---
title: "Can dogs and cats eat rhubarb?"
description: "Rhubarb 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/rhubarb/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can pets eat rhubarb?

**Rhubarb: Toxic — treat as an emergency**

Dogs: Not safe · Cats: Not safe · Rabbits: Toxic

## By animal

| Animal | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dogs | Not safe | The leaves are high in oxalic acid, which binds calcium and can damage the kidneys. |
| Cats | Not safe | Same. |
| Rabbits | Toxic | Rabbits are more likely to encounter it in a garden and more likely to be harmed. |

## What it actually does

Rhubarb leaves contain enough soluble oxalate to bind circulating calcium, producing tremors, drooling and, in quantity, kidney damage. The stalks are much lower in oxalate and are what people eat. The realistic exposure is a garden one — a dog or rabbit with access to a rhubarb patch — rather than a slice of crumble.

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 |
| Corn on the cob | Not safe | Not safe | Risky |
| 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 |

## Common questions

### Can dogs eat rhubarb?

Not safe. The leaves are high in oxalic acid, which binds calcium and can damage the kidneys.

### Can cats eat rhubarb?

Not safe. Same.

### What does rhubarb actually do?

Rhubarb leaves contain enough soluble oxalate to bind circulating calcium, producing tremors, drooling and, in quantity, kidney damage. The stalks are much lower in oxalate and are what people eat. The realistic exposure is a garden one — a dog or rabbit with access to a rhubarb patch — rather than a slice of crumble.

## 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 corn on the cob?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/corn-on-the-cob/)
- [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 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)