FatwaPerlisFood & Halal
Hukum Makanan Kucing
What is the ruling on feeding cats food containing haram or impure ingredients, and does the cat become haram or impure as a result?
Short answer
Cats are not bound by rulings of halal and haram food because animals are not legally accountable (mukallaf).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Perlis State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Panduan Hukum
- Topic
- Food & Halal
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Cats are not bound by rulings of halal and haram food because animals are not legally accountable (mukallaf). A cat's mouth remains pure as long as no trace of impurity is on it, based on a hadith stating that cats are not impure animals. If cat food is confirmed to contain impure matter and is handled by a Muslim, the rules on touching impurities apply to that person, who must clean it according to the methods set out in fiqh. A substance of unknown content is considered pure until it is identified as impure.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Tiada hukum halal dan haram bagi kucing dalam bab makanan, kerana haiwan tidak termasuk di dalam kumpulan mukallaf.
Read the full fatwa on the Perlis website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Perlis State Mufti Department. “Hukum Makanan Kucing”, 2 December 2019. https://muftiperlis.gov.my/index.php/panduan-hukum/85-hukum-makanan-kucing. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-feeding-cats-haram-food/