---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots?"
description: "Cherries, peaches, plums and apricots 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/cherry/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat cherries, peaches, plums and apricots?

**Cherries, peaches, plums and apricots: Risky — depends on amount or preparation**

Dogs: Risky · Cats: Risky · Rabbits: Risky

## 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?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/grapes/)
- [Can pets eat avocado?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/avocado/)
- [Can pets eat apple?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/apple/)
- [Can pets eat banana?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/banana/)
- [Can pets eat blueberries and strawberries?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/blueberries/)
- [Can pets eat watermelon and melon?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/watermelon/)
- [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)