Can Cats Eat Garlic? No — It Is Toxic to Cats

What to do right now if your cat ate garlic

Take away any remaining food and work out what it was: a clove, garlic powder, garlic butter, a sauce, a pizza crust or a seasoned meat. Note roughly how much your cat could have eaten and when. Then call your vet or a poison line straight away, even if your cat seems completely normal.

Do not try to make your cat vomit at home. Merck recommends decontamination by a vet for recent ingestion, using drugs suited to cats, and home methods can hurt a cat. Speed matters most in the first hours, before signs appear.

If you share a safe morsel, offering it from a shallow cat bowl or hiding it in a puzzle feeder keeps the amount small.

Why garlic is so dangerous for cats

Garlic belongs to the Allium family with onions, chives and leeks. The ASPCA says Allium vegetables can cause gastrointestinal irritation and red blood cell damage that can lead to anemia, and that cats are more susceptible than dogs. Pet Poison Helpline also says cats are more sensitive to Alliums than dogs.

Merck explains the scale: cats are the most susceptible species, and garlic is three to five times more toxic than onion. Poisoning in cats most often follows concentrated forms such as powders, dried flakes and soup mixes, and Merck records cases after less than a teaspoon of cooked onion, so there is no amount of garlic that is known to be safe for a cat.

Where cats find garlic

Garlic hides in a lot of people food. Garlic powder is in seasoned chicken, rotisserie rubs, deli meat, sausage, meatballs and many soups and broths. Pasta sauce, pizza, garlic bread, pesto, hummus, stir-fries and gravy usually contain it too, as do some baby foods.

Cats also lick plates, pans and cutting boards. Garlic supplements and garlic-based flea remedies sold for pets are not safe for cats either. Never give your cat garlic as a supplement or remedy, and ask your vet before using any product that lists it.

Signs of garlic poisoning, and when they appear

Early signs, within hours, can be stomach upset: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea or a reduced appetite. Merck notes the more serious effect comes later: several days after ingestion, signs of acute hemolytic anemia develop, with red blood cell destruction typically three to five days after exposure.

Merck lists lethargy, reduced appetite, rapid breathing, a fast heart rate, weakness and yellowing of the gums, skin or whites of the eyes, as well as dark or reddish urine and collapse. Any of these after a cat ate garlic, even days earlier, means go to a vet immediately.

How vets treat garlic poisoning in cats

For recent ingestion, Merck describes decontamination, which in cats may mean a vet gives a drug to induce vomiting, and activated charcoal may be considered. Blood tests can show red blood cell damage before a cat looks unwell, so your vet may recheck them over several days.

If anemia develops, Merck says treatment focuses on supportive care, with oxygen and blood transfusion as needed and intravenous fluids to protect the kidneys. Severe cases can progress to collapse and death, which is why early treatment is so important.

Kittens and garlic

Kittens are smaller, so the same lick of garlic sauce is a larger dose for their body weight. They also explore with their mouths and are more likely to get into a dropped plate or an open pan.

If a kitten ate any garlic, call your vet straight away rather than waiting for signs. Keep kittens out of the kitchen while you cook, and do not feed them leftovers, including meat that was seasoned.

Keeping garlic away from cats, and safe treats instead

Keep garlic bulbs, powders and supplements in closed cupboards, cover pans and put plates in the dishwasher or sink straight after meals. Set aside a plain piece of meat for your cat before any seasoning goes on.

Safe treats include small pieces of plain cooked chicken, turkey or white fish with no skin, bones or seasoning, and freeze-dried single-protein cat treats. Read the label of any human food before sharing, looking for garlic, onion, chives and leeks.

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