Toxic Food and Plants For Cats and Dogs: What Have You Got In Your Mouth?!
We’ve compiled some of the most common foods and plants that are toxic to dogs and cats. While some foods and plants only cause mild irritation, others can lead to rapid organ failure or death, even from small exposures. Understanding their specific risks is essential for every cat and dog owner.
We have also included extra resources, how to be prepared and what to do if your pet eats something they shouldn’t have.
Toxic Foods For Cats And Dogs
The list highlights human foods that are the most common causes of toxicity in pets. For a more comprehensive list and free advice regarding ingestion, visit the Australian Animal Poisons Hotline.
Chocolate
Chocolate is a well-known hazard for dogs and remains one of the leading causes of dog toxicity cases.
It contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which can be toxic to cats and dogs. The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentration of these harmful substances.
Chocolate can also contain other toxic ingredients, such as sultanas, macadamia nuts, and Xylitol.
- Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, heart problems, increased thirst and urination, seizures, and, in severe cases, death. Even small amounts can upset a dog’s digestive system.
Onions & Garlic
Onions and similar foods such as garlic, chives, and leeks are harmful to cats and dogs as they contain N-propyl disulfide. This compound causes anemia by destroying red blood cells, resulting in a range of health issues. It’s important to note that all parts of the onion can be toxic, regardless of whether raw, cooked, or dried.
- Symptoms: Hemolytic anemia is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed, leading to symptoms such as pale gums, lethargy, red/brown urine, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, this can result in organ failure and death.
Grapes/Raisins/Sultanas
The exact cause of grape toxicity in dogs is still a bit of a mystery, and since every dog has a different tolerance level, there’s no known safe dose. It’s best to avoid them altogether. This includes raisins, sultanas, and hidden sources like fruit cakes or hot cross buns.
- Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially kidney damage or failure in dogs and cats. The signs of kidney damage may not be present at first, but they can include lethargy, increased thirst and urination, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, and dehydration.
Xylitol
It’s an artificial sweetener that is not so sweet for pets. It can be found in many sugar-free products, including candies, gum, and baked goods. It can trigger the release of excessive insulin, causing dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) and potentially damaging the liver or causing death.
Always check ingredient labels and keep xylitol-containing products far out of reach.
- Symptoms: Vomiting, lethargy, weakness, staggering, tremors, seizures, and coma. Signs of liver damage may appear later and include vomiting, lethargy, yellowing of the skin and gums, and abnormal bleeding or bruising.
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts can be harmful to dogs. While other nuts are high in fat and can lead to pancreatitis if consumed in large quantities, they are not typically as toxic as macadamia nuts.
- Symptoms: Tremors, hind limb weakness, pain, and lameness.
Meat & Bones
Meats like salami, fritz, ham, bacon, sausages, and other delicious-smelling meats can be very enticing for dogs, but it’s best to keep them out of reach. Too much fatty food can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Cooked bones should also be avoided as they can splinter and cause damage or tears to their digestive tract, or cause blockages in the intestines that require surgery. The same can occur with BBQ skewers, so ensure dogs don’t have access to bins containing scraps.
Avocado
Avocados contain a toxin called persin throughout the fruit, with higher levels found in unripe avocados. While severe poisoning is uncommon, some animals are more sensitive. Additionally, excessive avocado consumption can lead to pancreatitis due to its high-fat content.
- Symptoms: Digestive upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Toxic Plants For Cats And Dogs
This list highlights some of the most prevalent plant toxicities for cats and dogs, along with the most dangerous plant species commonly found in Australian gardens and homes.
For a more comprehensive list of toxic plants for cats and dogs, visit the ASPCA. Their database includes scientific names and common names, which is handy for accurate identification, as common names can be misleading or vary by region.
Lily
“True” lilies are extremely toxic to cats. Although the specific toxic principle in lilies is unknown, Lilium and Hemerocallis species are highly nephrotoxic (poisonous to the kidneys) and should never be kept in homes with cats.
Generally non-toxic to dogs, causing only mild gastrointestinal upset if ingested.
Lilies are perhaps the most common plant toxicity in cats, because they do not have to actually eat the plant to be affected. Even a tiny amount of pollen licked off fur, or a couple of sips of water from a vase containing lilies, can cause fatal kidney failure.
- Symptoms: Signs within the first 12 hours often include vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite. These early symptoms may briefly subside, leading owners to believe the cat is recovering. However, despite this temporary improvement, acute kidney damage continues to progress internally. As the kidneys fail, usually within 24 to 72 hours, signs include increased drinking, severe dehydration, weakness and seizures. Without immediate veterinary intervention, the cat will become critically ill and can pass away within 3 to 7 days.
Peace Lily
Whilst not as dangerous as a “true” lily, Peace Lilies contain insoluble calcium oxalates that can cause issues if chewed or ingested by cats and dogs.
- Symptoms: oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Severe swelling can occasionally lead to difficulty breathing, which is an emergency.
