Can cats eat coffee and caffeine?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
No. Never share coffee and caffeine with cats; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Pet Poison Helpline and VCA both say cats are more sensitive to caffeine than people, and VCA says one or two caffeine pills can be fatal for small dogs and cats. Pet Poison Helpline gives no cat-only details.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Why
Pet Poison Helpline and VCA both say cats are more sensitive to caffeine than people, and VCA says one or two caffeine pills can be fatal for small dogs and cats. Pet Poison Helpline gives no cat-only details. Call a vet or poison line if a cat eats grounds, beans or pills.
Good to know
Unused coffee grounds, beans, tea bags and supplements are the biggest risk, much more than a lick of a drink.
Watch for: Caffeine hides in energy drinks, diet pills, some cold medicines, pre-workout supplements, coffee ice cream and chocolate-covered coffee beans.
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
"Coffee and caffeine 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 coffee and caffeine.
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
- Pet Poison Helpline: Caffeine (checked October 29, 2026)
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Caffeine Toxicity in Pets (checked October 29, 2026)