---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower?"
description: "Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower and pets: risky — depends on amount or preparation. What it does, and how dogs, cats and other pets differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/broccoli/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower?

**Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower: Risky — depends on amount or preparation**

Dogs: In moderation · Cats: In moderation · Rabbits: Risky · Birds: Safe

## By animal

| Animal | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dogs | In moderation | Safe in small amounts. Isothiocyanates irritate the gut in quantity. |
| Cats | In moderation | Safe in small amounts. |
| Rabbits | Risky | Gas-producing. Rabbits cannot burp, so bloating is a real problem. |
| Birds | Safe | Well tolerated and nutritious. |

## What it actually does

Brassicas contain isothiocyanates, which are mildly irritating to the gastrointestinal tract in quantity — the usual guidance is to keep broccoli under about ten per cent of a dog's intake. The rabbit case is more serious than it sounds: rabbits cannot vomit and cannot belch, so gas produced by fermenting brassica has nowhere to go, and gastrointestinal stasis in a rabbit is a genuine emergency rather than an upset stomach.

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.

## Vegetables

| Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Onion, garlic, leek and chives | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| Carrot | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Corn on the cob | Not safe | Not safe | Risky |
| Mushrooms | Risky | Risky | Risky |
| Tomato | Risky | Risky | Risky |
| Pumpkin | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Potato | Not safe | Risky | Risky |
| Lettuce and leafy greens | Risky | Safe | Safe |
| Peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels | Risky | Safe | Safe |
| Rhubarb | Toxic | Not safe | Not safe |

## Common questions

### Can dogs eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower?

Fine in small amounts. Safe in small amounts. Isothiocyanates irritate the gut in quantity.

### Can cats eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower?

Fine in small amounts. Safe in small amounts.

### What does broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower actually do?

Brassicas contain isothiocyanates, which are mildly irritating to the gastrointestinal tract in quantity — the usual guidance is to keep broccoli under about ten per cent of a dog's intake. The rabbit case is more serious than it sounds: rabbits cannot vomit and cannot belch, so gas produced by fermenting brassica has nowhere to go, and gastrointestinal stasis in a rabbit is a genuine emergency rather than an upset stomach.

## Related pages

- [Can pets eat onion, garlic, leek and chives?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/onion-garlic/)
- [Can pets eat carrot?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/carrot/)
- [Can pets eat corn on the cob?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/corn-on-the-cob/)
- [Can pets eat mushrooms?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/mushrooms/)
- [Can pets eat tomato?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/tomato/)
- [Can pets eat pumpkin?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/pumpkin/)
- [Can pets eat chocolate?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/chocolate/)
- [Can pets eat grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/grapes/)
- [Can pets eat onion, garlic, leek and chives?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/onion-garlic/)
- [Can pets eat xylitol and birch sugar?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/xylitol/)
- [Everything, for dogs](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/dog/)
- [Everything, for cats](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cat/)

## Sources

- Animal Poison Control Center — toxic and non-toxic lists — ASPCA (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control)