Can Cats Eat Xylitol?

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

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used to sweeten chewing gum, mints, toothpaste, some supplements and 'no added sugar' spreads. In dogs it causes a dramatic insulin release and liver failure; the evidence in cats is much thinner, but vets treat it as a serious risk rather than assume cats are immune.

It is dangerous precisely because it does not look like poison. A dropped pack of sugar-free gum, a dropped mint or a spoonful of a 'natural' nut butter can all carry it. The dose that matters is small for a cat.

What to watch for in the UK

• Sugar-free gum and mints are the most common source — keep bags and coats out of reach.
• Check peanut butter, chocolate spreads and 'no added sugar' products for xylitol or E967.
• Some toothpastes and dental chews contain it; cat toothpaste should never contain xylitol.
• Sorbitol, mannitol and erythritol are different sugar alcohols — still not for cats, but xylitol is the one vets worry about most.

If your cat has already eaten it

1. Phone your vet immediately, even if your cat seems well.
2. Take the pack with you so the amount of xylitol per piece is known.
3. Watch for wobbliness, weakness or vomiting, and go to an emergency vet if they appear.

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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