Can My Dog or Cat Eat This?
Plain, accurate safety answers for 160 everyday human foods, is it safe, risky, or toxic for your dog or cat?
A free, plain-language reference for whether everyday human foods are safe, risky, or toxic for your dog or cat, with portions, preparation, and the symptoms to watch for, drawn from veterinary guidance and ASPCA toxicology data.
Across the 160 common human foods in our database, just 21% are safe for both dogs and cats, and cats, as obligate carnivores, have fewer safe foods than dogs, so a food that is fine for your dog is not automatically fine for your cat. Search any food above to see its safety level, portion, preparation, and the warning signs to watch for.
Safety Guides
All guides →20 Fruits Dogs Can (and Cannot) Eat
A complete guide to dog-safe fruits: which ones are nutritious treats and which ones can be deadly.
Best Foods for Dogs with Allergies
How to identify food allergies in dogs and which novel proteins and hypoallergenic foods to try.
Holiday Foods Dangerous to Pets
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, and summer cookout foods that send thousands of pets to emergency vets each year.
Household Plants Toxic to Cats
Many beloved houseplants are dangerous to cats. Know which ones to keep out of your home.
Low-Calorie Dog Treats for Weight Management
Healthy low-calorie snacks that satisfy your dog without adding unwanted pounds.
Raw Food Diet: Benefits, Risks, and Safety
A balanced look at raw feeding for dogs and cats — what the evidence says and how to do it safely if you choose to.
Pet Food Safety Coverage
How our 160 catalogued foods break down by safety rating, separately for dogs and cats. Just 21% are safe for both species combined, and cats (obligate carnivores) have fewer safe foods than dogs, so a food that is fine for your dog is not automatically fine for your cat.
Tools & research
Free, no-sign-up tools and data to work with the safety database directly.
Pet Food Safety Checklist
Build a saved list of which foods are safe for your dog or cat, with a running safety summary.
Pet Food Safety: By the Numbers
How many human foods are safe for pets? The database in numbers, by species and category.
Pet Food Cost Calculator
Estimate monthly and annual feeding costs by pet type, size, and food quality tier.
Pet Food Guides
In-depth guides to understanding pet food labels, ingredients, and nutrition.
Choosing Pet Food by Life Stage
Puppies, adults, and seniors have different nutritional needs. Learn how to select the right food for your pet's age and activity level.
How to Read Pet Food Labels
Decode ingredient lists, guaranteed analysis, and marketing claims to make informed choices about what you feed your pet.
Understanding Pet Food Ingredients
A practical guide to common pet food ingredients, what they do, which ones matter, and which are just fillers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlainPetFood?
PlainPetFood is a free database that answers "Can my dog or cat eat this?" for hundreds of human foods. Every entry includes safety level, portion guidance, preparation tips, benefits, and risks, all sourced from ASPCA toxicology data and veterinary guidelines.
Where does the data come from?
Our data is based on ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center guidelines, AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) publications, and peer-reviewed veterinary literature. When in doubt about a specific food, always consult your veterinarian.
What do the safety levels mean?
Safe, Generally fine in appropriate portions. Caution, Only in small amounts with specific prep required. Unsafe, Can cause harm; avoid entirely. Toxic, Can be fatal; emergency situation if ingested.
My pet ate something dangerous, what do I do?
Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately: 888-426-4435 (24/7, consultation fee may apply). Do not induce vomiting unless directed by a veterinarian. Have the food packaging ready and know your pet's weight.
Related Guides
Deeper reading on feeding decisions, life-stage nutrition, the grain-free debate, and how to read the marketing on a pet-food label.
Choosing Pet Food by Life Stage
Why puppies, adults, and seniors need different nutrition, and how to match the food to your pet's age.
The Grain-Free Pet Food Debate
What the FDA's investigation into grain-free diets and canine heart disease actually found.
Pet Food Marketing Claims Decoded
"Premium," "natural," "human-grade" - which label claims are regulated and which are just words.
About this data
How PlainPetFood works, and why you can trust these numbers
What this site is
PlainPetFood answers "can my dog or cat eat this?" for hundreds of human foods, with a safety level, portion guidance, and preparation tips for each. Every safety rating is built from authoritative veterinary and animal-poison-control sources, not manufacturer marketing or crowd-sourced opinion.
Editorial process
- Source. Research each food's safety profile against the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's toxic and non-toxic food lists and AVMA/veterinary-school guidance on pet nutrition.
- Verify. When veterinary sources disagree, or toxicity is dose-dependent with a narrow safety margin, the rating errs toward the more cautious classification.
- Publish. Compile a plain-language safety rating (Safe, Caution, Unsafe, Toxic) with portion guidance and preparation notes, documented in full on the methodology page.
Editorial independence & corrections
PlainPetFood does not accept payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from manufacturers, brands, retailers, or any food industry entity. Found an error? Contact us via the contact page. See our methodology for full source attribution.
Frequently asked
What is PlainPetFood?
PlainPetFood is a free database that answers "Can my dog or cat eat this?" for hundreds of human foods. Every entry includes safety level, portion guidance, preparation tips, benefits, and risks, all sourced from ASPCA toxicology data and veterinary guidelines.
Where does the data come from?
Our data is based on ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center guidelines, AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) publications, and peer-reviewed veterinary literature. When in doubt about a specific food, always consult your veterinarian.
What do the safety levels mean?
Safe, Generally fine in appropriate portions. Caution, Only in small amounts with specific prep required. Unsafe, Can cause harm; avoid entirely. Toxic, Can be fatal; emergency situation if ingested.
My pet ate something dangerous, what do I do?
Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately: 888-426-4435 (24/7, consultation fee may apply). Do not induce vomiting unless directed by a veterinarian. Have the food packaging ready and know your pet's weight.