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Toxic Foods for Dogs & Cats — UK Reference
A complete, regularly reviewed list of foods and household items that are toxic to UK dogs and cats. Cross-checked against RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross and the Animal PoisonLine.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Emergency steps if you suspect poisoning
- Do not wait for symptoms. Many toxins (xylitol, grapes, lilies) cause damage hours before signs appear.
- Phone your vet first. Out of hours, the Animal PoisonLine (01202 509000) is a 24/7 UK service (£35–£45 fee).
- Take the packaging. Brand, ingredients, weight and time of ingestion are critical.
- Do not induce vomiting unless instructed — for caustics or petroleum products it makes things worse.
Toxic foods for dogs
Severity assumes ingestion within the past few hours. "Fatal" means death is possible without prompt treatment, even in small amounts.
| Food / substance | Severity | Typical symptoms | Why it's toxic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate (dark / baking) | Fatal | Vomiting, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures | Theobromine — dark and baking chocolate is most dangerous |
| Xylitol (sweetener, gum, peanut butter) | Fatal | Collapse, hypoglycaemia within 30 min, liver failure | Even tiny amounts (0.1 g/kg) cause insulin crash |
| Grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants | Fatal | Vomiting within hours, kidney failure 24–72 h | Toxic dose unpredictable — treat any ingestion as urgent |
| Onion, garlic, leek, chive, shallot | High | Pale gums, lethargy, dark urine (3–5 days later) | Damages red blood cells; cooked, raw and powdered all toxic |
| Macadamia nuts | High | Weakness in hind legs, tremors, fever | Only nut known to cause this syndrome in dogs |
| Alcohol & yeast dough | High | Disorientation, low body temp, breathing trouble | Raw dough ferments in stomach producing alcohol + gas |
| Cooked bones (esp. poultry) | High | Splintering, choking, gut perforation | Raw meaty bones under supervision are different |
| Avocado (stone, skin, leaves) | Moderate | Vomiting, diarrhoea; stone is a choking hazard | Persin toxicity — flesh in small amounts usually tolerated |
| Caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) | High | Restlessness, racing heart, seizures | Same mechanism as theobromine |
| Blue cheese & mouldy food | High | Tremors, seizures within 30 min | Roquefortine C and tremorgenic mycotoxins |
| Salt & salty snacks (crisps, Marmite) | Moderate | Excessive thirst, vomiting, sodium ion poisoning | Especially dangerous for small dogs |
| Raw eggs (long-term, raw only) | Low | Salmonella risk; biotin deficiency over time | Cooked eggs are safe and nutritious |
| Apple pips, cherry & peach stones | Moderate | Cyanide release on chewing; choking risk | Apple flesh is safe — remove core |
| Mushrooms (wild UK varieties) | Fatal | Vomiting, liver/kidney failure depending on species | Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) is the worst — autumn risk |
| Nutmeg & cinnamon (large amounts) | Moderate | Tremors, racing heart | A sprinkle in baking is generally fine |
| Raw bread dough | High | Bloat, alcohol toxicity | Yeast ferments in warm stomach |
| Hops (home brewing) | High | Malignant hyperthermia | Spent hops in compost are also dangerous |
Toxic foods for cats
Cats metabolise drugs and plant compounds very differently from dogs — many things that are mildly upsetting for a dog are lethal for a cat.
| Food / substance | Severity | Typical symptoms | Why it's toxic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lily (Easter, Tiger, Day, Asiatic — all parts) | Fatal | Vomiting, kidney failure within 24–72 h | Pollen on fur, water in vase — all toxic. No safe dose. |
| Paracetamol (acetaminophen) | Fatal | Brown gums, breathing difficulty, facial swelling | A single 500 mg tablet can kill an adult cat |
| Onion, garlic & allium family | High | Anaemia, lethargy, jaundice | Cats are far more sensitive than dogs |
| Chocolate | High | Vomiting, tremors, seizures | Cats rarely eat it voluntarily but still toxic |
| Grapes & raisins | High | Suspected kidney injury | Less data than dogs — avoid completely |
| Raw fish (long-term) | Moderate | Thiamine deficiency — neurological signs | Thiaminase enzyme destroys vitamin B1 |
| Milk & dairy (most adult cats) | Low | Diarrhoea, gas | Adult cats are largely lactose-intolerant |
| Dog food (as primary diet) | Moderate | Taurine deficiency — heart disease, blindness | Cats require taurine; dog food lacks enough |
| Tuna (as primary diet) | Moderate | Mercury accumulation, steatitis (yellow fat disease) | Occasional treat fine; staple diet not |
| Essential oils (tea tree, eucalyptus, citrus) | High | Drooling, tremors, liver damage | Cats lack glucuronyl transferase to metabolise them |
| Ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen | Fatal | Vomiting blood, kidney failure | Never give human painkillers to cats |
| Caffeine | High | Hyperactivity, seizures | Same as dogs |
| Alcohol | High | CNS depression, low temperature | Even small spills can affect a cat |
| Xylitol | Moderate | Less studied in cats than dogs; treat as toxic | Avoid all xylitol products |
UK household & garden hazards
| Hazard | Why it's dangerous | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) | Cats and dogs — tastes sweet; even 1 tsp can kill a cat | Store sealed, mop spills, call vet immediately |
| Slug & snail pellets (metaldehyde) | Tremors, seizures within an hour | Use pet-safe ferric phosphate alternatives |
| Rodenticides (warfarin, bromadiolone) | Internal bleeding 3–5 days later | Vitamin K1 antidote — take the packaging to the vet |
| Lilies in cut flowers | Fatal kidney damage in cats | Never have lilies in a house with cats |
| Permethrin dog flea treatments | Severe tremors and seizures in cats | Never use dog spot-on on a cat; separate treated dogs for 72 h |
| Daffodil bulbs | Vomiting, low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia | Most toxic part is the bulb |
| Adder bites (UK native snake) | Swelling, lameness, collapse — Apr–Oct | Carry pet, don't let them walk; emergency vet |
Frequently asked
Can dogs eat cheese?
In small amounts most dogs tolerate hard cheeses well. Avoid blue cheese (tremorgenic mycotoxins) and high-salt cheeses. Lactose-intolerant dogs will get diarrhoea.
Are bananas, apples and carrots safe?
Yes — banana flesh, peeled apple (no core or pips), blueberries, strawberries, peeled cucumber, carrot and cooked plain pumpkin are all dog-safe in moderation.
My cat licked a lily petal — should I wait and see?
No. Lily exposure in cats is a medical emergency. Even pollen groomed off the fur causes acute kidney injury. Go to the vet immediately.