Can pets eat almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts?
By animal
| Animal | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Risky | Mostly not toxic, but high in fat, easy to choke on, and often salted. |
| Cats | Risky | Same, and of no dietary interest. |
What it actually does
Almonds, cashews and peanuts are not poisonous to dogs, but they are dense in fat, frequently salted, and shaped to lodge in a windpipe or an intestine. Walnuts are a separate case: black walnuts and mouldy walnuts of any kind can carry tremorgenic mycotoxins that cause seizures, and fallen nuts under a tree are the usual source. Macadamias have their own entry because they cause a specific and well-documented syndrome.
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.
Store cupboard
| Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut butter | In moderation | In moderation | In moderation |
| Macadamia nuts | Toxic | Toxic | Risky |
| Salt, salt dough and sea water | Toxic | Toxic | Toxic |
| 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 almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts?
- Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Mostly not toxic, but high in fat, easy to choke on, and often salted.
- Can cats eat almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts?
- Risky — depends on amount or preparation. Same, and of no dietary interest.
- What does almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts actually do?
- Almonds, cashews and peanuts are not poisonous to dogs, but they are dense in fat, frequently salted, and shaped to lodge in a windpipe or an intestine. Walnuts are a separate case: black walnuts and mouldy walnuts of any kind can carry tremorgenic mycotoxins that cause seizures, and fallen nuts under a tree are the usual source. Macadamias have their own entry because they cause a specific and well-documented syndrome.
Related pages
- Can pets eat peanut butter? Fine in small amounts
- Can pets eat macadamia nuts? Toxic — treat as an emergency
- Can pets eat salt, salt dough and sea water? Toxic — treat as an emergency
- Can pets eat raw bread dough? Toxic — treat as an emergency
- Can pets eat bread? Not safe
- Can pets eat popcorn? 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