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Original poster

Would you eat food a cat licked?

111 replies

LeeshaPaper · 03/09/2025 13:12

I had the food out I was going to reheat from last night for my lunch. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it but waste not want not etc. I turned around to see the cat up on the counter eating/licking the food. I had only turned my back for a second so I'm fairly sure it was only one corner.
Should I throw the whole lot out or just eat the but that's probably safe?
Yabu : yuck throw the whole lot away
Yanbu : meh it's probably fine to eat most of it

OP posts:
HostaCentral · 03/09/2025 16:07

Goodness, I feel really outnumbered..... Arthur is known to lick the top of the butter it is left open on the counter. I just scrape the top off. I'm not going to throw away a whole tub of butter, just because of a bit of cat lick.

Never caught anything nasty .....

MaryGreenhill · 03/09/2025 16:03

Oh dear me no, have you smelled their breath ?
Gross 😝 🤢

Howmanycatsistoomany · 03/09/2025 16:03

As much as I love my cats, nope, not eating anything they've licked. Mine have been trained from being kittens not to jump on countertops.

wakemeupwhenseptembercomes · 03/09/2025 15:59

I love my cat but absolutely not!! God knows what he's had in his mouth whilst out roaming!

Arlanymor · 03/09/2025 15:56

LeeshaPaper · 03/09/2025 15:48

It's our neighbour's cat!
How do you keep cats off the counters? How do you get a cat to do anything??!!!

Show quote history

Yeah like I said - not your cat! They haven't trained it then. You can train cats not to jump on countertops - we used to put down foil when they were little. We also trained one of cats to use the cat flap with a system of steps (where when he got used to the steps we would take one away - we used patio slabs) and Dreamies - he jumps in and out of it no problem now, it was when they first moved into their home and the cat flap was higher in the door than the one he was used to.

Original poster
LeeshaPaper · 03/09/2025 15:48

Arlanymor · 03/09/2025 15:17

No - I love cats - but no.

I never understand why people let their cats up on the countertops either - not saying you did this at all by the way, not even your cat right?!

But all of our cats know it's a massive 'no no', so being on the countertop AND licking food would have them in disgrace for the rest of the day.

Sounds like a Deliveroo is in order @LeeshaPaper ?!

It's our neighbour's cat!
How do you keep cats off the counters? How do you get a cat to do anything??!!!

OP posts:
3678194b · 03/09/2025 15:44

No way. I love cats and they are clean animals but seeing what they catch and devour, No!

BauhausOfEliott · 03/09/2025 15:42

Stoufer · 03/09/2025 13:19

If you did eat it, you’d need to stock up with Ovex (threadworm treatment) for the whole family!
(edited for typo)

Edited

Cats don't carry threadworms and in any case, worms aren't spread through saliva, so you're not going to get worms of any kind because a cat licked your food.

Cats are incredibly germ-ridden though. I might be inclined to cut off the licked bit of the food and heat it up thoroughly, but if I wasn't sure how long the cat had been there or what it had nibbled on, I'd be binning it (the food, not the cat).

I'm usually pretty chilled about dogs licking my face etc, and DP was appalled the other day at me eating naan bread with my hands after I'd stopped to stroke a horse on my way to the restaurant, so I'm not exactly the Queen of Clean, but I think I'd probably draw the line at eating a cat's leftovers.

WhatAboutTheOtherOne · 03/09/2025 15:34

Yuk, cats lick their bums to clean the shit of themselves. So I wouldn’t be going anywhere their mouths.

Pricelessadvice · 03/09/2025 15:31

I let my cat lick a hula hoop and then I eat it. She loves the salt.
I do only let her lick the one though! Not too much salt for her!

I’d rather share food with a cat than a child 😂

Ponoka7 · 03/09/2025 15:27

AdaColeman · 03/09/2025 13:35

I can't believe so many people would eat food a cat had licked!
What difference would it make if it were your own cat? The food will still taste of cat's arse!

I'd cut around what was touched, I know my cat is flea'd and wormed. But it would have to be something I really wanted.

sanityisamyth · 03/09/2025 15:27

Absolutely no way. Horrible creatures.

mysecretshame · 03/09/2025 15:25

My cat - I'd cut off licked part and eat the rest (if it was something I actually wanted, like chocolate cake).

Someone else's cat - no!

HelloHattie · 03/09/2025 15:20

Nope

FrenchandSaunders · 03/09/2025 15:18

Christ no, and I'm very lax around food ... according to my uptight DH and DDs.

DH binned a bottle of tonic water the other day ... it was a week out of date

Arlanymor · 03/09/2025 15:17

No - I love cats - but no.

I never understand why people let their cats up on the countertops either - not saying you did this at all by the way, not even your cat right?!

But all of our cats know it's a massive 'no no', so being on the countertop AND licking food would have them in disgrace for the rest of the day.

Sounds like a Deliveroo is in order @LeeshaPaper ?!

flapjackfairy · 03/09/2025 15:15

No.wsy
cats lick their bums!

SunDash · 03/09/2025 15:13

🤣 not unless you know exactly where it's tongue has been!

BilbaoBaggage · 03/09/2025 15:08

LeeshaPaper · 03/09/2025 13:22

Oh really 😯 🤢

Show quote history

No. Not really.
You do not get threadworms from cats. Cats have other worms, but not ones that parasitise humans.

More importantly, where is the cat tax photo of the cat that is not yours that licked your lunch?

caringcarer · 03/09/2025 15:05

No you should not eat it. Maybe feed it to cat or dog is suitable for them.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 03/09/2025 14:37

My cat - I’d cut off the licked bit and eat it.
me and DCat regularly share a bowl of bran flakes.
someone else’s cat - absolutely no way!

CrostaDiPizza · 03/09/2025 14:36

Limth · 03/09/2025 13:16

If it was my own cat, I'd cut as much of the licked but off as possible and just eat it.

If it wasn't my cat, I'd bin it.

Agree with this and have done it.

Pascha · 03/09/2025 14:34

Absolutely not! probably would

LittleGreenDragons · 03/09/2025 14:28

MummaMummaMumma · 03/09/2025 14:22

Errr you know they lick their bums, right?! So not only will they have spread germs, but also worms! Gross yo consider this.

Based on all the research and surveys (especially since covid) it appears a vast majority of men do not wash their hands after going to the loo. Does this mean you won't let a man touch you ever again or cook your food/mug of tea?

OP - not your cat? Not a chance!

StampOnTheGround · 03/09/2025 14:23

Cats lick their arses remember 🤢