Is Duck Good for Cats? Benefits & Tips

Reviewed by: Dr. Tori

Is Duck Good for Cats? Benefits & Tips

On human menus, duck is often a fan favorite: You have duck à l’orange, crispy-skinned Peking duck, and of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic duck confit.

But can you share this fan favorite with your feline friend? Can cats eat duck meat? In most cases, the answer is yes. Here’s everything you need to know about feeding duck to your cat.

Is Duck a Good Food for Cats?

Duck cat food can be an excellent option for your pet. As long as your cat doesn’t have any specific diet requirements or allergies to duck meat, duck makes for a superb meal. In fact, duck meat is high in essential nutrients, including:¹

• Zinc
• Iron
• B vitamins

To ensure your cat consistently gets these nutrients, you might want to consider adding fresh cat food made from high-quality ingredients, including duck as a primary protein source.

Nutritional Benefits of Duck for Cats

All those vitamins and minerals are just the beginning. When you add duck meat to your feeding regimen, you give your cat access to many nutritional benefits. Here are some of the reasons why it’s worth putting duck meat in your cat’s bowl.

High-Quality Protein Source

As obligate carnivores, cats need plenty of protein to thrive. Duck meat delivers. In 100 grams of raw duck meat, you’ll find 18.3 grams of animal protein.²

All that protein will help your cat develop and maintain muscles, fur, skin, nails, and more.

Rich in Essential Amino Acids

While duck is high in protein, it’s also rich in amino acids—the “building blocks” of proteins. Like all mammals, cats can make many of the amino acids they need within their bodies. However, some amino acids can’t be synthesized; they need to be consumed instead.

Duck meat contains a good amount of these essential amino acids, such as:³

• Leucine
• Histidine
• Methionine
• Tryptophan
• Threonine

If you’re looking for a convenient way to provide these essential nutrients without the hassle, opting for raw cat food made from duck could be a good option.

Beneficial Fats and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

As a high-fat meat, duck is a source of beneficial fats and fatty acids. A serving of duck meat comes with a sizable helping of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fats.⁴ These nutrients play a vital role in your cat’s heart, healthy skin, and immune health.

Duck vs. Other Protein Sources for Cats

So, is duck good for cats? Yes. But how good is it? Let’s compare duck meat with some other common cat foods:

• Duck vs. chicken – Duck has more fat and slightly less protein than chicken.
• Duck vs. turkey – Compared to turkey, duck has more fat and less protein.
• Duck vs. beef – In general, beef contains more fat than duck and a similar amount of protein.

If you’ve ever considered other meats for your pets, it’s essential to know the proper guidelines for each—whether it's how much duck to give your cat or how many treats per day for a dog to keep them healthy.

Potential Risks of Feeding Duck to Cats

Although duck is an excellent source of nutrients, it’s not a perfect food for all cats. So, before you put a duck meal in your cat’s food dish, you should understand the potential risks.

Fat Content Considerations

As mentioned, duck is a rather fatty meat. Although some of the fat in duck is beneficial, some is also regular, unhealthy fat.

If your vet has recommended a low-fat diet for your cat, duck should probably stay off the menu. However, if your cat has no specific dietary needs surrounding fat, it’s fine to treat them to some duck. They can be either as raw meat, part of a canned food, or wet cat food.

Allergies and Sensitivities

Just like people, cats can suffer from food allergies and sensitivities, and your cat could be allergic to ducks. Unfortunately, the only way to find out is to feed your cat duck and look out for symptoms.

Signs of a food allergy in cats include:⁵

• Itching and scratching
• Sores
• Overgrooming
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

If you notice any of these symptoms after feeding duck to your cat, stop giving them duck and speak with your veterinarian.

If you are curious about adding seafood to a dog’s diet, learning if dogs can eat fish is crucial to avoid any potential allergic reactions or sensitivities.

How Much Duck Should Cats Eat?

Every cat is different, so it can be challenging to prescribe a specific amount of food. For best results, talk to your vet about your pet’s diet.

With that said, in general, a healthy adult cat can enjoy duck meat several times per week. Keep in mind that balancing the calorie content of your cat’s meals is essential, especially when adding richer meats like duck.

Incorporating Duck into a Cat’s Diet

When it comes to feeding cats, variety is key. That’s why duck should be used as an addition to your cat’s diet—not as a replacement for another meat. To ensure your cat receives the full spectrum of vital nutrients, consider a rotation of duck, chicken, turkey, and beef.

If your cat has never had duck before, you may want to introduce it alongside a familiar meat. For example, you could start by mixing some duck with chicken before offering up a duck-only meal.

Choosing Darwin’s Duck Formula for Optimal Cat Nutrition

Overall, duck can be a fantastic addition to your cat’s diet. It’s packed with the protein, vitamins, and minerals your pet needs to stay healthy. As a high-quality source of muscle meat, duck ensures your cat receives the nutrients essential for muscle maintenance and overall health.

Of course, not all pet food is made the same. If you plan to feed duck to your cat, you’ll want to give them the best. 
For that, you can trust Darwin’s pet food delivery services. Our new duck recipe is crafted with raw, high-quality ingredients, making it an ideal meal for your furry friend.

Sources: 

¹CatTime. Can Cats Eat Duck? Is Duck Safe For Cats? https://cattime.com/cat-facts/health/43080-can-cats-eat-duck-safe

²U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central Search Results: Duck, domesticated, meat only, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172410/nutrients

³U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central Search Results: Duck, domesticated, meat only, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172410/nutrients

⁴WebMD. Are There Health Benefits of Duck? https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-duck

⁵VCA Animal Hospitals. Food Allergies in Cats. https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/food-allergies-in-cats