39 foods toxic to cats

Sourced from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, Merck Veterinary Manual and AKC. If your cat ingested any of these, contact a vet immediately.

1. 🍷

   #1 · Toxic

   Can cats eat alcohol? — No, it's toxic

   Same toxicity, more sensitive.

   Symptoms: Same.

   Full Alcohol guide →
2. 🍺

   #2 · Toxic

   Can cats eat beer? — No, it's toxic

   Same.

   Symptoms: Same.

   Full Beer guide →
3. 🦴

   #3 · Toxic

   Can cats eat bones (cooked)? — No, it's toxic

   Same splintering risk; smaller cats at higher risk of obstruction.

   Symptoms: Same as dogs.

   Full Bones (cooked) guide →
4. 🍬

   #4 · Toxic

   Can cats eat candy? — No, it's toxic

   Same.

   Full Candy guide →
5. 🍒

   #5 · Toxic

   Can cats eat cherries? — No, it's toxic

   Same as dogs — toxic pits, stems and leaves.

   Symptoms: Cyanide poisoning symptoms; obstruction from pits.

   Full Cherries guide →
6. 🍬

   #6 · Toxic

   Can cats eat chewing gum? — No, it's toxic

   Less sensitive than dogs but still avoid.

   Full Chewing Gum guide →
7. 🌿

   #7 · Toxic

   Can cats eat chives? — No, it's toxic

   Same — cats highly sensitive.

   Symptoms: Same.

   Full Chives guide →
8. 🌿

   #8 · Toxic

   Can cats eat chives? — No, it's toxic

   Cats more sensitive.

   Full Chives guide →
9. 🍫

   #9 · Toxic

   Can cats eat chocolate? — No, it's toxic

   Cats are at lower risk simply because they're less likely to eat chocolate. But same mechanism applies.

   Symptoms: Same symptoms.

   Full Chocolate guide →
10. 🍰

    #10 · Toxic

    Can cats eat chocolate cake? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Chocolate Cake guide →
11. ☕

    #11 · Toxic

    Can cats eat coffee? — No, it's toxic

    Cats are even more sensitive to caffeine.

    Symptoms: Same as dogs.

    Full Coffee guide →
12. 🦴

    #12 · Toxic

    Can cats eat cooked chicken bones? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Cooked Chicken Bones guide →
13. 🌽

    #13 · Toxic

    Can cats eat corn on the cob? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Corn on the cob guide →
14. ⚡

    #14 · Toxic

    Can cats eat energy drinks? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Energy Drinks guide →
15. 🐟

    #15 · Toxic

    Can cats eat fish bones? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Fish Bones guide →
16. 🧄

    #16 · Toxic

    Can cats eat garlic? — No, it's toxic

    Cats are highly sensitive — even small amounts can be fatal.

    Symptoms: Severe anemia, lethargy, collapse.

    Full Garlic guide →
17. 🍇

    #17 · Toxic

    Can cats eat grapes? — No, it's toxic

    While grape toxicity is less documented in cats, the same renal failure risk applies. Cats rarely seek out grapes but accidents happen.

    Symptoms: Vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, kidney failure within 72 hours.

    Full Grapes guide →
18. 🟢

    #18 · Toxic

    Can cats eat leek? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Leek guide →
19. 🌿

    #19 · Toxic

    Can cats eat leeks? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Symptoms: Same — even more sensitive than dogs.

    Full Leeks guide →
20. 🍞

    #20 · Toxic

    Can cats eat moldy food? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Moldy Food guide →
21. 🌰

    #21 · Toxic

    Can cats eat nutmeg? — No, it's toxic

    Same myristicin toxicity, more sensitive to it.

    Symptoms: Same as dogs.

    Full Nutmeg guide →
22. 🧅

    #22 · Toxic

    Can cats eat onions? — No, it's toxic

    Cats are MORE sensitive to allium toxicity than dogs. Even tiny amounts can cause Heinz body anemia.

    Symptoms: Same as dogs but at lower doses; symptoms appear within 1–3 days.

    Full Onions guide →
23. 🍊

    #23 · Toxic

    Can cats eat orange? — No, it's toxic

    Limonene toxic.

    Full Orange guide →
24. 🍊

    #24 · Toxic

    Can cats eat oranges? — No, it's toxic

    Citrus essential oils (limonene, linalool) are toxic to cats. Even the flesh contains some.

    Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, depression, photosensitivity.

    Full Oranges guide →
25. 🥜

    #25 · Toxic

    Can cats eat pecans? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Pecans guide →
26. 🍕

    #26 · Toxic

    Can cats eat pepperoni? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Pepperoni guide →
27. 🟦

    #27 · Toxic

    Can cats eat playdough / salt dough? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Playdough / Salt Dough guide →
28. 🍇

    #28 · Toxic

    Can cats eat raisins? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Raisins guide →
29. 🍞

    #29 · Toxic

    Can cats eat raw bread dough? — No, it's toxic

    Same mechanism.

    Symptoms: Same.

    Full Raw Bread Dough guide →
30. 🍣

    #30 · Toxic

    Can cats eat raw fish? — No, it's toxic

    Raw fish contains thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1. Causes neurological damage with regular consumption.

    Symptoms: Loss of appetite, weakness, seizures, neurological symptoms.

    Full Raw Fish guide →
31. 🥔

    #31 · Toxic

    Can cats eat raw potato? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Raw Potato guide →
32. 🟢

    #32 · Toxic

    Can cats eat scallion / green onion? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Scallion / Green Onion guide →
33. 🌿

    #33 · Toxic

    Can cats eat scallions? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Symptoms: Same.

    Full Scallions guide →
34. 🧅

    #34 · Toxic

    Can cats eat shallot? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Shallot guide →
35. 🥃

    #35 · Toxic

    Can cats eat spirits / liquor? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Spirits / Liquor guide →
36. 🍅

    #36 · Toxic

    Can cats eat tomatoes (green/unripe)? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Tomatoes (green/unripe) guide →
37. 🧴

    #37 · Toxic

    Can cats eat vanilla extract? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Vanilla Extract guide →
38. 🍷

    #38 · Toxic

    Can cats eat wine? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Full Wine guide →
39. 🍞

    #39 · Toxic

    Can cats eat yeast dough? — No, it's toxic

    Same.

    Symptoms: Same.

    Full Yeast Dough guide →