Cats are usually pickier than dogs, which protects them from a lot. But the risky foods for cats are less famous than the dog list, and a couple of cat-specific traps masquerade as treats. Here’s what’s worth knowing.

Onions and garlic — the big one

Everything in the allium family (onion, garlic, chives, leeks) damages cats’ red blood cells, and cats are more sensitive to it than dogs. The common route isn’t a raw onion — it’s onion or garlic powder hiding in broth, gravy, baby food, or seasoned leftover chicken. If you share cooked meat, share it unseasoned.

The milk myth

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. A saucer of milk usually doesn’t poison anyone, but it reliably causes digestive upset. If your cat adores dairy, lactose-free cat milk exists; regular milk is a misplaced tradition, not a treat.

The tuna trap

Tuna as an occasional treat is fine. Tuna as a diet is not: it’s nutritionally incomplete for cats, and heavy, frequent tuna feeding raises mercury exposure. Canned tuna in brine also carries salt a cat doesn’t need. The general rule: human canned fish is a garnish, not a meal plan.

Raw dough and alcohol

Raw yeast dough is doubly dangerous: it expands in a warm stomach, and the fermenting yeast produces alcohol. Cats are very small animals — what counts as a trace of alcohol for you is a real dose for them.

Chocolate and caffeine

Less famous than for dogs only because cats rarely volunteer to eat it — but theobromine and caffeine are just as toxic to cats. The risk peaks with anything dark, concentrated, or powdered (cocoa).

Not food, but in the kitchen: lilies

One non-food item belongs on this list because it’s that serious: lilies. For cats, every part of a true lily — petals, leaves, pollen, even vase water — can cause acute kidney failure. If you have a cat, the safest lily bouquet is the one you didn’t bring home.

If your cat ate something on this list

Same playbook as for dogs: don’t wait for symptoms, call your vet or a pet poison hotline, and have the what / how much / when / body-weight numbers ready.

This article is general information, not veterinary advice. When in doubt, call your vet.

Which everyday foods are dangerous for cats?