# OK To Give Bones (Poultry Specifically) To House Cats **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438 "2015-10-03T23:11:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/1 "2015-10-03T23:11:58Z")
As I was voraciously gnawing on a delicious smoked turkey bone, my kitteh, Lenny, tried to climb all over me to get to it, then howled winsomely when I shooed him away. This is the first time I’ve noticed him show the slightest interest in a bone, but then again, this is the only time I’ve ever noshed on turkey around him either. So maybe he just loves him some turkey, who knows? Anyway, I hear that bones, those of fish particularly, are verboten for teh kittehs. Which makes no sense to me, as teh kittehs’ digestive system has evolved to tear meat off of bones. Odds are good teh kittehs’ woodland cousins will inadvertently swallow bone matter at some point in the day, so why not household kitteh? What’s the straight dope? [Lenny](http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y511/rastahomie/Lenny_zpsxzjzdepk.jpg) [Jeff](http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y511/rastahomie/Biscuits_zpsnskn9xwr.jpg) [Me](http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y511/rastahomie/Me_zpsy14adplt.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/2 "2015-10-03T23:33:09Z")
It’s cooked bones that you shouldn’t give to cats; they’re different from uncooked ones. See [here](http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-raw-diets-and-cats-what-about-eating-bones). > [@](#): > > Never Cook or Microwave the Bones > > Doing so can cause the bones to splinter, making them sharp with the possibility of puncturing the intestinal system.¹ This could cause internal bleeding, constipation, rectal bleeding and blockages in the gastrointestinal system.² ---
**Author:** ![TallTrees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TallTrees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TallTrees)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/3 "2015-10-04T00:47:48Z")
The short answer is no. Same answer for dogs. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/4 "2015-10-04T02:20:17Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > … kitteh… teh kittehs. … teh kittehs’ … teh kittehs’ … kitteh? > > What’s the straight dope? No joke answers? How about no joke questions. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/5 "2015-10-04T02:43:37Z")
> [@donkeyoatey](#): > > No joke answers? How about no joke questions. I seem to see this convention used around here when the subject turns to cats. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/6 "2015-10-04T05:12:25Z")
Short form? NEVER. Esp. Fowl bones. They are hollow and shatter easily - and your '‘kitteh’ can develop some substantial pressure between its incisors. Why risk it - just give is some meat - if it wants to chew - break up a dog chew-type food-like thing. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/7 "2015-10-04T05:43:43Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It’s cooked bones that you shouldn’t give to cats; they’re different from uncooked ones. > > See [here](http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-raw-diets-and-cats-what-about-eating-bones). This was mentioned way back in _Lad of Sunnybank_. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-to-give-bones-poultry-specifically-to-house-cats/733438/8 "2015-10-04T13:08:26Z")
They must have evolved to handle **raw** bones, whether of fish or fowl. But that doesn’t mean they can deal with cooked bones, which have quite different properties.