Why?
Eggplant is a nightshade, like tomatoes and potatoes. The plant, its leaves, stems and unripe fruit contain glycoalkaloids (solasonine and solamargine, relatives of solanine) that irritate the gut and, in large amounts, can affect the nervous system. Ripe, cooked fruit contains little, but there's not much data on cats, which is why caution makes sense.
How much?
If you share, keep it to a very small bite of plain, well-cooked eggplant now and then, and never raw. No eggplant parmesan, moussaka, baba ganoush or fried eggplant, which almost always come with garlic, onion, cheese, lots of oil or salt.
The risks
- Vomiting, diarrhea or drooling from raw or unripe eggplant
- Lethargy or weakness if the plant or leaves were chewed
- Garlic and onion in baba ganoush, moussaka or ratatouille
- Fried eggplant, soaked in oil and hard to digest
Your cat ate some: what now?
A small piece of cooked eggplant is usually not serious. If your cat ate raw eggplant, leaves or a large amount, watch it for 24 to 48 hours and call your vet if it vomits, drools, or seems lethargic or weak. If it was a dish made with garlic or onion, call your vet right away.
Better options
Zucchini, often cooked alongside it, is a much simpler option: no alkaloids, and fine raw or cooked. Cooked pumpkin is another good choice.
Common questions
Can cats eat raw eggplant?
No. Raw eggplant contains more alkaloids and is hard to digest. If you want to share, only cooked and in a very small amount.
My cat ate baba ganoush, what should I do?
Baba ganoush almost always contains garlic, so call your vet even if your cat seems fine. Garlic damages red blood cells, and signs can take a few days to show.
This information is general and does not replace advice from a veterinarian. If your cat has swallowed something toxic, call your vet or an animal poison control center right away, without waiting for symptoms.