Asparagus

Cats do not need vegetables, so a little cooked asparagus is at most a novel treat with some fibre.

One short piece per serving without reducing main-diet intake.

Trim the woody base, steam or boil until soft, cut into very small pieces, and add no seasoning or sauce.

Raw asparagus is hard and can choke, so cook it and cut it up first; asparagusic acid changes urine odour, which is normal. Cats barely need vegetables and a complete cat food is already sufficient.

Cooked asparagus supplies fibre plus small amounts of folate and potassium, so short pieces make an occasional low-calorie treat.

2-3 short pieces per serving (one for a small dog), within roughly 10% of daily energy intake.

Trim the woody base, steam or boil until soft, then cut into 1-2 cm pieces; add no oil, salt, butter or hollandaise.

Raw spears are tough and a choking risk if fed whole, so always cook them and cut them up; asparagusic acid can change urine odour, which is normal. Hollandaise and garlic butter are harmful, so contact a vet immediately if a dressed asparagus dish is eaten.