Toxic Foods, Plants & Household Items for Cats

All forms (raw, cooked, powdered) destroy red blood cells and cause hemolytic anemia. Cats are more sensitive than dogs — even small amounts in baby food can be toxic.

Can cause acute kidney failure. The toxic compound is unknown, making any amount dangerous. Even a single grape is a risk.

Found in sugar-free gum, candy, and some peanut butters. Causes hypoglycemia and liver failure. Less studied in cats than dogs but considered dangerous.

Cats metabolize alcohol even less efficiently than dogs. Even a teaspoon can cause respiratory failure, coma, and death.

Stimulates the nervous system and heart. Causes rapid breathing, tremors, seizures, and cardiac arrest.

Theobromine and caffeine are toxic. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are most dangerous. Cats rarely eat chocolate voluntarily but it is highly toxic if ingested.

Expands in the stomach causing bloat and obstruction. Fermentation produces alcohol, leading to alcohol toxicity.

Many wild mushroom species are highly toxic. Amanita phalloides (death cap) causes liver failure. Never let cats eat wild mushrooms.

Raw fish can contain thiaminase, which destroys thiamine (Vitamin B1) and causes neurological problems. Canned tuna in large amounts causes mercury toxicity and thiamine deficiency.

Vitamin A toxicity from too much liver causes bone deformities, osteoporosis, and joint pain. Small amounts are fine; daily feeding is dangerous.

Causes weakness, hyperthermia, vomiting, and tremors. Less studied in cats than dogs but considered toxic.

Persin in the flesh causes vomiting and diarrhea. The pit is also a choking and obstruction hazard.

Excessive salt causes sodium ion poisoning — vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and seizures.

Myristicin causes hallucinations, disorientation, increased heart rate, and seizures.

Seeds and pits contain cyanide compounds. The pits are also choking and obstruction hazards.

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Causes diarrhea and GI upset. Kittens can digest milk but adult cats generally cannot.

Not acutely toxic but lacks taurine, arachidonic acid, and Vitamin A that cats require. Long-term feeding causes serious nutritional deficiencies.

Essential oils and psoralens cause GI upset. Cats typically avoid citrus due to the smell, but ingestion causes vomiting and CNS depression.

Solanine in green tomatoes and tomato plants causes GI upset. Ripe red tomatoes in small amounts are generally safe.

Risk of Salmonella and E. coli. Avidin in raw egg whites blocks biotin absorption, causing skin and coat problems with regular feeding.

Extremely toxic to cats — even small amounts of pollen, leaves, or water from the vase cause acute kidney failure. One of the most dangerous plants for cats. Dogs are less affected.

All parts are toxic, especially the seeds. Causes liver failure and death. One or two seeds can kill a cat.

All parts contain cardiac glycosides. Causes severe vomiting, abnormal heart rate, and death.

Grayanotoxins cause vomiting, drooling, weakness, and cardiovascular collapse.

Cardiac glycosides cause heart arrhythmias, vomiting, and death.

Taxine alkaloids cause sudden cardiac arrest. Extremely fast-acting.

Colchicine causes severe GI bleeding, multi-organ failure, and respiratory failure.

Ricin is one of the most toxic naturally occurring substances. Even small amounts cause multi-organ failure.

Cardiac glycosides cause heart failure. Less severe than true lilies for cats, but still dangerous.

Liver toxicity, GI upset, and weakness. All parts are toxic, especially the berries.

Bulbs contain the highest concentration of toxins. Causes intense GI irritation, drooling, and cardiac abnormalities.

Lycorine and other alkaloids cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Saponins and anthraquinones cause vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and tremors.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause intense oral burning, swelling, and difficulty swallowing. Cats often chew houseplants, making this a common hazard.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause oral irritation, drooling, and GI upset. Very common houseplant — keep out of reach.

Insoluble calcium oxalates cause oral pain, drooling, and vomiting. Cats frequently chew trailing vines.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause oral burning and GI upset. Less severe than true lilies but still harmful.

Triterpenoid saponins cause vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, and abdominal pain.

Seeds and pods contain wisterin glycoside, causing severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Pyrethrins cause GI upset, drooling, and skin irritation. Cats are more sensitive to pyrethrins than dogs.

Cyanogenic glycosides cause vomiting and diarrhea. Rarely severe.

Safe in small amounts — cats self-regulate. Large amounts cause vomiting and diarrhea. Not dangerous but worth noting.

Permethrin is safe for dogs but highly toxic to cats. Never apply dog flea products to cats. Even contact with a recently treated dog can cause tremors, seizures, and death.

Cats lack the liver enzymes to metabolize many essential oils. Tea tree oil, eucalyptus, and pennyroyal are particularly dangerous — cause liver damage, neurological symptoms, and respiratory failure.

Anticoagulant rodenticides prevent blood clotting and cause internal bleeding. Cats can be poisoned directly or by eating a poisoned rodent (relay toxicity).

Tastes sweet. Even a teaspoon causes fatal kidney failure in cats. Cats are more susceptible than dogs.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is extremely toxic to cats — even one regular-strength tablet can be fatal. Ibuprofen and naproxen cause GI ulcers and kidney failure.

Organophosphates and carbamates cause neurological symptoms, seizures, and death. Cats groom themselves and ingest residue from paws and fur.

Corrosive chemicals cause chemical burns. Cats walk through cleaning residue and then groom their paws.

Alkaline material causes chemical burns to mouth, throat, and stomach if chewed.

Naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene cause liver damage, seizures, and hemolytic anemia. Cats are more sensitive than dogs.

Nicotine causes rapid heart rate, vomiting, seizures, and death. Nicotine patches and gum are especially concentrated.

Many fertilizers contain iron, nitrogen, and pesticides. Cats walk through treated soil and ingest residue while grooming.

Cationic detergents cause corrosive injury to the mouth and GI tract.

THC causes disorientation, vomiting, tremors, and in high doses, coma. Cats are more sensitive to THC than dogs.

Contain zinc, which causes hemolytic anemia. Symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, and jaundice.

Not toxic but cats frequently ingest linear foreign bodies (string, ribbon, dental floss) which cause intestinal obstruction and perforation — a surgical emergency.