Chicken Heart

Cats are just as vulnerable to raw meat and fatty food: raw hearts carry gut bacteria, and their fat and cholesterol mean frequent or larger servings cause loose stools, vomiting and possibly pancreatitis; a whole heart can also choke a cat.

Vomiting, loose stools or diarrhoea, reduced appetite, lethargy; retching or trouble swallowing suggests choking.

Stop feeding and monitor; contact a vet immediately if vomiting, diarrhoea or lethargy persists, or if choking or illness after raw heart is suspected.

At most an occasional very small piece of plain simmered heart with no salt or oil; it cannot replace complete cat food, and braised or brine-cured hearts should not be fed.

Chicken hearts must be cooked through, as raw organs can carry pathogens that cause vomiting and diarrhoea; they are also fairly high in fat and cholesterol, so large or frequent servings may trigger pancreatitis, and a whole heart chokes a small dog.

Vomiting, diarrhoea, loose stools, abdominal pain, poor appetite, lethargy; choking shows as retching, trouble swallowing or repeated swallowing.

A small amount of cooked chicken heart usually needs monitoring only; contact a vet immediately for persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or lethargy, or if choking or illness after raw heart is suspected.

An occasional treat only: simmer it plain with no salt or oil, cut it into small pieces and keep it within about 10% of daily energy intake; it cannot replace a complete diet, and braised, barbecued or salted hearts should never be fed.