Food safety

Can Cats Drink Lemonade?

Not recommended — Lemonade for cats.

Not recommended

Why: Lemonade is sugar water with lemon juice. The sugar can upset a cat's stomach, and citrus oils and juice are irritating to cats. There is nothing in lemonade a cat needs.

If your cat ate lemonade: A few laps are not an emergency. Watch for drooling or an upset stomach. If it was sugar-free lemonade, check for xylitol and call your vet.

Related: Orange Juice, Soda, Cranberry Juice

Why this verdict

Lemonade is sugar water with lemon juice. The sugar can upset a cat's stomach, and citrus oils and juice are irritating to cats. There is nothing in lemonade a cat needs.

If your cat ate lemonade

A few laps are not an emergency. Watch for drooling or an upset stomach. If it was sugar-free lemonade, check for xylitol and call your vet.

Related foods

Orange Juice, Soda, Cranberry Juice

Check another food

Back to the Food-Safety Checker to check all 90 foods, or see the beginner feeding guide and the feeding estimator.

Before you use the result

Use the result as a starting point for observation and planning. Cats vary by age, body condition, temperament, medical history, and household setup.

Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and the Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat. Chocolate toxicity figures are approximate values from the Merck Veterinary Manual. If your cat ate something on the toxic list, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.