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Can cats eat onions?

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

No. Never share onions with cats; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Onions are poisonous to cats too, and Pet Poison Helpline says cats are more sensitive than most dogs. The ASPCA also says cats are more susceptible. Call a vet or a poison line right away.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Never: call nowKeep it away from them.

Why

Onions are poisonous to cats too, and Pet Poison Helpline says cats are more sensitive than most dogs. The ASPCA also says cats are more susceptible. Call a vet or a poison line right away.

Good to know

Onion, garlic, chives, leeks and shallots are all the same plant family, and the harm is to the blood's red cells, so it is not just a stomach problem.

Watch for: Onion hides in gravy, stuffing, soups and baby food, so a bite from a dinner plate can count.

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

"Onions 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 onions.

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