Can cats eat fruit? Some of it, yes, in very small amounts. Cats are obligate carnivores, so fruit is never something they need, and a few fruits (grapes and raisins above all) should never be shared. This guide covers 17 common fruits in one place: which are safe, which to avoid, how to serve them, how much is enough and when to call your vet. It is part of our Can Cats Eat…? guide to human foods.
Our quick take: blueberries, strawberries, seedless watermelon and cantaloupe are the easiest fruits to share. Apples, bananas, mango, pineapple and raspberries are fine as a tiny, occasional treat once you remove peels, seeds and pits. Grapes and raisins are off the menu completely, and cherries, lemons and oranges are best avoided. Whatever the fruit, one or two bite-sized pieces is plenty.
Quick reference: fruits cats can and can't eat
| Food | Verdict | Key note |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | In moderation | Flesh only. Seeds, stems and leaves contain cyanide compounds. |
| Avocado | In moderation | A tiny taste of plain flesh only. Never the pit, skin or leaves, and no guacamole. |
| Bananas | In moderation | Non-toxic but sugary. A thin slice, no peel. |
| Blueberries | Safe | One to three washed berries as a treat. |
| Cantaloupe | Safe | Small cubes of flesh. No rind or seeds. |
| Cherries | Avoid | Pits, stems and leaves are toxic (cyanide). Not worth the risk. |
| Coconut | In moderation | A pinch of plain flesh at most. No coconut water. |
| Grapes & raisins | Toxic | Linked to kidney failure. Never feed; call your vet if eaten. |
| Lemon | Avoid | Peel, leaves and essential oils are toxic; the sour flesh upsets the stomach. |
| Mango | In moderation | One small cube of flesh. No skin or pit. |
| Olives | In moderation | Not toxic but salty. A small piece of plain, pitted olive. |
| Oranges | Avoid | Peel, leaves and essential oils are toxic; flesh can cause stomach upset. |
| Pineapple | In moderation | A small piece of fresh flesh. No skin, core, leaves or canned syrup. |
| Raspberries | In moderation | One or two berries. Too many can loosen stools. |
| Strawberries | Safe | Half a berry, washed, with the leaves and stem removed. |
| Tomatoes | In moderation | Ripe red flesh only. Green tomatoes, leaves and stems are toxic. |
| Watermelon | Safe | Seedless flesh only. No rind or seeds. |
Five rules before you share any fruit
- Keep it tiny. All treats combined should stay at or below about 10% of your cat's daily calories. For fruit, that means one or two bite-sized pieces, not a bowl.
- Prepare it properly. Wash the fruit, then remove every peel, rind, seed, pit, stem and leaf. These are the parts most likely to be toxic or to cause choking or a blockage.
- Plain and fresh only. No canned fruit in syrup, dried fruit, juice, jam, pie filling, fruit yogurt or ice cream. Added sugar, sweeteners and dairy cause most of the trouble.
- One new food at a time. Offer a single small piece and watch your cat for the next 24 hours before offering it again.
- Know when to skip it. Cats with diabetes, a sensitive stomach or a prescription diet should not get fruit unless your vet says it is fine.
One more thing: cats cannot taste sweetness. If your cat sniffs a strawberry and walks away, that is normal, and there is no reason to push it. A meat-based cat treat is always the more natural reward.
Can cats eat apples?
Yes, a small piece of apple flesh is safe for cats. The seeds, stem and leaves are not: they contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when chewed, and the ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats.
How to serve it: wash the apple, peel it, cut away the whole core and offer one or two thin, bite-sized slices. A teaspoon of plain, unsweetened applesauce stirred into food is easier for some cats to manage. Skip apple pie, caramel apples and any applesauce made with sugar or spices; nutmeg in particular is unsafe for pets. Never offer fruit that is rotten or fermenting.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea after too much. If your cat chewed several seeds or apple leaves and shows bright red gums, dilated pupils, panting or trouble breathing, treat it as an emergency and call your vet.
Can cats eat avocado?
