TOXIC ITEMS YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE YOUR PETS
For pet owners, many aspects of pet care already seem incredibly daunting or cause unnecessary anxiety. One of the biggest questions many pet parents ask is "Is this safe for Fido/Kitty?" In this article, we'll cover some of the major and more niche household items, foods, and ingredients that could silently be harming your pet without you even knowing! Hopefully, by the end, you'll have a better understanding of everything you should avoid giving your best friend and leave with confidence and more knowledge you can share with friends and family to help their pets, too!
Author~ Tracy Dirian April 30th 2026
If your pet eats something toxic:
Call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline ASAP! Timing is everything. If you think your pet has accidentally eaten something they shouldn't have, contact a veterinary professional ASAP!
Common symptoms of poisoning in cats and dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, lethargy, tremors, seizures, breathing issues, bloating, or collapse.
ALL ITEMS THAT ARE TOXIC & POTENTIALLY DEADLY TO YOUR CAT:
SWEETS, DRINKS & HUMAN FOODS:
-Chocolate / Cocoa / Cacao
Contains theobromine + caffeine
Effects: Vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, death
-Coffee / Tea / Energy Drinks / Caffeine Pills
Effects: Restlessness, rapid heartbeat, tremors, seizures, heart failure
-Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor, raw dough with yeast)
Effects: Disorientation, vomiting, breathing trouble, coma, death
-Xylitol sometime labeled as ‘Birch Sugar’(sugar-free gum, candy, peanut butter, baked goods)
Less common in cats than in dogs, but still dangerous
Effects: Vomiting, weakness, liver damage, low blood sugar
-Raw Bread Dough (yeast)
Expands in the stomach + alcohol production
Effects: Bloating, pain, alcohol poisoning
ONIONS, GARLIC & ALLIUM FAMILY (VERY DANGEROUS):
Includes:
-Onion (raw, cooked, powdered)
-Garlic
-Chives
-Leeks
-Shallots
-Scallions
Effects: Damage red blood cells → anemia
Symptoms: Weakness, pale gums, lethargy, rapid breathing, collapse
FRUITS & PLANTS:
-Grapes / Raisins / Currants
Can cause kidney failure
Effects: Vomiting, lethargy, dehydration, kidney shutdown
-Avocado
Persin + fat risk
Effects: GI upset, vomiting, pancreatitis risk
-Citrus oils/peels (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit in large amounts)
Effects: Vomiting, drooling, nervous system depression
-Fruit pits/seeds (apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits)
Cyanide compounds or choking/blockage
Effects: Breathing issues, toxicity, obstruction
DAIRY & FATTY FOODS:
-Milk / Cream / Cheese (many cats are lactose intolerant)
Effects: Diarrhea, stomach upset
-Fat trimmings / Greasy foods / Fried foods
Effects: Pancreatitis, vomiting, diarrhea
-Bones (especially cooked)
Splintering risk
Effects: Choking, intestinal tears, blockage
RAW OR UNDER-COOKED:
-Raw eggs
Salmonella/E. coli
Effects: GI illness
-Raw meat / raw fish
Parasites/bacteria
Effects: Vomiting, diarrhea, infection
-Raw fish (frequent feeding)
Thiamine deficiency
Effects: Neurological issues, seizures
SALTY / SEASONED FOODS:
-Salt/salty snacks/chips/pretzels
Effects: Excessive thirst, vomiting, tremors, sodium poisoning
-Seasoning blends
May contain onion/garlic
Effects: Anemia or GI toxicity
NUTS & MISC:
-Macadamia nuts
Less documented in cats, but avoid
Effects: Weakness, tremors, GI upset
-Moldy food / spoiled food
Mycotoxins
Effects: Tremors, seizures, liver damage
HOUSEHOLD INGREDIENTS COMMONLY ACCIDENTALLY INGESTED:
-Essential oils (tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, citrus, pine, wintergreen, clove)
Cats cannot metabolize many oils well
Effects: Drooling, tremors, liver failure, breathing issues
-Cleaning products/bleach
Effects: Burns, drooling, vomiting, organ damage
-Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
Extremely deadly, tiny amounts
Effects: Kidney failure, wobbling, seizures, death
TOXIC PLANTS COMMONLY FOUND AROUND FOOD/HOMES:
-Lilies (Easter, Tiger, Day, Asiatic)
EXTREMELY DEADLY
Effects: Acute kidney failure, death
-Marijuana / THC edibles
Effects: Disorientation, drooling, seizures
-Tobacco/nicotine
Effects: Tremors, elevated heart rate, death
EXTREMELY DEADLY
HUMAN MEDICATIONS (COMMON KITCHEN/BATHROOM RISKS):
-Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
EXTREMELY DEADLY
Effects: Liver failure, facial swelling, breathing difficulty
-Ibuprofen / NSAIDs
Effects: Kidney failure, stomach ulcers
“SAFE IN SMALL AMOUNTS?” FOODS TO STILL LIMIT:
-Tuna (mercury + nutrient imbalance if excessive)
-Liver (vitamin A toxicity if overfed)
-Dog food (nutritionally incomplete for cats)
EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNS:
Seek immediate vet care if your cat has:
-Vomiting
-Drooling
-Tremors
-Weakness
-Pale gums
-Difficulty breathing
-Seizures
-Collapse
-Refusing food/water
SAFER TREAT OPTIONS:
-Plain cooked chicken
-Cooked turkey
-Small bits of salmon (fully cooked, unseasoned)
-Cat-safe store-bought or vet-approved homemade treats
ALL ITEMS THAT ARE TOXIC AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY TO YOUR DOG:
SWEETS, DRINKS & HUMAN FOODS:
-Chocolate / Cocoa / Cacao
Contains theobromine + caffeine
Dark chocolate and baking cocoa are especially dangerous
Effects: Vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, death
-Coffee / Tea / Energy Drinks / Caffeine Pills
Effects: Restlessness, elevated heart rate, overheating, tremors, seizures
-Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor, fermented foods)
Dogs are highly sensitive
Effects: Vomiting, low body temperature, slowed breathing, coma, death
-Xylitol- sometimes labeled as 'birch sugar' (sugar-free gum, candy, peanut butter, toothpaste, baked goods)
EXTREMELY dangerous
Effects: Rapid insulin spike, low blood sugar, vomiting, collapse, seizures, liver failure, death
-Raw Bread Dough (yeast)
Expands in the stomach + produces alcohol
Effects: Bloating, painful stomach distention, alcohol poisoning
ONIONS, GARLIC & ALLIUM FAMILY:
Includes:
-Onion (raw, cooked, powdered)
-Garlic
-Chives
-Leeks
-Shallots
-Scallions
Effects: Red blood cell damage → anemia
Symptoms: Weakness, pale gums, lethargy, rapid breathing, collapse
FRUITS & PLANTS:
-Grapes / Raisins / Currants
Can cause sudden kidney failure
Effects: Vomiting, lethargy, dehydration, kidney shutdown
-Avocado
Persin + high fat
Effects: Vomiting, diarrhea, pancreatitis risk
-Macadamia nuts
Particularly toxic to dogs
Effects: Weakness, vomiting, tremors, overheating, inability to walk
-Fruit pits/seeds (cherries, peaches, plums, apricots)
Cyanide risk + choking/blockage
Effects: Breathing trouble, intestinal obstruction
-Apple seeds (large amounts)
Cyanide compounds
Effects: Toxicity if consumed in significant quantity
FATTY, GREASY & HIGH-SALT FOODS:
-Bacon grease / fatty scraps / fried foods
Effects: Pancreatitis, vomiting, severe abdominal pain
-Cooked bones
Splintering hazard
Effects: Choking, internal injury, intestinal blockage
-Salt / salty snacks
Effects: Excessive thirst, vomiting, tremors, sodium poisoning
RAW OR UNDER COOKED:
-Raw eggs
Bacteria risk
Effects: GI upset
-Raw meat/poultry
Salmonella, E. coli, parasites
Effects: Infection, vomiting, diarrhea
-Raw salmon (specific parasite risk in some regions)
Effects: Salmon poisoning disease (can be fatal)
DAIRY:
-Milk/ice cream/cheese (large amounts)
Many dogs are lactose intolerant
Effects: Gas, diarrhea, stomach upset
COMMON “PEOPLE FOOD” RISKS:
-Corn cobs
Not toxic, but dangerous
Effects: Intestinal blockage
-Nutmeg
Myristicin toxicity
Effects: Hallucinations, tremors, seizures
-Moldy food/compost
Mycotoxins
Effects: Tremors, seizures, organ damage
HOUSEHOLD INGREDIENTS & ACCIDENTAL POISONS:
-Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
Tiny amounts can kill
Effects: Kidney failure, drunken behavior, seizures, death
-Rodent poison
Effects: Internal bleeding, seizures, death
-Cleaning products/bleach
Effects: Burns, drooling, vomiting, poisoning
-Essential oils (tea tree, penny-royal, wintergreen, pine, etc.)
Effects: Vomiting, tremors, liver damage
TOXIC PLANTS & OUTDOOR RISKS:
-Sago palm
Extremely deadly
Effects: Severe liver failure, seizures, death
-Lilies (some types are less dangerous than for cats, but it’s still risky)
Effects: GI upset, possible toxicity
-Mushrooms (wild varieties)
Some species can be fatal
Effects: Liver failure, seizures, death
-Marijuana / THC edibles
Effects: Stumbling, dribbling urine, low heart rate, seizures
-Nicotine (cigarettes, vapes, nicotine gum)
Effects: Tremors, rapid heart rate, collapse
HUMAN MEDICATIONS:
-Ibuprofen / Naproxen
Effects: Kidney failure, stomach ulcers
-Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Effects: Liver damage
-ADHD meds/antidepressants
Effects: Dangerous heart and neurological effects
BREED-SPECIFIC OR SPECIAL RISKS:
-Hops (beer brewing)
Especially dangerous
Effects: Rapid overheating, death
EXTREMELY DEADLY
-Blue cheese / Roquefort
Can contain roquefortine C
Effects: Tremors, seizures
EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNS:
Get urgent veterinary help if your dog shows:
-Repeated vomiting
-Distended abdomen/bloating
-Tremors
-Seizures
-Pale gums
-Weakness
-Excessive drooling
-Difficulty breathing
-Collapse
SAFER TREAT OPTIONS:
-Plain cooked chicken
-Carrots
-Blueberries
-Apple slices (no seeds)
-Pumpkin (plain)
-Dog-safe store-bought or vet-approved homemade treats
