Food safety

Can Cats Eat Garlic?

Toxic — call your vet now — Garlic for cats.

Toxic — call your vet now

Why: Garlic is in the same family as onion and is more potent gram for gram. Its sulphur compounds damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Raw, cooked and powdered garlic are all toxic, and garlic is sometimes wrongly suggested as a flea remedy — it is not safe for cats in any amount.

If your cat ate garlic: Call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. Note how much was eaten and in what form. Pale gums, weakness, rapid breathing, vomiting or dark urine need veterinary care the same day.

Related: Onion, BBQ Sauce, Sausage, Beef Jerky

Why this verdict

Garlic is in the same family as onion and is more potent gram for gram. Its sulphur compounds damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Raw, cooked and powdered garlic are all toxic, and garlic is sometimes wrongly suggested as a flea remedy — it is not safe for cats in any amount.

If your cat ate garlic

Call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. Note how much was eaten and in what form. Pale gums, weakness, rapid breathing, vomiting or dark urine need veterinary care the same day.

Related foods

Onion, BBQ Sauce, Sausage, Beef Jerky

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.