A lick of plain avocado flesh will not poison a cat, but avocado is not a food to offer on purpose. Avocado contains persin, which is dangerous to birds, rabbits, horses and ruminants. Pet Poison Helpline describes avocado as non-toxic to cats and dogs, and the ASPCA says it is mainly a problem for those other species. The real risks for cats are the pit, which can cause an intestinal blockage if swallowed, and the high fat content, which can bring on vomiting or diarrhea.
If you do share: a piece of ripe flesh no bigger than your fingertip, with no skin attached. Keep the pit, peel and any leaves from an avocado plant out of reach. Guacamole is not safe, because it usually contains onion and garlic, both of which are toxic to cats.
Call your vet if your cat swallows any part of the pit or the skin, or keeps vomiting after eating avocado.
Can cats eat bananas?
Yes. Bananas are non-toxic to cats according to the ASPCA, but they are high in sugar, so keep the portion very small. Cats have no need for the carbohydrates in a banana, and too much sugar over time contributes to weight gain.
How to serve it: peel the banana and offer one thin slice, cut into smaller pieces or mashed. A frozen slice can be a novelty on a hot day. Never give the peel, which is hard to digest and a choking risk. Banana bread, banana chips and banana pudding are not suitable.
Watch for: soft stools, constipation or vomiting if your cat eats more than a taste. Many cats dislike the smell of bananas and will refuse them, which is fine.
Can cats eat blueberries?
Yes. Blueberries are one of the safest fruits for cats. They are low in calories and are even used in small amounts in some commercial cat foods. They are a “superfood” for people, though, not for cats: your cat gets what it needs from a complete, meat-based diet.
How to serve them: wash the berries and offer one to three, whole or cut in half. You can also mash one on top of your cat's usual food. Fresh or frozen (slightly thawed) are both fine. Avoid blueberry muffins, pie filling and anything sweetened.
Watch for: loose stools if your cat eats a lot at once. A couple of berries a few times a week is plenty.
Can cats eat cantaloupe?
Yes. Cantaloupe is safe for cats in small amounts, and many cats are drawn to it. Cats cannot taste the sweetness; the usual explanation is that the smell of ripe melon appeals to them. It is mostly water and low in calories, but it still contains sugar.
How to serve it: wash the outside before cutting (the rind can carry bacteria), remove the rind and seeds, and offer one or two small cubes of flesh. The rind is tough and fibrous and can cause choking or a blockage, so do not let your cat chew on it.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea after a large helping. Skip melon for diabetic cats. The same advice applies to honeydew.
Can cats eat cherries?
It is safest not to feed cherries to cats. The ASPCA lists cherry as toxic to cats: the pits (seeds), stems and leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when chewed, and wilting leaves are especially dangerous. The ripe flesh on its own is not the toxic part, but it is hard to separate cleanly, it offers a cat nothing useful, and a pit can also cause choking or a blockage.
If your cat licks a piece of pitted cherry flesh, there is no need to panic. Do not offer cherries as a treat, and keep bowls of whole cherries, maraschino cherries and cherry desserts out of reach. If you have a cherry tree, clear fallen fruit, leaves and twigs from areas your cat uses.
Signs of cyanide poisoning include brick-red gums, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting and shock. If your cat has chewed pits, stems or leaves, call your vet or a pet poison line straight away rather than waiting for symptoms.
Can cats eat coconut?
A very small amount of plain coconut is unlikely to harm a cat, but it is not a good regular treat. The ASPCA notes that the flesh and milk of fresh coconut contain oils that can cause stomach upset, loose stools or diarrhea, and that coconut water is high in potassium and should not be given to pets.
If you share: a pinch of fresh or unsweetened shredded coconut, or a lick of unsweetened coconut milk, is the limit. Avoid sweetened flakes, coconut desserts, coconut ice cream and coconut yogurt. Coconut is rich in fat, so regular helpings add calories your cat does not need.
Watch for: greasy or loose stools and vomiting. For skin, coat and hairball questions, see our separate guide to coconut oil for cats, and check with your vet before adding any oil to your cat's diet.
Can cats eat grapes or raisins?
No. Never feed a cat grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants. In dogs they cause sudden kidney failure, and tartaric acid is now thought to be the cause. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that the confirmed cases are in dogs, with unpublished reports of kidney failure in cats and ferrets. Because there is no known safe amount for a cat, vets treat grapes as toxic to cats too.
