Can Cats Eat Chicken Liver?

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Look at any label on a bag or can of cat food, and you often will see “liver” listed as an ingredient. But what kind of liver is it? And can cats eat liver?

Liver is often listed as a generic ingredient, so you don’t always know what animal the liver comes from—poultry, beef, or something else. But, since chicken is the most common protein found in commercial cat food, the liver is likely to be from a chicken, said Emma Passman, a commercial pet nutritionist.

Can cats eat chicken liver? Absolutely, Passman said, but in moderation.

Toxic: No

Species Appropriate: Yes, chicken liver is species-appropriate, as birds are a natural prey.

Commonly Allergenic: Yes

Summary of Content

Chicken liver is a healthy food for cats. In a balanced formula of a trusted commercial cat food, you can be confident your cat is not getting too much, and you can also safely feed cats chicken liver in small amounts.

Does Liver Have Benefits for Cats?

Chicken liver is common in commercial pet foods by trusted brands, and you can be confident that it is safe to feed, said Passman, who lives in North Yorkshire, England. Chicken liver is healthy, and has multiple benefits for cats. It’s  full of iron and vitamin A. Liver also contains copper (necessary for blood, tissue, and collagen production) and vitamin B12 (used in immune function, nervous system, and cognition). Most cats find chicken liver quite tasty.

In addition to vitamin A and iron, chicken liver is low in fat and has a moisture content of 75 percent (regular muscle meat is about 65 percent moisture). Chicken liver is low in ash, which helps balance calcium and phosphorous; this helps to prevent struvite crystals in your cat’s urine. Chicken liver also contains taurine, an essential nutrient for cats that comes mostly from the heart.

Is Raw Chicken Liver Safe for Cats?

When it comes to feeding raw chicken liver, cats can potentially eat it if it is very fresh and handled properly. However, there are health risks associated with feeding raw meat, including bacterial contamination such as Salmonella or E. coli, which can pose risks to both cats and their owners.

Most veterinarians do not recommend incorporating raw foods into your cat’s diet due to these potential health risks. If you choose to offer raw chicken liver, ensure it is sourced from a reliable supplier, kept refrigerated, and handled with care to minimize risks.

Also Read: Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken?

As for other types of liver, like turkey or beef, there is not much of a difference nutritionally. However, since cats in the wild prey on birds, chicken liver is closer to a natural diet.

How Much Liver Should You Feed Your Cat?

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Chicken liver is healthy, but too much liver can cause copper toxicity and vitamin A toxicity. It would take a huge amount of liver to get up to toxic levels of vitamin A and iron, and that would not happen with a well-balanced commercial cat food, Passman said. She has never heard of any instance of vitamin A toxicity in a commercial diet.

“They’d have to eat an awful lot, or there would have to be something wrong,” she said.

Can I Feed My Cat Chicken Liver Everyday​?

If you are feeding a commercial diet from a trusted brand, this is a non-issue, because your cat won’t eat too much liver. But if you are feeding whole liver just cut off a small piece for your cat to enjoy, and do so only occasionally. Always fully cook meats and organs like chicken liver before feeding them to your cat. Similarly, if feeding freeze-dried liver treats, do so sparingly.

How much is too much? “I wouldn’t feed liver every day for a week,” Passman said. “That would be too much.”

Overall, liver is a very good ingredient for cats. “It supplies a lot of good nutrition, trace elements, and amino acids,” she says. “It’s palatable for cats, as long as it’s not fed to excess.”