Why?
The rice and fish cook in an onion and tomato sauce, often boosted with bouillon cubes, chili and very salty dried fish. The fish itself is usually stuffed with a mix of parsley, garlic, onion and chili. Onion and garlic damage a cat's red blood cells, and fish bones can injure the mouth or gut.
How much?
No amount is recommended. If you want to treat your cat, set aside a small piece of unseasoned fish, cook it plain and remove every bone.
The risks
- Anemia from onion and garlic
- Fish bones injuring the mouth or gut
- Too much salt from bouillon and dried fish
- Stomach irritation from chili
Your cat ate some: what now?
Call your vet without waiting for symptoms, and tell them what your cat ate and how much: onion and garlic effects can appear several days later. Don't try to make your cat vomit, especially if bones may have been swallowed.
Better options
A small piece of plain cooked white fish or tuna, boneless, with a little plain boiled rice, makes a safe meal. Set them aside before seasoning.
Common questions
Can cats eat the fish from thieboudienne?
Not as served: it's stuffed, seasoned and cooked in the onion sauce. A piece set aside before seasoning, cooked plain and boneless, is a good treat though.
Can cats eat jollof rice?
No, for the same reasons: jollof rice is cooked with onion, garlic, tomato, chili and bouillon. Plain white rice cooked in water is the only rice your cat should have.
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.