Can Cats Drink Coffee?

Updated 18 October 2026 · Researched against PDSA, Cats Protection and International Cat Care guidance

Caffeine is a methylxanthine, the same family as theobromine in chocolate. In a small animal it causes restlessness, a racing heart, tremors and, at higher doses, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.

The usual route is not a cup of coffee but the bin: used coffee grounds, a discarded tea bag, or an energy drink left on a table. Coffee grounds are especially concentrated.

What to watch for in the UK

• Used coffee grounds in the bin or compost are the most common source.
• Energy drinks and pre-workout powders are highly concentrated and dangerous.
• Tea bags, including green and herbal blends containing stimulants, matter too.
• Do not offer tea or coffee as a 'pick-me-up' for a lethargic cat — see the sick cat page instead.

If your cat has already eaten it

1. Phone your vet with the type and rough amount, even if the cat seems fine.
2. Watch for restlessness, pacing, fast breathing, tremors or vomiting.
3. Go to an emergency vet if the cat becomes wobbly or has a seizure.

Out of hours, use your practice's emergency number. If you can, take the packaging with you — the ingredient list often tells the vet more than the description does. This page explains risk; it cannot diagnose your cat, and it deliberately contains no doses or home treatments.

If your cat is already vomiting, see the cat vomiting guide and vomiting blood. For the wider red-flag checklist, use sick cat symptoms. If a plant rather than a food is involved, the toxic plants checklist is the right page.

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