Can Cats Eat Avocado? Best Avoided: Pit, Skin and Fat

Why avocado is a poor choice for cats

Avocado contains persin, a natural fungicide found mostly in the leaves, skin and pit. Persin is seriously dangerous to birds, rabbits, horses and goats, and much less so to cats and dogs, but Cornell's Feline Health Center still lists avocados among foods that are off-limits for cats.

The flesh is low in persin but very high in fat. Cats are obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients found in animal products, and a rich, plant-based fat adds calories without anything a cat's body uses well. Sudden fatty foods are a common cause of vomiting and diarrhea in cats.

The pit, skin and leaves

Never let a cat chew the skin or pit. Both contain more persin than the flesh, and the pit is hard and slippery enough to lodge in a cat's throat or intestine. Pet Poison Helpline names intestinal obstruction as the main danger of an avocado seed for cats and dogs.

Avocado plants grown indoors are another source. A cat that chews the leaves of a houseplant avocado can vomit or drool. Keep pits, peels and plants out of reach, and use a lidded kitchen trash can and compost bin.

Many cats do better with small, slow portions, and a puzzle feeder or a slow feeder bowl helps with both.

Guacamole and avocado dishes

Guacamole is the most common way cats get avocado, usually by licking a bowl. Most recipes include onion and garlic, which damage red blood cells and are more harmful to cats than to dogs, plus salt, lime and chili. Treat a guacamole lick-up as a reason to call for advice.

Avocado toast, sushi rolls and salads can carry garlic, onion, soy sauce or raw fish. Avocado oil is almost pure fat and can upset a cat's stomach even in small amounts. Note what was in the dish and roughly how much your cat ate before you call.

If your cat ate avocado

A small lick of plain flesh: offer water and watch for vomiting or loose stool over the next day. Most cats are fine. Skin, leaves or a larger amount of flesh: call your vet for advice, especially for a kitten, a senior cat or a cat with a sensitive stomach.

Any piece of pit, or guacamole: call your vet or a poison line now. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home. A swallowed piece of pit may need an x-ray, and the sooner a blockage is found, the simpler it is to treat.

Signs to watch for

Stomach upset from avocado usually shows up within a few hours to a day as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling or refusing food. Most mild cases settle within 24 hours with fresh water and no treats.

See a vet the same day if your cat vomits repeatedly, strains in the litter box without producing stool, has a tender belly, hides and refuses food, or seems weak, pale or breathing fast after eating guacamole. Those signs can mean a blockage or onion and garlic poisoning.

Kittens and better treats

Kittens explore with their mouths and are the most likely to bat an avocado pit across the floor and chew it. There is no reason to offer avocado to a kitten. Use a complete kitten food and treats made for cats.

If your cat wants a share of your snack, give a small piece of plain cooked chicken or turkey with no skin or seasoning, or a teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin. Keep all treats under 10 to 15 percent of the day's calories.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.