Updated 4/29/26
Questions about coconut oil keep coming up, so I want to explain why I don’t recommend giving it to cats.
Cats Need the Right Fats
The carnivore’s natural diet is high in both protein and animal fat. There are only three essential fatty acids that cats must obtain from their diet: linoleic acid (LA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and arachidonic acid (AA).
Adult cats can benefit from many other fats and oils, particularly EPA and DHA (which kittens require), but they aren’t necessary for survival.
Coconut oil is popular in human nutrition, but for cats it does not address any physiologic need and offers no unique benefit.
What are MCTs?
The purported benefits of coconut oil are attributed to its content of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Coconut oil is often described as a good source of MCTs, but it is not equivalent to purified MCT oil. MCTs are fatty acids with chains of 6, 8, or 10 carbons. Most of coconut oil’s fat is lauric acid (C12), which is frequently grouped with MCTs, but metabolically behaves more like a long-chain fatty acid.1, 2, 3
The MCTs used in clinical and experimental settings are primarily caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) fatty acids. Coconut oil contains only small amounts of these important fats.
The beneficial metabolic and neurologic effects attributed to MCTs are based on these C8-C10 fatty acids, not coconut oil.
Why Coconut Oil Can Be a Problem for Cats
Research has shown that MCTs have a negative effect on palatability in cats.4 It’s hard enough to get cats to accept new foods or supplements. Why add something many cats find unpalatable?
MCTs may also be a contributing factor to hepatic lipidosis, a life-threatening liver disease in cats. Reduced food intake is the primary cause of hepatic lipidosis in cats, so anything that decreases palatability is a concern.
If coconut oil is added to your cat’s food or treats, that means that other nutrients are diluted. Good quality protein and healthy fats like EPA and DHA are much more important.
And don’t forget to account for the calories (approximately 116 kcal per tablespoon) in coconut oil; otherwise it may result in weight gain.
Use coconut oil with extreme caution in overweight cats, who are especially prone to hepatic lipidosis.
What About Cognitive Health?
Research into brain energy metabolism has led to interest in ketones for cognitive support, particularly in human conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. However, cats are already highly adapted to using fat for energy and do not rely on dietary carbohydrates in the same way. While they can develop cognitive changes with age, ketones and MCTs are unlikely to provide the same benefit in cats as they may in humans.
Supporting overall health with a balanced, species-appropriate diet and avoiding highly processed diets is a more appropriate long-term approach.
Summary
There is no good physiologic reason to give coconut oil to pets, and little research to support the claims made for it. Commercial pet food is notorious for its use of rancid and poor quality fats; any fresh, good quality oil will improve skin and coat, increase energy, and just make pets feel better. Most of the purported benefits of coconut oil are not unique. Olive oil and natural animal fats do the same, and are safer and healthier.
If you want to supplement healthy fats, stick to Omega-3s, especially EPA and DHA, which have many benefits, and are deficient in most commercial pet foods as well as homemade diets. (Click here for more information on the types and benefits of various Omega-3 products.)
References
- Vegetable oil, coconut. https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2
- Motarjemi Y, Moy G, Todd E, eds. Encyclopedia of Food Safety. Academic Press, Dec 12, 2013, p. 96.
- St-Onge MP, Jones PJ. Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides: potential agents in the prevention of obesity. Journal of Nutrition. 2002 Mar;132(3):329-32.
- MacDonald ML, Rogers QR, Morris JG. Aversion of the cat to dietary medium-chain triglycerides and caprylic acid. Physiology and Behavior. 1985 Sep;35(3):371-5.