Toxic to cats · Foods

Is Star Fruit toxic to cats?

High severity

Yes, Star Fruit is highly toxic to cats. Exposure can cause serious illness and needs prompt veterinary attention.

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Is star fruit toxic to dogs and cats?

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What to do right now

  1. Move your cat away from the fruit and put any leftovers out of reach.
  2. Call your vet or an animal poison line now, even if your cat seems fine. In the US: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661.
  3. Don't try to make your cat vomit, and don't give it anything by mouth unless a vet tells you to.
  4. Tell the vet whether the fruit was sweet or sour, roughly how much your cat ate and when. If you can, bring the rest of the fruit or its label.
  5. Tell the vet if your cat has kidney disease or may be dehydrated. VETgirl says these pets may be more at risk.

Go to an emergency vet if

  • Your cat trembles, walks unsteadily or seems very weak. These can be signs of low blood calcium.
  • Your cat has a seizure, is unconscious or has trouble breathing. Take it straight to a vet clinic.
  • Your cat keeps vomiting, drools heavily or stops eating.
  • Your cat drinks and urinates much more than usual, passes little or no urine, or has blood in its urine. These can be signs of kidney injury.
  • Your cat ate sour star fruit, or it has kidney disease, even if it shows no signs yet.

Symptoms to watch for

  • Drooling
  • Inappetance
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Weakness
  • Tremors
  • Bloody urine
  • Changes in thirst
  • Changes in urination

How much is dangerous

No toxic dose has been published for cats. VETgirl says there is no known toxic dose reported in small animals. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension lists star fruit among the plants toxic to both dogs and cats. Pet Poison Helpline says sour star fruit contains dangerous concentrations of soluble oxalates, and that sweet star fruit contains very little and is not poisonous to pets that have healthy kidneys. None of the sources we checked describes a case in a cat or says whether cats are more or less at risk than dogs. Pets that are dehydrated or have chronic kidney failure may be more at risk, so tell your vet if your cat has kidney problems.

When signs appear

None of the sources we checked gives timings for cats. For soluble oxalate plants in pets, the Merck Veterinary Manual says the first signs after a large ingestion are vomiting and signs of low blood calcium: tiredness, wobbly walking, tremors and seizures. If the kidneys are damaged, VETgirl says signs such as drinking and urinating more, abnormal amounts of urine or blood in the urine may be seen 24 to 36 hours after eating. Don't wait for signs before you call your vet.

Why it's dangerous

Soluble oxalate salts are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and bind with the body's calcium, causing a sudden drop in calcium levels and potential acute renal failure.

Toxic compound: Soluble calcium oxalate

How vets treat it

No treatment plan written for cats was found. For soluble oxalate plants in pets, the Merck Veterinary Manual describes decontamination (making the pet vomit, then one dose of activated charcoal with a laxative) followed by a drip (IV fluids) for 24 to 48 hours, calcium gluconate into a vein if blood calcium drops, and kidney checks during the hospital stay. VETgirl adds anti-nausea medicine, blood and urine tests for low calcium, oxalate crystals and kidney injury, and more aggressive treatment for pets that are dehydrated or have chronic kidney failure. Your vet decides whether making your cat vomit is appropriate.

Outlook

No outcome figures for cats were found, and none of the sources we checked describes a case in a cat. The Merck Veterinary Manual says exposure to soluble oxalate plants is not common in companion animals, but life-threatening signs may occur. VETgirl says kidney injury from these plants is generally thought to be rare.

Where pets are exposed

  • Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola), also called carambola or five-finger. The fruit has a thin, waxy, light to dark yellow skin and five ribs, so slices are shaped like stars.
  • Kitchens. Star fruit is mostly eaten fresh. It is sliced into fruit salads and used as a garnish on meat, salads and casseroles.
  • Sweet and sour kinds. There are two main types of star fruit, sweet and tart (sour). Sweet types are recommended for eating fresh, and both types are used in cooking and home recipes. The Merck Veterinary Manual and Pet Poison Helpline name sour star fruit as the dangerous kind: Pet Poison Helpline says it contains dangerous concentrations of soluble oxalates.
  • Garden trees in warm climates. The carambola tree is grown in tropical and warm subtropical areas around the world, and in the US it is grown commercially in southern Florida and Hawaii. It is a small to medium evergreen tree, 7 to 10 m (22 to 33 ft) tall. In south Florida, the harvest season generally runs from June through February, and a few fruits are usually available all year.
  • Related plants. Star fruit belongs to the same plant family as shamrock (Oxalis). The Merck Veterinary Manual lists shamrock, sorrel and dock among the other plants that contain soluble oxalates, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension adds rhubarb leaves.

Prevention

  • Don't share star fruit with your dog or cat. The two dogs in the 2019 report fell ill after their owner gave them some.
  • Keep fruit bowls, fruit salads and dishes garnished with star fruit out of your pets' reach.
  • If you grow a carambola tree, keep your dog from eating its fruit and pick up fruit that falls. In south Florida, the harvest season generally runs from June through February, and a few fruits are usually available all year.
  • Take extra care if your pet has kidney disease. Pet Poison Helpline's note that sweet star fruit isn't poisonous applies only to pets with healthy kidneys, and VETgirl says pets with chronic kidney failure or dehydration may be more at risk.
  • Keep shamrock plants (Oxalis) out of reach too. Like sour star fruit, they contain soluble oxalates, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Good to know

Soluble oxalates must be differentiated from insoluble oxalates, which are less toxic. While more common in livestock, large ingestions are dangerous for small animals.

Common questions

Can dogs eat star fruit?

No, don't share it. Pet Poison Helpline lists star fruit as toxic to pets: sour star fruit contains dangerous concentrations of soluble oxalates, which can cause vomiting, drooling, weakness, trembling, low blood calcium and kidney injury. In a 2019 report, two dogs vomited and drooled a few minutes after eating star fruit their owner gave them, and both improved with treatment. Call your vet or a pet poison line if your dog eats some.

Is star fruit toxic to cats?

Yes. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension lists star fruit as toxic to both dogs and cats, and Pet Poison Helpline and the Merck Veterinary Manual describe the same soluble oxalate poisoning in pets. None of the sources we checked describes a case in a cat or says whether cats are more or less at risk than dogs. Call your vet if your cat eats star fruit.

Is sweet star fruit less dangerous than sour star fruit?

Pet Poison Helpline says sour star fruit contains dangerous concentrations of soluble oxalates, while sweet star fruit contains very little and is not poisonous to pets that have healthy kidneys. The Merck Veterinary Manual also names sour star fruit. Both types are used in cooking and home recipes, so you may not know which kind your pet ate, and VETgirl says pets that are dehydrated or have chronic kidney failure may be more at risk. Call your vet either way.

Why is star fruit dangerous for pets?

Star fruit contains soluble oxalates. The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that after a large ingestion they bind to calcium in the body, which causes a drop in blood calcium (hypocalcemia) with signs such as tremors and seizures. Calcium oxalate crystals can also form in the kidneys and damage them. VETgirl compares this kidney damage to antifreeze (ethylene glycol) poisoning, and Pet Poison Helpline mentions urine containing calcium oxalate crystals.

My dog ate star fruit. What should I do?

Call your vet or a pet poison line now, even if your dog seems fine, and don't make it vomit at home unless the vet tells you to. Tell the vet whether the fruit was sweet or sour, roughly how much your dog ate and when, and whether it has kidney disease. VETgirl says signs of kidney injury can appear 24 to 36 hours after eating, so don't wait for signs.

Sources

This page is informational and is not veterinary advice. If your pet has been exposed to something risky, contact your vet or an animal poison control line right away.

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