Food safety · 2 min read

Can cats eat Cinnamon?

Caution

Caution. A small amount of ground cinnamon dusting a biscuit isn't acutely toxic, but cinnamon oil and concentrated cinnamon powder cause mouth irritation, vomiting, and liver effects in larger amounts. Cinnamon sticks are choking/obstruction risks.

If your cat has eaten cinnamon

  1. For trace amounts: monitor.
  2. For larger ingestions or cinnamon sticks: call your vet.
  3. For cinnamon essential oil exposure: urgent vet contact — treat as essential oil poisoning.

What's the full picture?

Cassia cinnamon (the type sold in most UK supermarkets) contains coumarin, which is toxic to cats at sustained exposures. Ceylon cinnamon has much less. A trace dusting is unlikely to harm; a spoonful or a swallowed stick is a concern.

Cinnamon essential oil — used in diffusers or 'natural' cleaning products — is very concentrated and is outright dangerous.

The 'cinnamon challenge' of swallowing powdered cinnamon is dangerous for humans and would be much worse for cats — aspiration causes respiratory problems.

Symptoms to watch for

0–12 hours
Drooling, vomiting, respiratory irritation if inhaled.
Days (repeated exposure)
Liver injury signs with chronic coumarin exposure.

If you're worried right now

Call your vet or out-of-hours emergency vet first. For poison advice, the Animal PoisonLine (UK) is on 01202 509000 — 24/7, charges apply. Your vet can also call the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) directly.

Essential oils no Nutmeg no Vanilla extract no

About this guidance

Every entry on this site is compiled from published UK veterinary toxicology sources — International Cat Care, Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) references, RCVS-registered practice materials, and peer-reviewed feline medicine literature. Where the evidence is mixed, we err on the cautious side because cats are unusually sensitive to many common substances that are harmless to humans and even to dogs.

This is general information written for UK cat owners. It is not personalised veterinary advice for your specific cat, their age, weight, medical history, or the exact exposure you're dealing with. If your cat has eaten something or is unwell, call your vet first. The Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 is available 24/7 for a small fee and can tell you whether an emergency visit is needed.

Entries are reviewed and updated as new research emerges. Spotted an error? Let us know — corrections are investigated and applied within 24 hours. For more context on how we work, see about and our full disclaimer.

Last reviewed: · By the What Can My Cat Eat? editorial team

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