---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat macadamia nuts?"
description: "Macadamia nuts and pets: toxic — treat as an emergency. What it does, whether the dose matters, and how dogs, cats, rabbits and birds differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/macadamia-nuts/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat macadamia nuts?

**Macadamia nuts: Toxic — treat as an emergency**

Dogs: Toxic · 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 | Toxic | Weakness, tremors and an inability to use the hind legs, usually within twelve hours. |
| Cats | Risky | Not documented as a feline syndrome, but the high fat content alone is a problem. |

## What it actually does

Macadamias produce a distinctive and well-recorded syndrome in dogs — hind limb weakness severe enough that the dog cannot stand, plus tremors, vomiting and a raised temperature — and nobody has identified the responsible compound. It is one of the few toxicoses where the mechanism is genuinely unknown. Most dogs recover fully within 48 hours with supportive care, which makes it frightening rather than usually fatal.

## How much matters

Signs have been recorded from as little as 2 g of nuts per kg of body weight — a handful for a medium dog.

> 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.

## Store cupboard

| Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Peanut butter | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
| Salt, salt dough and sea water | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| Almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts | Risky | Risky | Risky |
| Raw bread dough | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| Bread | Not safe | In moderation | In moderation |
| Popcorn | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |

## Common questions

### Can dogs eat macadamia nuts?

Toxic — treat as an emergency. Weakness, tremors and an inability to use the hind legs, usually within twelve hours.

### Can cats eat macadamia nuts?

Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Not documented as a feline syndrome, but the high fat content alone is a problem.

### What does macadamia nuts actually do?

Macadamias produce a distinctive and well-recorded syndrome in dogs — hind limb weakness severe enough that the dog cannot stand, plus tremors, vomiting and a raised temperature — and nobody has identified the responsible compound. It is one of the few toxicoses where the mechanism is genuinely unknown. Most dogs recover fully within 48 hours with supportive care, which makes it frightening rather than usually fatal.

### How much is dangerous?

Signs have been recorded from as little as 2 g of nuts per kg of body weight — a handful for a medium dog.

### 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 peanut butter?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/peanut-butter/)
- [Can pets eat salt, salt dough and sea water?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/salt/)
- [Can pets eat almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/nuts/)
- [Can pets eat raw bread dough?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/bread-dough/)
- [Can pets eat bread?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/bread/)
- [Can pets eat popcorn?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/popcorn/)
- [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

- MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual — Merck & Co. (https://www.merckvetmanual.com/)