Beef Heart

Cats are just as sensitive to fatty organ meat: raw heart can carry pathogens, and its fat and cholesterol mean larger or frequent servings cause loose stools, vomiting and possibly pancreatitis; a whole piece can also choke a cat.

Vomiting, loose stools or diarrhoea, reduced appetite, lethargy; retching or trouble swallowing points to 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 a rare, very small piece of plain simmered heart with no salt or oil; it cannot replace complete cat food, and seasoned or cured heart should not be fed.

Beef heart is a muscular organ meat that is high in protein but also carries fat and cholesterol, so large or frequent servings oversupply fat and calories and can trigger pancreatitis; raw heart may carry pathogens, and a whole piece can choke a small dog.

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

A small amount of cooked beef 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 count it within about 10% of daily energy intake; beef heart cannot replace a complete diet, and braised, seasoned or cured heart should never be fed.