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Can cats eat cherries?

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

No. Never share cherries with cats; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Pet Poison Helpline says cherry pits, stems and leaves hold cyanide that is released when a pit is cracked, and a swallowed pit can block a cat's intestines. If a cat eats cherries, call a vet and Pet Poison Helpline. Pits, stems and leaves are the trouble.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Never: call nowKeep it away from them.

Why

Pet Poison Helpline says cherry pits, stems and leaves hold cyanide that is released when a pit is cracked, and a swallowed pit can block a cat's intestines. If a cat eats cherries, call a vet and Pet Poison Helpline.

Good to know

Pet Poison Helpline says the ripe flesh around the pit is the only part not counted as toxic. Pits, stems and leaves are the trouble.

Watch for: Cherry stems and leaves count too, not just the pit.

Already ate it?

Call now, even if your pet seems fine. Say what was eaten, how much and when, and have your pet's weight ready.

Poison emergency? Call now

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

For the children

"Cherries can make cats very sick. Never share this food, and tell a grown-up right away if a pet gets some."

A job: Be the label reader. Before a grown-up shares any food with the cat, check this page, and ask a grown-up if the food is not on it.

A fridge sheet

Never give cats cherries.

If cats eat some, don't wait. Call right away, even if they seem fine.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435, 24 hours. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-ups included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your cat. Cats differ.

Sources