If your cat has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, an emergency animal hospital or an animal poison control service right away, even if your cat seems fine. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home.
Why
Coffee contains caffeine, and cats are much more sensitive to caffeine than people are. PetMD's article on cats and caffeine, written by the Pet Poison Helpline veterinary team, explains that cats cannot metabolize caffeine effectively, so a small amount can be toxic. Caffeine belongs to the same group of stimulants as the theobromine in chocolate, called methylxanthines.
Coffee is dangerous in proportion to how much caffeine a cat swallows and how small the cat is. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center notes that methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, an abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. PetMD's article says a lick or two of a caffeinated drink is unlikely to cause signs, but larger amounts can.
Signs to watch for
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Restlessness, hyperactivity or unusual behavior
- Panting or open-mouth breathing
- A fast heart rate
- Muscle tremors and unsteadiness
- Seizures
- A raised body temperature
- Signs can last 12 to 36 hours
What to do if your cat eats it
- Work out what your cat swallowed and roughly how much: brewed coffee, grounds, beans, tea leaves, an energy drink or a caffeine pill. Keep the packaging.
- Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital straight away, even if your cat seems normal.
- Do not try to make your cat vomit at home. PetMD's article states that there is no safe way to induce vomiting in a cat at home.
- Keep your cat somewhere quiet and safe while you get advice.
- Afterwards, store coffee, tea and caffeinated products in closed cupboards.
Which caffeine sources are most dangerous?
Coffee is only one of many products that contain caffeine. PetMD's article lists coffee beans, grounds and brewed coffee, loose tea, tea bags and brewed tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate and caffeinated gum. Diet pills, caffeine pills and some energy supplements are the most concentrated of all.
Coffee grounds and beans hold far more caffeine than the same volume of brewed coffee. A spilled bag of grounds, a used filter left in the sink or chocolate-covered coffee beans on a desk are more worrying than a lick from a mug.
Milk tea, lattes and sweet drinks
Milk tea and lattes may look harmless to a cat that likes milk, but these drinks combine caffeine with dairy and sugar. Tea leaves contain caffeine just as coffee beans do, and PetMD's veterinary guide on milk notes that many adult cats are lactose intolerant, so the milk can cause diarrhea even when the caffeine is small.
Sweet tea drinks with tapioca pearls, jelly or cream toppings bring their own problems. The drink is the caffeine source, and the toppings are sugary and chewy. Put drink cups where a cat cannot tip them over, and throw away the remains rather than leaving them on the table.
What happens at the vet?
Caffeine poisoning has no specific antidote, so treatment supports the cat while the body clears the caffeine. Depending on what was eaten and how long ago, PetMD's article says a vet may make the cat vomit and give activated charcoal, then hospitalize the cat to monitor its heart rate, temperature and behavior.
- IV fluids to support the circulation and help clear the caffeine
- Sedation if the cat is very agitated
- Medicine to slow a racing heart or control tremors and seizures
- Monitoring until the signs settle, which can take 12 to 36 hours
Common questions
Is coffee good for cats?
No. Coffee contains caffeine, and cats are much more sensitive to caffeine than people are.
Is coffee bad for cats?
Yes. Signs of poisoning to watch for: vomiting or diarrhea; restlessness, hyperactivity or unusual behavior; panting or open-mouth breathing.
Are cats allowed to have coffee?
No, keep it away from your cat. If your cat eats some anyway: work out what your cat swallowed and roughly how much: brewed coffee, grounds, beans, tea leaves, an energy drink or a caffeine pill. Keep the packaging.
My cat licked my coffee. Should I worry?
A lick or two of brewed coffee is unlikely to cause signs, according to PetMD's article on cats and caffeine. Watch your cat for restlessness, vomiting or a racing heart over the next few hours, and call your vet if anything seems wrong. Grounds, beans or pills are a different matter and need a call straight away.
Is decaf coffee safe for cats?
Decaffeinated coffee still contains a small amount of caffeine, and it offers a cat nothing. It is less dangerous than regular coffee, but it should not be shared. Coffee with milk or cream can also upset a cat's stomach.
Is the smell of coffee harmful to cats?
No. Smelling coffee is not harmful, according to PetMD's article. Very hot coffee can burn a cat's mouth, so keep fresh cups out of reach.
Sources
- PetMD. Cats and Caffeine: Can Cats Drink Coffee? (Pet Poison Helpline Veterinarian Team; reviewed by Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- PetMD. Can Cats Drink Milk? (Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- Cornell Feline Health Center. Feeding Your Cat.