Can pets eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots?
By animal
| Animal | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Risky | Flesh is fine. The stone is both an obstruction risk and a cyanide source. |
| Cats | Risky | Same. |
| Rabbits | Risky | Flesh in tiny amounts; stones and leaves never. |
What it actually does
Stone fruit pits contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when crushed or chewed, and the leaves and stems of cherry trees contain more of it than the fruit does. In practice the obstruction risk from a swallowed stone is the more common emergency: a peach stone is almost perfectly sized to lodge in a dog's intestine. Wilted cherry leaves are the classic livestock poisoning and apply to rabbits too.
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 |
| Apple | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Banana | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
| Blueberries and strawberries | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Watermelon and melon | In moderation | Safe | Safe |
| Oranges, lemons and limes | Risky | In moderation | Risky |
| Coconut and coconut oil | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
Common questions
- Can dogs eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots?
- Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Flesh is fine. The stone is both an obstruction risk and a cyanide source.
- Can cats eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots?
- Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Same.
- What does cherries, peaches, plums and apricots actually do?
- Stone fruit pits contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when crushed or chewed, and the leaves and stems of cherry trees contain more of it than the fruit does. In practice the obstruction risk from a swallowed stone is the more common emergency: a peach stone is almost perfectly sized to lodge in a dog's intestine. Wilted cherry leaves are the classic livestock poisoning and apply to rabbits too.
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 apple? Fine in small amounts
- 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 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