What Foods Are Toxic to Cats?

HIGHLY DANGEROUS (can be fatal):

• Lilies (ALL parts) — Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Asiatic lilies, and Daylilies cause acute kidney failure in cats. Even pollen on fur that's groomed off can be fatal. This is the #1 plant killer of cats. Remove ALL lilies from your home if you have cats.
• Onions and garlic — even more toxic to cats than dogs. All forms (raw, cooked, powdered, dehydrated). Causes oxidative damage to red blood cells. Baby food often contains onion powder — check labels.
• Chocolate — cats are more sensitive to theobromine than dogs, but rarely eat it. Dark chocolate is most dangerous.
• Xylitol — found in sugar-free products. Causes rapid insulin release and liver damage.
• Alcohol — extremely dangerous even in small amounts. This includes hand sanitizer and vanilla extract.
• Raw yeast dough — expands in stomach and produces alcohol.
• Essential oils — tea tree oil, eucalyptus, citrus oils, peppermint, lavender, and cinnamon are toxic to cats even in diffused form.

MODERATELY DANGEROUS:

• Caffeine — coffee, tea, energy drinks.
• Grapes and raisins — less studied in cats than dogs, but potentially nephrotoxic.
• Raw eggs and raw meat — Salmonella risk; raw egg whites have avidin issue.
• Bones (cooked) — same splintering risk as dogs.
• Dog food (as a regular diet) — lacks taurine, an essential amino acid cats need. Taurine deficiency causes heart disease and blindness.

TOXIC HOUSEPLANTS (common):

• Lilies (FATAL), poinsettias, dieffenbachia, philodendron, sago palm, tulip bulbs, azalea.