator can also try the recipe with thinly sliced vegetable or fruit slices like pumpkin, sweet potato, strawberry, or banana (air-dried). Unlike baking in the oven, this method makes them even crunchier.