---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat cinnamon?"
description: "Cinnamon and pets: risky — depends on amount or preparation. What it does, whether the dose matters, and how dogs, cats, rabbits and birds differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cinnamon/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat cinnamon?

**Cinnamon: Risky — depends on amount or preparation**

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

## By animal

| Animal | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dogs | In moderation | Not toxic, but irritating to the mouth and airways as a powder. |
| Cats | Risky | Cats process the essential oil compounds poorly. |
| Birds | Risky | Fine powders are a respiratory hazard for birds. |

## What it actually does

Cinnamon is not a poison for dogs, and a pinch in a biscuit is a non-event. Inhaled powder irritates the airways, and cinnamon essential oil is a different and much more concentrated proposition — cats lack a liver enzyme pathway for metabolising several plant phenols, which is why concentrated essential oils of any kind are a repeated cause of feline poisoning.

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.

## Sweets and baking

| Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chocolate | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| Xylitol and birch sugar | Toxic | Toxic | Risky |
| Chewing gum | Toxic | Toxic | Risky |
| Ice cream | Risky | Risky | Risky |
| Honey | Risky | In moderation | In moderation |
| Nutmeg | Not safe | Not safe | Not safe |

## Common questions

### Can dogs eat cinnamon?

Fine in small amounts. Not toxic, but irritating to the mouth and airways as a powder.

### Can cats eat cinnamon?

Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Cats process the essential oil compounds poorly.

### What does cinnamon actually do?

Cinnamon is not a poison for dogs, and a pinch in a biscuit is a non-event. Inhaled powder irritates the airways, and cinnamon essential oil is a different and much more concentrated proposition — cats lack a liver enzyme pathway for metabolising several plant phenols, which is why concentrated essential oils of any kind are a repeated cause of feline poisoning.

## Related pages

- [Can pets eat chocolate?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/chocolate/)
- [Can pets eat xylitol and birch sugar?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/xylitol/)
- [Can pets eat chewing gum?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/chewing-gum/)
- [Can pets eat ice cream?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/ice-cream/)
- [Can pets eat honey?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/honey/)
- [Can pets eat nutmeg?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/nutmeg/)
- [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)