Can Cats Eat Tomatoes?

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

The ripe red fruit contains very little solanine, so a small piece of plain flesh is unlikely to harm a cat. It offers nothing nutritionally, and many cats dislike the acidity.

The rest of the plant is the problem. Tomato leaves, stems and unripe green tomatoes contain solanine, and a cat that chews tomato plants in a greenhouse or on a windowsill can become unwell. Tomato sauce, ketchup and passata usually contain onion and garlic, which are the bigger hazard.

What to watch for in the UK

• Greenhouse and windowsill tomato plants are a real risk in summer — see the toxic plants checklist.
• Ketchup, pasta sauce and pizza sauce contain onion, garlic and salt.
• Sun-dried tomatoes are concentrated and often packed in oil with herbs and garlic.
• Cherry tomatoes are a choking hazard for a small cat even when ripe.

If your cat has already eaten it

1. A piece of ripe flesh: nothing to do.
2. Leaves, stems or unripe fruit: watch for drooling, vomiting and lethargy; phone your vet.

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. 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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