---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat corn on the cob?"
description: "Corn on the cob and pets: not safe. What it does, whether the dose matters, and how dogs, cats, rabbits and birds differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/corn-on-the-cob/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat corn on the cob?

**Corn on the cob: Not safe**

Dogs: Not safe · Cats: Risky

> If this has already been eaten, ring your vet or an animal poison control line now rather than waiting for signs to appear — for several of these the window in which treatment works closes before the animal looks unwell. Do not try to make the animal sick at home: home emetics are dangerous for corrosive and petroleum substances and for an animal already showing signs, and salt-based ones have themselves proved fatal.

## By animal

| Animal | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dogs | Not safe | The kernels are fine; the cob is one of the classic causes of intestinal obstruction. |
| Cats | Risky | Same principle, though cats rarely attempt a cob. |

## What it actually does

Sweetcorn kernels are harmless and appear in a great deal of commercial dog food. The cob is the problem: it does not break down, it is almost exactly the diameter of a dog's small intestine, and it is one of the most common foreign bodies veterinary surgeons remove. A dog that has swallowed a piece of cob may seem fine for a day or two before the obstruction declares itself.

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 |
| 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 |
| Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower | Risky | In moderation | In moderation |
| Peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels | Risky | Safe | Safe |
| Rhubarb | Toxic | Not safe | Not safe |

## Common questions

### Can dogs eat corn on the cob?

Not safe. The kernels are fine; the cob is one of the classic causes of intestinal obstruction.

### Can cats eat corn on the cob?

Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Same principle, though cats rarely attempt a cob.

### What does corn on the cob actually do?

Sweetcorn kernels are harmless and appear in a great deal of commercial dog food. The cob is the problem: it does not break down, it is almost exactly the diameter of a dog's small intestine, and it is one of the most common foreign bodies veterinary surgeons remove. A dog that has swallowed a piece of cob may seem fine for a day or two before the obstruction declares itself.

### What should I do if my pet has eaten it?

Call your vet or an animal poison control line now, rather than waiting for signs. Do not try to make the animal sick at home.

## 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 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 potato?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/potato/)
- [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)