Seven Foods You Absolutely Must Not Share With Your Dog or Cat

Grapes and raisins, and even some varieties of currants, are extremely toxic to dogs—even a very small amount can cause acute kidney failure. Beware of bagels, trail mix or granola, or candies or cookies containing raisins. If your dog eats even just a few, bring him to the veterinarian immediately—there’s no antidote, but prompt veterinary attention can lessen the effects of the toxin.

Never offer onion or garlic—or any foods containing either—to your cat or dog. (Some dog breeds seem to be more susceptible than others, particularly Akitas and Shiba Inus.) A compound found in both damages red blood cells, causing a life-threatening type of anemia. Even just one clove of garlic can be fatal, so if your dog or cat ingests some, get them to a vet right away.

This one you’ve probably heard about—but it’s in fact a bit less dangerous than the foods named above. Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, but cats generally won’t touch it. A few chocolate chips in a cookie shouldn’t present a problem; larger quantities, however, can cause an array of symptoms, from heart arrhythmias to seizures to painful pancreatitis. Dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate, but you really oughtn’t offer either to your dog.

A cat drinking from a bowl of milk has become a cliche, but many cats actually become lactose intolerant by the time they reach adulthood. To prevent belly aches, vomiting, and diarrhea, keep the milk away.

There may be “wine for cats” available now, but you shouldn’t share your boozy human version with your kitty (or puppy). Alcohol can cause liver and brain damage in cats. A single teaspoon can cause problems; as little as a tablespoon can put a kitty in a coma, and not much more than that could be fatal.

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in many sugar-free foods such as chewing gum, Jell-o, some types of pudding, and other sugar-free snacks. Don’t share any foods containing it with your pup: Small amounts can cause a life-threateningly low blood sugar levels within just a few minutes, and larger amounts can cause acute liver failure.

A common and festive inclusion in fruit salads, star fruit can be deadly to dogs and cats. It contains soluble calcium oxalates, which bind with calcium in the body. If enough is eaten, it can result in a sudden drop in calcium, which can lead to acute renal failure. This can happen in humans, too, but a pet’s small size leaves them especially vulnerable to the effects.

Okay, they aren’t food, but we thought we’d include these flowers anyhow since they’re common home and garden decorations in the spring and summer months. Every part of most varieties of lilies (including tiger, stargazer, and casablanca) is poisonous to cats, causing severe kidney failure. The plants are so toxic that if a kitty merely drinks water out of a vase containing the flowers, or brushes up against a flower and later licks the pollen off her fur, she could die. There’s no antidote, and immediate veterinary attention is the only chance of saving the cat’s life. Better to just keep them away from your kitty!