Which Christmas Foods Are Dangerous for Cats?

The Christmas foods dangerous for cats, according to the ASPCA, WSAVA and Cornell's Feline Health Center, are onions, garlic, leeks and chives (stuffing and gravy included), chocolate, grapes and raisins, alcohol, raw yeast dough, xylitol, coffee and tea, cooked bones and fatty meat trimmings.

If your cat has eaten any of them, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Signs from some of these foods can take days to appear, so a cat who seems fine may still need help.

Which Christmas foods are dangerous for cats?

This chart puts the holiday table next to what the veterinary sources say about each food:

On the holiday table	The ingredient of concern	What the sources say
Stuffing, gravy, creamed onions, onion dip	Onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives	Can damage red blood cells and lead to anemia. The ASPCA says cats are more susceptible than dogs.
Chocolates, yule log, cocoa, brownies	Theobromine and caffeine	Cornell calls chocolate poisonous to cats and dogs. Darker chocolate carries more risk, per the ASPCA.
Fruitcake, mince pies, stollen, panettone	Raisins, currants, sultanas	On WSAVA's list of foods toxic to cats.
Eggnog, mulled wine, rum-soaked cake	Alcohol	The ASPCA notes alcohol is absorbed rapidly.
Rising bread or roll dough	Raw yeast dough	Can expand in the stomach and produce alcohol, per the ASPCA.
Sugar-free candy, gum, baked goods	Xylitol	On WSAVA's list of foods toxic to cats.
Coffee, tea, energy drinks	Caffeine	On WSAVA's list of foods toxic to cats.
Turkey carcass, chicken wings, ham bone	Bones, cooked or raw	Cornell says bones can cause GI obstructions.
Turkey skin, ham fat, roast drippings	Fat	Cornell says fat from meats can predispose cats to pancreatitis.
Cheese board, cream, eggnog	Lactose	WSAVA notes many cats are lactose intolerant.

The ASPCA's holiday advice sums it up: fatty, sweet and spicy foods, and turkey or chicken bones, can all be dangerous to pets.

Why are onions and garlic the biggest worry for cats?

Because they hide in so many holiday dishes, and cats react to small amounts. Merck's veterinary manual calls cats the most susceptible species, ahead of dogs.

Merck reports toxicosis in cats after less than a teaspoon of cooked onion. A review in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that 5 g of onion per kilogram of body weight was enough to cause important changes in a cat's blood.

Cooking does not make them safe. Merck says raw, cooked, dried and powdered forms can all cause harm, and that onion flakes, powders and dry soup mixes are the forms most often involved. Those are the ones that end up in stuffing and gravy.

The timing catches people out. Merck says signs of red blood cell damage develop several days after the meal, typically 3 to 5 days later. By then, the leftovers are long gone.

Will my cat even eat chocolate?

Less often than a dog would, and there's a genetic reason. A 2005 study in PLoS Genetics found that a gene cats need to build a sweet taste receptor is broken. Cats likely cannot taste sugar at all.

The Frontiers review agrees that chocolate poisoning is most common in dogs, though cats can be affected too. Cornell's Feline Health Center is direct: chocolate is poisonous to cats and dogs.

The type matters. Merck lists cocoa powder as the most concentrated source of the toxic compounds, then baker's chocolate, then dark chocolate, with milk chocolate far lower and white chocolate negligible.

A cat who licks frosting or a chocolate sauce may be after the fat or dairy rather than the sweetness. Either way, keep desserts out of reach.

What about grapes, raisins, alcohol and dough?

Grapes and raisins are best known for the harm they do to dogs. Merck notes kidney failure after eating grapes or raisins has been reported in some dogs and in one cat. WSAVA still lists grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas as toxic to cats.

The evidence for cats is thin, and that is a reason for caution rather than comfort. Fruitcake and mince pies stay on the counter.

Raw bread dough is a double problem. The ASPCA explains that yeast dough can rise and cause gas to build up in the digestive system, and the yeast also makes alcohol. Merck notes that all species can be affected.

Drinks matter too. The ASPCA's holiday tips advise never leaving a drink unattended where pets can reach it.

Can my cat have a little turkey or ham?

