Can pets eat apple?
By animal
| Animal | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Safe | The flesh is fine. Core and seeds are worth removing, mostly for the choking risk. |
| Cats | Safe | Safe and of no interest to most cats. |
| Rabbits | In moderation | High in sugar. A slice occasionally, seeds removed. |
| Birds | In moderation | Flesh fine, seeds removed — birds are small enough for the seeds to matter. |
What it actually does
Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when chewed, and this gets reported as though an apple core were dangerous. The arithmetic says otherwise for a dog: it would take a very large number of thoroughly chewed seeds to reach a toxic dose, and swallowed whole they mostly pass through intact. The real reason to remove the core is that it is a choking and obstruction hazard. For a budgerigar the sums are different, because the body weight is a hundredth.
No reliable dose threshold has been published for this. Anything presenting a specific safe amount is extrapolating.
Body weight decides almost everything here, so what is trivial for a 40 kg dog can matter for a 4 kg one, and a bird is smaller again. Where a real published threshold exists this page gives it; where none does, it says so rather than inventing one.
Fruit
| Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| Avocado | Toxic | Risky | Risky |
| Banana | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
| Blueberries and strawberries | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Watermelon and melon | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Cherries, peaches, plums and apricots | Risky | Risky | Risky |
| Oranges, lemons and limes | Risky | In moderation | Risky |
| Coconut and coconut oil | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
Common questions
- Can dogs eat apple?
- Safe. The flesh is fine. Core and seeds are worth removing, mostly for the choking risk.
- Can cats eat apple?
- Safe. Safe and of no interest to most cats.
- What does apple actually do?
- Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when chewed, and this gets reported as though an apple core were dangerous. The arithmetic says otherwise for a dog: it would take a very large number of thoroughly chewed seeds to reach a toxic dose, and swallowed whole they mostly pass through intact. The real reason to remove the core is that it is a choking and obstruction hazard. For a budgerigar the sums are different, because the body weight is a hundredth.
Related pages
- Can pets eat grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants? Toxic — treat as an emergency
- Can pets eat avocado? Toxic — treat as an emergency
- Can pets eat banana? Fine in small amounts
- Can pets eat blueberries and strawberries? Fine in small amounts
- Can pets eat watermelon and melon? Fine in small amounts
- Can pets eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots? Risky — depends on amount or preparation
- Can pets eat chocolate? Also an emergency
- Can pets eat grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants? Also an emergency
- Can pets eat onion, garlic, leek and chives? Also an emergency
- Can pets eat xylitol and birch sugar? Also an emergency
- Everything, for dogs 46 foods
- Everything, for cats 46 foods