Foods and Plants That Are Toxic to Dogs and Cats

How pets usually get into trouble

It is rarely dramatic. A bag left on the floor with sugar-free gum inside, a bouquet on the kitchen table, a pill dropped during a rushed morning, takeout left on the coffee table while you answer the door. In a small rowhouse kitchen or apartment, a curious dog or cat can reach most of it.

The FDA explains that how toxic something is depends on the kind of animal, how much it ate and, for plants, which part it ate. That is why this guide gives no safe amounts. The ASPCA asks owners to note how much was eaten and to contact a vet or its poison control line.

Our resources page links some third-party food lists. This guide sticks to what the ASPCA and the FDA publish, and links to each source so you can read the full entry.

People foods the ASPCA and FDA flag

Both organizations keep lists of foods to keep away from pets. These are the ones that come up most often in a home kitchen, with the concern each source describes:

• Chocolate, coffee and caffeine: the ASPCA says these can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, hyperactivity, an abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures, and that darker chocolate carries more risk.
• Xylitol: a sweetener in some sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods, toothpaste, mouthwash and cough syrup. The FDA says it can cause a rapid drop in a dog's blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes, and advises checking nut butter labels before using them as a treat.
• Grapes and raisins: the ASPCA says they can lead to kidney damage in dogs.
• Onions, garlic and chives: the ASPCA says they can irritate the gut and damage red blood cells; cats are more susceptible, and dogs are at risk too.
• Alcohol and raw yeast dough: the ASPCA notes that dough can expand in the stomach and also produces alcohol.
• Macadamia nuts: the ASPCA lists weakness, vomiting, tremors and overheating in dogs.
• Salty and fatty foods, bones and corn cobs: the ASPCA and FDA warn about salt poisoning, stomach upset and blockages.

Plants: lilies first, then the rest

For cat owners, lilies matter most. The FDA says plants in the true lily and daylily families are very dangerous to cats: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and even the water in the vase. Eating a small amount, or licking pollen off fur, can cause fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days. The FDA advises not bringing these lilies into a home with a cat. Dogs that eat them may get an upset stomach but, per the FDA, do not develop kidney failure.

The FDA adds that lily-of-the-valley and gloriosa lily are very dangerous to both cats and dogs, while calla and peace lilies irritate the mouth. Its list of other common plants that may be dangerous includes sago palm, azalea and rhododendron, tulip and hyacinth bulbs, daffodils, oleander, yew, English ivy, golden pothos, philodendron, aloe vera, chrysanthemum and poinsettia.

The ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants database lets you look up a plant by name before you buy it. The ASPCA notes that any plant can cause vomiting if eaten. If a sitter will be visiting your cat, our guide on how to prepare your cat for a cat sitter covers moving risky plants first.

Medicines and household products

The FDA warns against giving pets medicine meant for people or for another pet unless your vet directs it. It says pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen may harm pets, that acetaminophen is fatal to cats, and that some flea and tick products made for dogs can be dangerous or life-threatening for cats.

The FDA's list of non-food dangers includes antifreeze, ice melting products, rat and mouse bait, household cleaners such as bleach and toilet bowl cleaner, mothballs, liquid potpourri, fabric softener sheets, lawn fertilizers and weed killers, cocoa mulch, paints and solvents, tobacco and e-cigarette refills, and marijuana. It also warns that snack and chip bags can suffocate a dog that gets its head stuck inside. Our winter safety guide covers antifreeze and ice melt in more detail.

Setting up your home and your sitter

A few habits remove most of the risk: bags and coats with gum or medicine hung up high, pills kept behind a closed cabinet, the trash lidded, and lilies left out of homes with cats. Holidays bring extra food, guests and decorations, so our holiday travel guide is worth a look before a trip.

If someone else will care for your pet, write it down. Our post on what to put in your pet sitter's instructions suggests listing which human foods are off-limits. Add where cleaning products and medicines are kept, any plants in the house, and your vet's name and number. Our Petsitting Form already asks for your vet's details and for your consent before treats are given. During pet sitting and cat care visits, sitters follow the instructions you leave, and the cat care page says sitters let you know if eating or litter habits seem off.

If your pet eats something it should not

Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The ASPCA says the line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and that a consultation fee may apply. Have the package, the plant or a photo of it ready; the FDA says a photo of a lily helps the vet tell whether it is one of the highly toxic kinds.

Do not wait for signs and do not try home remedies; follow what the vet or the poison control team tells you. The FDA notes that some serious effects of xylitol may not appear for 12 to 24 hours, so a dog may need to be watched in a hospital. Our Petsitting Form asks for your consent for a sitter to take your pet to your vet in an emergency, but a sitter is not a substitute for veterinary care. Our pet emergency plan guide helps you set that up before you leave.