Can cats eat xylitol?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
No. Never share xylitol with cats; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Source: Merck Veterinary Manual. The sources do not agree about cats. Pet Poison Helpline's xylitol page does not mention cats. Sugar-free products can hold other things that are bad for cats, so keep them away and call your vet if a cat eats some.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Why
The sources do not agree about cats. The Merck Veterinary Manual says dogs are the only domestic animals with reported xylitol poisoning and that cats are not at risk of low blood sugar or liver damage from it; the ASPCA and the FDA also say it is far less of a worry in cats. Pet Poison Helpline's xylitol page does not mention cats. Sugar-free products can hold other things that are bad for cats, so keep them away and call your vet if a cat eats some.
Good to know
Dogs are the main worry: the Merck Veterinary Manual says dogs are the only domestic species with reported xylitol poisoning, while it says cats are not at risk for low blood sugar or liver injury from it.
Watch for: Xylitol hides in sugar-free gum, candy, mints, baked goods, some peanut butters, toothpaste, chewable vitamins and some medicines, so read labels for xylitol or birch sugar.
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
"Xylitol 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 xylitol.
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
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs (checked October 29, 2026)
- ASPCA: Xylitol: The Sweetener That Is Not So Sweet for Pets (checked October 29, 2026)
- FDA: Paws Off Xylitol; It's Dangerous for Dogs (checked October 29, 2026)