Can pet cats eat rice?

Pet cats can eat rice, but it should not be their staple food. Cats are carnivores with limited ability to digest plant-based foods like rice; too much can cause indigestion, bloating, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Moreover, rice is sticky and can cling to teeth, breeding bacteria and plaque that lead to mouth ulcers, gum redness, and tartar, and possibly stomatitis if you cannot brush regularly. Long-term rice feeding also causes malnutrition, with a thin body and rough coat. Although rural cats are often fed rice and leftovers, they roam freely and supplement their diet elsewhere.