The foods that are toxic to dogs get a great deal of attention — we're looking at you, chocolate and grapes — but we hear rather less about what harms cats. The worrying part is that the list is longer, because alongside certain foods, a range of medications, plants, and household items are dangerous to cats too.
There's no need to panic, though, as long as you know what to watch for and take sensible precautions. Here are some of the medicines, plants, foods, and household items that can poison a cat.
Food That is Toxic to Cats
There's considerable overlap with the canine list here:
- Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks — in any form, including powdered, which is more concentrated than fresh
- Chocolate, coffee, and anything else containing caffeine
- Grapes and raisins
- Alcohol
- Xylitol and other artificial sweeteners, found in sugar-free gum, candy, some peanut butters, and some toothpastes
- Raw yeast dough
- Raw fish in quantity, which can cause thiamine deficiency
You're surely not feeding your cat any of these deliberately, but cats are opportunists — so it's worth being careful while you're cooking and eating, and keeping these items put away rather than out on the counter. Onion and garlic powder deserve particular attention, since they turn up in stock, gravy, baby food, and a great many prepared sauces.
Human Medicines That Are Harmful to Cats
Some human medications are used in cats under veterinary direction, but never give your cat a human medicine without speaking to us first. Beyond the risk of the drug itself, cats are far smaller than we are and their livers process many drugs differently, so a dose that's trivial for a person can be lethal for a cat.
Some to be particularly careful with:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) — extremely toxic to cats. A single regular-strength tablet can kill one.
- Ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin — all dangerous
- Antidepressants
- ADHD medications such as methylphenidate
- Cold and flu remedies, particularly decongestants
- Diet pills
- Vitamins and herbal supplements
- Cancer medications
- Medications prescribed for your dog — cats are not small dogs, and several common canine drugs are unsafe for them
Keep tablets in closed containers rather than loose on a nightstand, and pick up anything dropped straight away.
Plants That Can Be Toxic to Cats
Lilies deserve to be first on this list rather than buried in it. True lilies and daylilies — Easter, Asiatic, Tiger, Stargazer, Japanese Show, and daylilies — cause acute kidney failure in cats, and every part of the plant is dangerous. The petals, leaves, stem, pollen, and even the water in the vase. A cat who brushes past a lily and later grooms the pollen from their coat can be poisoned.
Treatment works if it's started early, so if you think your cat has had any contact with a lily, don't wait for signs to appear — call us immediately. The safest approach is simply not to have lilies in a house with cats, and to check bouquets before bringing them in.
Other plants worth knowing about:
- Sago palm — highly toxic, particularly the seeds
- Azaleas and rhododendrons
- Tulips and hyacinths, especially the bulbs
- Daffodils, especially the bulbs
- Chrysanthemums
- Aloe
- Oleander
- Dieffenbachia and philodendron
- Cannabis — increasingly common as a cause of poisoning now that it's legal in many states, and edibles are doubly dangerous if they also contain chocolate or xylitol
Poinsettia and mistletoe have a worse reputation than they deserve — poinsettia generally causes mild mouth irritation and an upset stomach rather than serious illness. Mistletoe and holly are more of a concern, but neither is in the same category as lilies.
If you'd like cat-safe greenery, spider plants, Boston ferns, and cat grass are all fine, and a pot of cat grass often satisfies the urge to chew on your other plants.
Household Items That Can Be Dangerous to Cats
Cats are curious, which is charming until it isn't. Common household hazards include:
- String, thread, yarn, dental floss, ribbon, tinsel, and hair ties — the most important item on this list. These cause what we call linear foreign bodies, where one end lodges while the rest is pulled through the intestine, and they're among the more serious emergency surgeries we perform. Never pull a string you can see protruding from either end of your cat — call us.
- Toys with small parts, bells, or googly eyes that can come off
- Cooked bones
- Holiday decorations, especially tinsel and glass ornaments
- Glow sticks — the liquid isn't usually seriously toxic but tastes appalling and causes drooling and vomiting
- Jewelry and small shiny objects
- Rubber bands and elastic hair ties
- Plastic bags, which some cats chew
- Recliners, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers — check inside and underneath before using them
Cat-proofing is a lot like baby-proofing: you have to look at the room the way they do. Bright, shiny, and dangly is exactly what attracts them, which is why the wand toy you play with together should go away in a drawer afterward rather than being left out.
Chemicals, Cleaners, and Insecticides
Some of these taste better to a cat than you'd expect, which is part of the problem.
- Antifreeze — the most dangerous item here. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet, and a very small amount causes fatal kidney failure. Clean up spills in the garage or driveway immediately, and treat any suspected exposure as an emergency, since treatment only works if it starts early.
- Flea and tick products made for dogs — permethrin-based products are lethal to cats. Never use a dog product on a cat, and check with us before treating a dog in a household with cats. Only use products intended for cats.
- Rodent bait and insecticides — and bear in mind a cat can be poisoned by eating a poisoned rodent
- Detergents, especially concentrated laundry pods
- Bleach and other household cleaners
- De-icing salts, which irritate paws and are harmful if licked off
- Fertilizers and herbicides
- Lead, in old paint, some linoleum, and batteries
- Essential oils and liquid potpourri — cats lack an enzyme needed to process many of these, and tea tree, citrus, pine, eucalyptus, and wintergreen oils are all a problem. Diffusers are worth avoiding in a house with cats.
What to Do If Your Cat Has Been Poisoned
None of this is meant to alarm you — it's a prompt to take a look around and make your home a bit safer. It's also worth knowing what poisoning looks like, since cats hide illness well.
Signs to watch for:
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Drooling, or foaming at the mouth
- Tremors, twitching, or seizures
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Dilated pupils
- Weakness, wobbliness, or collapse
- Lethargy or unusual hiding
- Confusion or disorientation
- Increased drinking and urinating
- Skin irritation or burns around the mouth
- Pale, bluish, or brownish gums
If you suspect poisoning:
- Call us or your nearest emergency hospital immediately, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on 888-426-4435. Note that a consultation fee may apply.
- Don't wait for signs to develop. With several of the poisons above — lilies, antifreeze, acetaminophen — treatment started before your cat looks unwell is the difference between recovery and organ failure.
- Take the packaging with you if you have it, so we know exactly what and roughly how much.
- Don't try to make your cat vomit unless we've specifically told you to. Some substances cause further damage on the way back up, and home methods used in dogs are not safe in cats.
- If something is on their coat or paws, stop them grooming it off if you safely can, and mention it when you call.
We may ask you to bring a sample of vomit, urine, or feces. It's unpleasant, but it can tell us a great deal about what your cat has taken.
Finally, please don't feel embarrassed. These things happen in careful households, and the sooner you call the better the outcome — we would far rather hear from you about a false alarm than treat a cat who waited.
Contact us right away if you have questions about what's toxic to cats, or if you think your cat may have gotten into something they shouldn't have.