Why?
Kebab meat is marinated with salt, spices and often garlic or onion powder, which damage a cat's red blood cells. Garlic sauce, hot sauce and the raw onions in the salad add even more alliums, chili and fat. All that fat can upset the stomach and even trigger pancreatitis.
How much?
No amount is recommended, not even a strip of meat. Even without the sauce, the meat is still seasoned.
The risks
- Anemia from garlic and onion
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Pancreatitis from the fat
- Excessive thirst from the salt
Your cat ate some: what now?
Call your vet without waiting for symptoms, especially if your cat ate sauce or onions: anemia can develop several days later. Tell them what was eaten and how much, and don't try to make your cat vomit.
Better options
If you want to share some meat, cook a little plain chicken or lamb with no salt or spices. It's much better for your cat.
Common questions
Can cats eat kebab meat without the sauce?
Not really. The meat is marinated and cooked with salt, spices and often garlic or onion, so scraping off the sauce isn't enough. A piece of meat you cooked yourself, plain, is the safe choice.
Can cats eat gyro or shawarma meat?
Same answer: these are seasoned and marinated just like kebab, often with garlic and onion. Keep them for yourself.
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.