Lentils

**Cats are obligate carnivores, so legumes serve no nutritional purpose for them**; **raw lentils hold lectins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea**, and their fibre promotes gas, so keep lentils to a rare small amount cooked soft and mashed into wet food.

Vomiting, loose stools or diarrhoea, poor appetite, gas and lethargy; a swallowed whole lentil can bring retching, drooling, repeated swallowing and trouble swallowing, while stewed lentils with oil, salt and garlic may add abdominal pain.

Stop feeding and monitor; **contact a vet immediately** for ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, retching, trouble swallowing or lethargy, and never induce vomiting or give human medicine at home.

At most a rare tiny amount, **cooked soft and mashed into wet food**, never as a protein source; **skip stewed or curried lentils with salt, oil and garlic**; start small and watch for 24 hours, keeping complete cat food as the main diet.

Cooked-soft lentils bring plant protein and dietary fibre at a moderate calorie cost, so crushed or pureed plain lentils work as an occasional treat or a small topper.

Feed only a small amount, cooked soft and crushed or pureed, inside the daily treat allowance and within about 10% of daily energy intake, with complete dog food as the main diet.

Rinse dried lentils and cook them until **completely soft** (**raw lentils hold lectins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea**), then crush or puree them plain; use water only, with no salt, oil, garlic or curry seasoning.

**Always cook lentils right through**; whole lentils choke and their fibre causes gas, so crush them and keep portions small; **stewed or curried lentils with salt, oil and garlic are out**; **contact a vet** if vomiting or diarrhoea continues.