Every category of feline poison found in UK homes and gardens — foods, plants, medicines, and household items — on one page, with links to detailed emergency guidance for each.
Content compiled with reference to guidance from the Blue Cross, PDSA, Royal Veterinary College (RVC), Battersea, and Animal PoisonLine. This site does not provide veterinary advice — always consult a vet. Last reviewed: 27 September 2026.
Cats are unusually vulnerable to poisoning because their livers lack enzymes that humans and even dogs rely on to break down common substances — which is why paracetamol, lilies, and essential oils are so much more dangerous to a cat than their reputation suggests. This page is the UK master list: the poisons that cause the most feline emergencies, grouped by where you'll meet them.
If your cat has already eaten something, skip straight to the emergency action guide or ring your vet. The Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 (24/7, charges apply) can tell you whether a vet visit is needed.
Onions, garlic and the whole allium family, chocolate, grapes and their dried forms (raisins, sultanas, currants), alcohol, caffeine, and xylitol lead the food list. See the full toxic foods guide.
Lilies are the deadliest — even pollen groomed off fur can cause kidney failure. Sago palms, daffodils, tulips, and many popular houseplants follow. See the full toxic plants guide.
Never give a cat any human medicine. Paracetamol (Calpol, Panadol) is fatal at a fraction of a tablet; ibuprofen (Nurofen) and aspirin also cause serious harm.
Antifreeze, rodenticides, essential oils, dog flea treatments (permethrin), and cleaning chemicals cause thousands of UK feline emergencies a year. See the full household dangers guide.
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This list covers the highest-risk items, not every entry on the site — the full directory of 200 foods, plants, medicines, and household items is on the homepage, searchable by name.