A small piece of plain turkey is generally fine. Cornell says it is likely OK to give a cat a very small piece of lean turkey. The trouble is the skin, fat, bones and seasoning that usually come with it.

Calories add up faster than you'd think. WSAVA keeps all extras under 10% of a cat's daily calories. Here is how a few holiday foods compare with its daily limit for a 4 kg (about 9 lb) adult cat, which is 22 kcal:

Food (WSAVA figures)	Amount	Calories
Ham	1 oz (28 g)	46
Lean turkey breast, no skin	1 oz (28 g)	50
Cheddar cheese	1 oz (28 g)	120
Daily limit for extras, 4 kg cat	All extras combined	22

By that table, one ounce of skinless turkey is more than twice the day's allowance for a 9 lb cat. One ounce of cheddar is more than five times it.

Ham brings salt as well. The ASPCA says excess salt can cause increased thirst and urination, and in severe cases tremors and seizures. Our guide on can cats eat turkey covers the safest way to share.

Eggnog and cream fall under dairy. The ASPCA explains that pets don't have much lactase, the enzyme that digests milk sugar, so dairy can cause diarrhea. More on that in can cats drink milk.

My cat ate something from the table. What should I do?

Call your vet, an emergency clinic or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away. Have the packaging, the amount missing and the time it happened ready.

Don't wait for signs. With onions and garlic, Merck says red blood cell damage can take several days to show.

Call your vet promptly if your cat:

• has eaten onion, garlic, chives, leeks or anything cooked with them, such as stuffing or gravy
• has eaten chocolate, raisins, raw dough, xylitol or anything with alcohol, even if they seem fine
• has swallowed a bone, or is gagging or retching
• is vomiting, has diarrhea or won't eat
• seems weak, unusually tired, or has pale or yellowish gums, which Merck lists among the signs of red blood cell damage

How do I keep my cat safe during Christmas dinner?

Most of the ASPCA's holiday advice is about access:

1. Keep wrapped food and candy off the floor and away from the tree. The ASPCA points out that pets can smell what is inside a wrapped present.
2. Secure the lids on bins that hold food scraps and bones.
3. Clear plates and glasses from low tables and counters as soon as the meal ends.
4. Give your cat a quiet room during the meal if they tend to jump on the table.
5. For a festive bowl, the ASPCA suggests stuffing a puzzle toy with your pet's usual dinner instead of scraps.

Food is only one holiday hazard. The ASPCA warns that many lilies found in holiday bouquets are highly toxic to cats. See our guide to holiday plants toxic to cats, and our answer to is tinsel dangerous for cats.

Questions cat parents ask at Christmas

Can cats eat Christmas ham?

It is best avoided. Cured ham is salty, and the ASPCA warns that excess salt can cause increased thirst and urination, and worse in larger amounts. WSAVA lists 1 oz of ham at 46 calories, about twice a 4 kg cat's daily limit for extras.

Is stuffing safe for cats?

Usually not. Stuffing is often made with onion and garlic, and Merck says cats are the most susceptible species to both, in cooked and dried forms too.

Can cats eat cranberry sauce?

We found no veterinary source that addresses cranberry sauce for cats. Recipes often add sugar, alcohol or raisins, so check every ingredient, and ask your vet before sharing.

Can cats drink eggnog?

No. Eggnog combines dairy, which WSAVA says many cats can't digest well, with raw egg and often alcohol. The ASPCA warns that raw eggs can carry bacteria such as Salmonella.

Sources

• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
• ASPCA: Holiday Safety Tips
• ASPCA: It's That Time of Year Again! Keep Your Pets Safe This Holiday Season With These Tips
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Beware Holiday Hazards
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Food Hazards (pet owner version)
• WSAVA: Feeding treats to your cat
• Cortinovis C, Caloni F. Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2016
• Li X, et al. Pseudogenization of a Sweet-Receptor Gene Accounts for Cats' Indifference toward Sugar. PLoS Genetics, 2005

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own cat — they know the animal in front of them.

Choolip products are food supplements, not medicine. They are not intended to diagnose or manage any medical condition. If your cat has been diagnosed with a condition, their diet should be set by your vet.