Can cats eat garlic?

Updated 12/05/2023

Garlic might be considered the ultimate umami injector in dishes all over the world, but can it be enjoyed by species other than us humans? Specifically, can cats have garlic? While it might seem an odd question to ask, if you’re thinking about sharing your human dishes with furry friends (which you should think twice about), each ingredient needs to be considered carefully - the animal kingdom is more sensitive than you’d think! So here, let’s crack the ‘can cats eat garlic’ case…

Is garlic poisonous to cats?

Yes, garlic is highly toxic to cats. Like all members of the allium family, we shouldn’t be feeding our feline friends garlic under any circumstances. While onions could cause a nasty anemia reaction, garlic is five times more likely to do so. So, no matter how wistfully your doe-eyed feline stares into the soul of your garlic bread, don’t give in. And this isn’t a ‘small amount won’t hurt’ situation - even the smallest nibbles over time can cause the nastiest of reactions.

Why is garlic bad for cats?

So now we know the very black and white answer to can a cat eat garlic, let’s explore why. Well like onions (and other alliums), garlic contains a compound that’s harmless to humans, but potentially fatal to cats. The ingestion of these oxidative compounds leads to damage and breakdown of the red blood cells, reducing their count significantly - a condition called hemolytic anemia. This can also be called Heinz body anemia. Reduced red blood cells means less oxygen is being pumped around the body which can have a whole host of serious effects.

What to do if your cat eats garlic

If your cat has eaten garlic, contact your vet immediately. It’s likely that your vet will induce vomiting in your poor kitty so that any undigested garlic will be released before causing further damage. Your vet will be able to assess the level of damage and the next steps that need to be taken. They may give your cat intravenous fluids and hospitalize them. Severe cases of anemia may need a blood transfusion.

Symptoms of garlic toxicity

As little as one garlic clove can cause garlic toxicity, with symptoms showing up in as little as 12 hours, and in others, several days after ingestion. Here are the signs…

• Vomiting  
• Diarrhea
• Breathlessness/panting
• Lethargy
• Collapse
• Pale gums 
• Increased breathing rate
• Rapid heart rate
• Discolored urine

Can cats eat garlic powder?

While many baby foods (convenient yet unsuitable for cats) contain small amounts of powdered flavorings, is garlic safe for cats if it’s in powder form? It’s still no - garlic powder will be just as harmful for your kitty as fresh garlic. In fact, garlic powder is so highly concentrated that it may even rival in toxicity.

Meet our veterinary expert, Aisling

This article has been checked by veterinarian Aisling O’Keeffe MVB CertSAM ISFMCertAdvFB. Aisling qualified as a vet 7 years ago from University College Dublin. She has worked in a mixture of UK small animal hospitals along with Irish practices. She worked for 3 years in a feline-only hospital where she further developed her feline medicine and surgery skills. She currently lives and works in a small animal hospital in Cork, Ireland. 

Other foods unsafe for cats

So it turns out that our feline friends are sensitive to an array of foods safe for us humans. Your safest bet is to stick to feline food, steering clear of even the smallest human-friendly titbits. For the record, here are a few more items that shouldn’t be fed to cats.

• Chocolate
• Ice cream
• Milk
• Oranges
• Avocado