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Can cats eat chocolate?

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

No. Never share chocolate with cats; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Pet Poison Helpline says chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, though most of its chocolate calls are about dogs. The FDA also lists chocolate as a danger for dogs and cats. Treat it as a poison for cats too and call a vet or poison line if a cat eats some.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Never: call nowKeep it away from them.

Why

Pet Poison Helpline says chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, though most of its chocolate calls are about dogs. The FDA also lists chocolate as a danger for dogs and cats. Treat it as a poison for cats too and call a vet or poison line if a cat eats some.

Good to know

The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is: VCA ranks cocoa beans and cocoa powder highest, then baking chocolate, semi-sweet, milk, and white chocolate lowest.

Watch for: Chocolate hides in baked goods, syrup, hot cocoa, cocoa mulch and chocolate-covered espresso beans or nuts, and these can also contain xylitol, raisins or macadamia nuts. If a pet eats any, call a vet or Pet Poison Helpline.

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

"Chocolate 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 chocolate.

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