Sago Palm
Common in Australian landscapes, these plants contain the potent toxin cycasin, which can cause liver damage. While the entire plant is poisonous, the seeds (nuts) contain the highest concentration of the toxin and are the most lethal part.
- Symptoms: Initial signs include drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite. Neurological signs may develop within hours, including weakness, ataxia, tremors, or seizures. By the second or third day, the condition often worsens into severe liver failure, causing abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), bruising, blood clotting issues and dark, tarry stools and death.
Oleander
Frequently used as a hedge in Australia. Oleander contains cardiac glycosides (like oleandrin), which disrupt the electrical activity of the heart. All parts of the plant are highly toxic, including dried leaves and even the vase water in which the plant has been kept.
- Symptoms: Initial signs of ingestion include drooling, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain before progressing into lethargy (depression), tremors, abnormal heart rate/rhythm, collapse, and death.
Azaleas/Rhododendrons
Contain Grayanotoxins, which disrupt sodium channels, affecting the skeletal/cardiac muscles and the central nervous system. All parts of the plant (leaves, stems, flowers) are toxic.
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, lack of coordination, tremors, and temporary blindness. It can progress to low blood pressure, slow or irregular heart rate, seizures, coma, cardiovascular collapse and death.
Autumn Crocus
The toxic compounds are Colchicine and other alkaloids, which inhibit cell division throughout the body.
- Symptoms: Initial signs include drooling, abdominal pain, bloody vomiting and diarrhea. After 24–72 hours, signs can develop to weakness, respiratory distress, shock, and multi-organ failure (kidney/liver). After 3-7 days, it can cause bone marrow suppression (decreased white blood cells/platelets) and seizures.
Brunfelsia
Also known as ‘Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow’ or ‘Kiss-Me-Quick’, it is a popular ornamental shrub in Australia, known for flowers that fade from purple to lilac to white. Contains neurotoxins that act as both stimulants and depressants on the central nervous system. All parts are highly toxic, especially the berries and seed pods.
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing or sneezing, lethargy, incoordination, muscle tremors, and severe, rigid seizures that can last for several days.
Cyclamen
All parts of the plant contain the toxin Terpenoid saponin, but the tubers (roots) contain the highest concentration.
- Symptoms: small quantities cause salivation, vomiting, and diarrhea. Large quantities of ingestion, especially the tubers, cause heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, and death.
Castor Bean Plant
These are weeds that have become naturalised in Australia and can be found growing wild and in gardens. The Castor Bean contains ricin, a highly potent toxin that halts protein synthesis. Ingesting just 20mg of seeds can be fatal.
- Symptoms: signs may develop 12 to 48 hours after eating and include loss of appetite, increased thirst, weakness, colic, tremors, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, and fever. As the condition worsens, it may lead to bloody diarrhea, convulsions, coma, and eventually death.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera can be toxic, as the outer leaf contains saponins and anthraquinones. The inner gel is considered edible.
- Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, muscle tremors, changes in urine colour and mouth/throat irritation.
Tulips and Daffodils
Tulips contain the toxic principles Tulipalin A and B, whilst Daffodils have Lycorine and other alkaloids. The bulbs are the most toxic part of the plant.
- Symptoms: vomiting, depression, diarrhea and hypersalivation. Large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias.
Prevention First
Keep hazardous items out of reach by storing toxic foods in secure containers and out your pet’s reach. Supervise children to ensure they don’t drop scraps on the floor, and educate family members and guests about the dangers of sharing their meals with pets.
Before falling in love with a new leafy friend at the nursery, do a quick background check to ensure it’s safe. If you are lucky enough to receive a bouquet, keep in mind that many common flower arrangements contain lilies and shouldn’t be brought into your cat’s environment.
Safe Plants For Cats and Dogs
Fortunately, there are many beautiful, pet-friendly flora options, such as “Pet Grass,” which is perfectly safe for them to chew on. The Spider Plant (or Ribbon Plant) is a popular, pet-safe choice for the home. Other safe options include the Boston Fern, Calathea, Moth Orchid, Bamboo Palm, and African Violet. To make your research even easier, the ASPCA website provides a comprehensive list of non-toxic plants.
What To Do
If you know or suspect that your pet has ingested a potentially toxic plant or food, seek veterinary help immediately.
Treatment protocols vary based on the specific food or plant, the amount eaten, and the time since ingestion. Medical interventions may include inducing vomiting, giving activated charcoal to bind toxins, intravenous (IV) fluids for hydration and organ support, and administering medications to manage clinical symptoms.
If it is after-hours, use our handy interactive map to find and learn more about emergency vet clinics in Adelaide: Emergency Vets
Emergency App
We recommend downloading the ‘First Aid for Pets’ app. It provides a comprehensive list of toxic substances and guidance on how to respond if you suspect your pet has ingested them.
The app also offers first aid advice for various illnesses and injuries, as well as links to 24/7 emergency vet clinics.
