Can Cats Eat Cherries? No — Pits, Stems and Leaves Are Toxic

Why cherries are dangerous for cats

Cherries belong to the Prunus group of plants, along with peaches, plums and apricots. The ASPCA's plant database lists cherry as toxic to cats and names cyanogenic glycosides as the toxic principle: compounds in the stems, leaves and seeds that release cyanide when chewed or digested, and which it says are particularly toxic as the plant wilts.

Cyanide stops the body's cells from using oxygen. The ASPCA lists brick red gums, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting and shock as clinical signs. A cat is small, so it takes less plant material to cause trouble than it would in a large dog.

What about the cherry flesh?

The ripe red flesh is not where the cyanide compounds sit, so a cat that licked cherry juice or nibbled a sliver of pitted fruit is unlikely to be poisoned. It may still vomit or have loose stool, because fruit sugar is not something a cat's digestive system is built for.

There is no benefit to sharing. The Cornell Feline Health Center describes cats as obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients from animal products. Maraschino cherries, cherry pie filling and cherry-flavored candy add sugar and sometimes artificial sweeteners, so they are worse rather than better.

If your cat ate a cherry or chewed the plant

Remove any remaining cherries, stems and pits, and check your cat's mouth. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home. Work out what was eaten: a whole cherry with the pit, chewed pits, stems or leaves from a tree or a cut branch.

Call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 straight away for any chewed pit, stems or leaves, even if your cat seems well. A fee may apply. Treatment works best before signs appear, so do not wait to see what happens.

How much cherry is safe

There is no safe amount of cherry pits, stems or leaves for a cat, and no reason to offer the fruit. A lick of juice from a pitted cherry is unlikely to harm a healthy adult cat of 8 to 12 lb, but anything more is not worth the risk.

Keep bowls of fresh cherries, cherry stones on plates, and cut cherry blossom branches out of reach. If you have a cherry tree, fallen wilting leaves in the yard are the form the ASPCA describes as particularly toxic, so rake them up where cats roam.

A feeding mat under a ceramic bowl keeps any shared food in one place and easy to clean up.

Kittens and cherries

Kittens are drawn to small round objects that roll, and a cherry or a loose pit is exactly that. A kitten that bats a cherry across the floor may well chew it, and its tiny body makes any cyanide exposure more serious.

A pit is also large enough to lodge in a kitten's throat or intestine. Keep cherries and pits off counters and out of trash a kitten can reach, and call your vet straight away if a kitten has chewed or swallowed one.

Signs of cherry poisoning and when to call a vet

Signs of cyanide poisoning can appear within minutes to a few hours: bright, brick red gums, dilated pupils, rapid or difficult breathing, panting, drooling, vomiting, weakness, collapse and shock. These are an emergency; go to the nearest emergency vet immediately.

A swallowed pit can also cause a blockage, with vomiting, refusing food, a painful belly or straining in the litter box over the next day or two. Call your vet the same day for any of those signs, and mention that your cat had access to cherries.

Safer treats for cats

Cats get far more from a thumbnail-size piece of plain cooked chicken, turkey or white fish than from any fruit. Commercial cat treats, especially freeze-dried meat, are another simple choice, and Cornell suggests keeping all treats to about 10 to 15 percent of daily calories.

If your cat likes to chew plants, grow a pot of cat grass and check the ASPCA plant list before bringing flowers or branches into the house.

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