This includes raisin bread, trail mix, cereal, cookies and fruitcake, as well as grape juice and grape jelly. Seedless and peeled grapes are no safer.
If your cat eats any: call your vet or a pet poison line right away, even if it was a single grape and your cat seems fine. Early treatment works best before symptoms start. In dogs, vomiting or diarrhea usually begins within 6 to 12 hours, and kidney failure develops over the following one to three days. Other warning signs are lethargy, loss of appetite, belly pain, and drinking or urinating much more or much less than normal.
For more foods in this category, see our list of foods that are dangerous or toxic to cats.
Can cats eat lemon?
No. Lemons, limes and grapefruit should not be fed to cats. The ASPCA lists lemon as toxic to cats because of the essential oils and psoralens found mainly in the peel, leaves and stems. The acidic flesh is less of a concern, but it can still cause stomach upset, and most cats find the smell repellent anyway.
Keep away from your cat: lemon peel and zest, lemon juice (never add it to drinking water), lemon-flavored foods and, most importantly, citrus essential oils and oil-based cleaners or sprays. Concentrated oils are far more dangerous than the fruit. Do not rub citrus peel on cords or furniture as a chewing deterrent.
Signs of trouble: vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, low energy and skin irritation. A single lick of lemon flesh usually causes nothing more than a sour face. Call your vet if your cat ate peel, leaves or anything containing citrus oil, or if vomiting continues.
Can cats eat mango?
Yes. Ripe mango flesh is safe for cats as an occasional treat. It is high in natural sugar, so a little goes a long way.
How to serve it: peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the pit and offer one small cube, no more than once or twice a week. Do not let your cat chew the skin, which is tough and hard to digest, or play with the pit, which is a choking and blockage risk. Dried mango, mango sorbet, mango ice cream and mango yogurt are too sugary or contain dairy.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat steals a cube or two from your plate, simply keep an eye on it. Call your vet if the stomach upset does not settle within a day.
Can cats eat olives?
Plain olives are not toxic to cats, but they are salty, empty calories. A cat that eats a dropped olive will almost certainly be fine. Some cats go wild for green olives; they are thought to contain compounds similar to the active ingredient in catnip, which would explain the rolling and rubbing.
How to serve them: remove the pit, rinse off the brine and offer a small piece, roughly a quarter of a large olive or half of a small one, no more than a couple of times a week. Never give olives stuffed with garlic, onion, blue cheese or jalapeño, and skip olives marinated in oil and herbs. Olive oil is not poisonous either, but more than a few drops can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Watch for: extra thirst, vomiting or diarrhea. Because cured olives are high in sodium, do not offer them to cats with heart or kidney disease. A swallowed pit can cause choking or a blockage and is a reason to call your vet.
Can cats eat oranges?
No. Oranges, tangerines, clementines and other citrus fruits are best kept away from cats. As with lemons, the ASPCA lists orange as toxic to cats because of the essential oils and psoralens in the peel, leaves and stems. A small bite of the flesh is unlikely to cause more than minor stomach upset, but there is nothing in an orange a cat needs. Cats make their own vitamin C.
Keep away from your cat: orange peel, orange juice, marmalade, and orange or other citrus essential oils, diffusers and cleaning products. Oils on the skin or coat are a problem too, because cats swallow them while grooming.
Signs of trouble: vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, low energy and irritated skin. If your cat ate a little flesh, watch it for 24 hours. Call your vet promptly if it ate peel or leaves, was exposed to citrus oil, or seems unwell. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home.
Can cats eat pineapple?
Yes. Fresh pineapple is not toxic to cats and is fine in small amounts. Despite its sharp taste, it is not a citrus fruit. It is high in sugar and fiber, though, so too much causes stomach upset.
How to serve it: remove the leafy crown, spiny skin and hard core, then offer one or two small pieces of fresh flesh. A frozen piece is fine on a hot day. Do not give canned pineapple in syrup, pineapple juice or dried pineapple, and do not treat pineapple pizza as a cat snack: the cheese, onion, garlic and salt are the problem there.
Watch for: vomiting, diarrhea, or pawing at the mouth and drooling, since the enzyme bromelain in pineapple can irritate the mouth. Stop offering it if your cat reacts badly.
