Food category
🌿 Herbs & Spices - Safe for Dogs & Cats?
Which herbs & spices are safe to feed, which need caution, and which are unsafe or toxic, broken down separately for dogs and cats, because the two species do not always share the same rating.
- Dog-safe
- 46%
- Cat-safe
- 23%
- Foods rated
- 26
- Unsafe / toxic
- 7
Short answer
46% of herbs & spices rated here are dog-safe; 23% are cat-safe.
According to PlainPetFood's herbs & spices ratings (13 dog + 13 cat), 46% are safe for dogs and 23% for cats, with 7 unsafe or toxic ratings across both species. Dogs and cats do not always share the same level for the same food. FDA and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center citations appear on individual food pages when a public authority names the hazard.
Herbs & Spices vs all categories by food inventory
Where this category's rated-food count sits among every PlainPetFood category (archive depth, not a safety ranking)
13 7th of 12 higher than 5 of 12 categories
Categories banded by distinct foods in the archive
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainPetFood food archive (ASPCA / FDA / editorial ratings) · 2026-08-29
Signature: 23% cat-safe among 13 rated foods
Mid-archive hazard share (27%). Dogs: 6 safe / 4 caution / 3 unsafe-or-toxic of 13. Cats: 3 safe of 13 (23%). Use the chart, then open any non-safe food before you feed.
Where dogs and cats disagree
4 of the 13 herbs & spices rated for both species carry a DIFFERENT level for cats than for dogs. These are the ones a multi-pet household is most likely to get wrong.
Herbs & Spices: safety breakdown, dogs vs cats
Counts of herbs & spices by safety rating for each species, from PlainPetFood's veterinary-toxicology ratings.
Decision guide
How to use these herbs & spices ratings
Scan caution before the safe list
Herbs & Spices sits mid-archive on hazard share (27%). Signature: 23% cat-safe among 13 rated foods. Chart first, then any non-safe row.
Species gaps (4)
Ginger is one dog/cat mismatch; 4 foods differ across species in this category.
Where authority appears
Named FDA or ASPCA hazards are cited on the food page; everything else in this category overview is editorial guidance.
Named hazards cite FDA or ASPCA Animal Poison Control on the food page. Uncited rows stay editorial. Emergency: ASPCA APCC 888-426-4435.
🐕 Herbs & Spices for Dogs (13)
Basil
SafeBlack Pepper
CautionChili Pepper
UnsafeCinnamon
CautionGinger
SafeMint
CautionNutmeg
TOXICOregano
CautionParsley
SafeRosemary
SafeSalt
UnsafeThyme
SafeTurmeric
Safe🐈 Herbs & Spices for Cats (13)
Basil
SafeBlack Pepper
CautionChili Pepper
UnsafeCinnamon
CautionGinger
CautionMint
CautionNutmeg
TOXICOregano
UnsafeParsley
CautionRosemary
CautionSalt
UnsafeThyme
SafeTurmeric
SafeDisclaimer: This information is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your pet has eaten something dangerous, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or your nearest emergency vet immediately.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
PlainPetFood publishes an editorial food-safety compilation. When the FDA or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center names a food as dangerous, that food's page links the source; other ratings are identified as editorial guidance. The category counts and dog-versus-cat percentages are calculated from the food-safety archive; individual food pages identify any named FDA or ASPCA hazard source. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, report a correction, the methodology behind these numbers, or contact the editorial team. Data current as of August 29, 2026.