Can cats eat grapes & raisins?

Are grapes toxic to cats?

Treat them as toxic. Kidney failure after grapes and raisins is documented in dogs. For cats, Merck records anecdotal reports and no published case reports, Pet Poison Helpline mentions anecdotal reports, and the ASPCA says cats may also be affected. None of the sources describes any amount as safe for a cat.

Almost everything known about grape poisoning comes from dogs, so this page is careful about which statements are about cats. When the possible outcome is sudden kidney failure and nobody can tell in advance which animal will react, this page takes the cautious position because no source establishes a safe amount.

Will one grape hurt my cat?

No source sets a safe number. Pet Poison Helpline says toxicity is not necessarily dose-dependent and that signs can follow even small ingestions, and Merck says the tartaric acid content of the fruit varies. So even a single grape is worth a call to your vet or a poison line.

Merck lists tartaric acid as one proposed toxic principle. If the harmful component differs from one bunch to the next, the same number of grapes can have very different effects, which is why this page gives no how-many-grapes figure.

Can cats get sick from licking a grape?

Unknown. None of the sources on this page tests licking or gives a contact threshold; the documented harm is from ingestion. If you are not sure whether your cat swallowed any grape flesh or juice, call your vet or a poison line rather than waiting to see how your cat gets on.

When you call, it helps to know what your cat ate, roughly how much, and when.

Can cats eat grapes without the skin or seeds?

No. None of the sources on this page says that peeling a grape or removing its seeds makes it safe. The toxic principle has not been established, and Pet Poison Helpline says even organic, pesticide-free, home-grown grapes can result in toxicity. Treat a peeled or seedless grape the same way.

Pet Poison Helpline also lists grape juice, trail mix and bagels among the grape- and raisin-containing products that can cause poisoning.

Are raisins and currants dangerous too?

Yes for raisins and Zante currants. Merck lists grapes, raisins and Zante currants as members of the same Vitis genus, and Pet Poison Helpline says some currants are small black grapes. True currants, of the genus Ribes, have not been associated with kidney injury in dogs, according to Merck.

The word currant on a packet can mean either plant, so when it is unclear which one a cat has eaten, assume the grape kind. Dried fruit counts the same way as fresh.

What fruits can cats not eat?

Among the fruits we have checked, grapes and raisins are rated toxic, avocado and tomatoes are rated caution, and apples, bananas, blueberries, peaches, pineapple, strawberries and watermelon are rated safe. The full list of foods shows the sources behind every rating.

Another everyday food that is toxic to cats is onion, in every form.

How fast can grapes make a cat sick?

No source gives a timeline for cats, because there are no published feline case reports. In dogs, Merck describes vomiting or diarrhea first and kidney failure later. Because the harm can build after the first signs, waiting to see whether your cat gets sick is the wrong strategy.

In dogs, acute kidney injury can develop over the following several days after the first stomach signs. Whether a cat follows the same course is not documented.

What will the vet do if my cat ate grapes?

Merck's protocol for dogs, the species its page covers, is prompt decontamination of the gut, intravenous fluids to keep urine flowing, and close monitoring of kidney function. It describes no feline protocol, so the treatment a cat receives is for the vet to decide. Never try to make your cat vomit at home.