Can cats eat raspberries?
Yes, one or two raspberries are safe for most cats. They are high in fiber and can have a mild laxative effect, so this is a fruit to keep especially small.
What about xylitol? Raspberries naturally contain traces of xylitol, a sweetener that is very dangerous for dogs. Cats appear to handle it differently: a 2018 study in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics found no toxic effects in cats, even at doses that would poison a dog. That is reassuring if your cat steals a berry. It is not a reason to feed more.
How to serve them: wash the berries and offer one or two, cut in half, once or twice a week at most. Avoid raspberry jam, sorbet and baked goods.
Watch for: diarrhea, vomiting or a gassy, upset stomach. Cats with sensitive digestion are better off without them.
Can cats eat strawberries?
Yes. Strawberries are non-toxic to cats, according to the ASPCA. Most cats are indifferent to them because they cannot taste the sweetness, but a curious cat can have a nibble.
How to serve them: wash the berry well, remove the leaves and stem, and cut it into small pieces. About half a strawberry is enough for one sitting, as an occasional treat. Skip strawberry yogurt, ice cream, jam and anything “strawberry flavored”, which is mostly sugar and dairy.
Watch for: diarrhea if your cat eats too many. The leaves are not poisonous, but they can upset the stomach, so take them off.
Can cats eat tomatoes?
A small piece of ripe, red tomato is safe. Green tomatoes and the tomato plant are not. The ASPCA lists the tomato plant as toxic to cats because its leaves, stems and unripe fruit contain solanine. The ripe fruit is non-toxic. Small amounts of ripe tomato also appear as an ingredient in some cat foods, which is not a cause for concern.
How to serve it: a thumbnail-sized piece of plain ripe tomato with the stem and any green parts removed. Do not share tomato sauce, pasta sauce, salsa, ketchup or soup. These usually contain onion or garlic, which are toxic to cats, along with a lot of salt.
Signs of tomato plant poisoning: heavy drooling, loss of appetite, severe stomach upset, weakness, low energy, dilated pupils and a slow heart rate. If you grow tomatoes, keep your cat away from the plants, and call your vet if it chews the leaves or stems.
Can cats eat watermelon?
Yes. Seedless watermelon flesh is safe for cats in small amounts. It is more than 90% water and low in calories. It is not a substitute for drinking water, though. If you are worried your cat is not drinking enough, see how much water a cat needs.
How to serve it: remove the rind and every seed, then offer one or two small cubes. Seeds are a choking and blockage risk, especially for kittens and small cats, and the rind is hard to digest. Serve it plain, with no salt and no feta.
Watch for: vomiting or diarrhea after a large portion. Because of the natural sugar, watermelon is not suitable for diabetic cats.
What to do if your cat eats a fruit it shouldn't
Call your vet straight away if your cat eats grapes or raisins, chews cherry pits, stems or leaves, chews a number of apple seeds, chews a tomato plant, or swallows citrus peel or anything containing citrus oil. If you cannot reach your vet, these services are open 24 hours a day (a consultation fee applies):
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
- Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
Have ready what your cat ate, roughly how much and when. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home. There is no safe way to do this for cats, and hydrogen peroxide can badly damage a cat's stomach.
If your cat simply ate too much of a safe fruit, expect possible vomiting, diarrhea, drooling or a quiet day. Offer fresh water and its normal food. Contact your vet if symptoms last longer than 24 hours, if they are severe, or if your cat is a kitten, elderly or has an existing illness.
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets (avocado, citrus, coconut, grapes and raisins)
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: apple, cherry, lemon, orange, tomato plant, banana, strawberry
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Grape, Raisin, and Tamarind Toxicosis
- PetMD: What Fruits Can Cats Eat? (veterinarian-written and reviewed)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Avocado and Why You Should Not Induce Vomiting in Cats
- Cornell Feline Health Center: Feeding Your Cat
- Hill's Pet Nutrition: Can Cats Eat Olives and Olive Oil?
- Jerzsele et al. (2018), “Effects of p.o. administered xylitol in cats”, Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Scientific American: Cats Cannot Taste Sweets
This guide is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own veterinarian, who knows your cat's health history.
