🍎 Fruits
Can pets eat Date?
Very sweet dried fruit; pit removed.
- For dogs
- Caution
- For cats
- Caution
- Category
- Fruits
Date vs. every tracked food
Dog-side hazard band across PlainPetFood's full food-safety corpus
2 Around the middle lower than 28% of 160 foods
Foods, banded by dog-side hazard level
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more foods. 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-safety corpus · 2026-08-09
Date is safe only with care, small amounts and the right preparation for both dogs and cats.
Category standing
Caution band for both dogs and cats
Date is caution for dogs and cats. Fruits lists 12 caution, 7 safe, and 9 higher-hazard dog ratings across 28 foods.
Key facts about Date
According to PlainPetFood's food-safety corpus, Date ranks #69 of 160 foods by dog-side hazard band (caution) and #50 of 160 by dog-side documentation depth (benefits, risks, symptoms, notes). Fruits lists 13 foods in our archive; 32.1% of dog-side ratings in that group are unsafe or toxic. Open the species cards below for portions, preparation, and symptom lists tied to this food.
For Dogs
CautionHealthy alternative to commercial treats but very sweet; not for diabetic dogs
Full dog guide →For Cats
CautionNo benefit for cats
Full cat guide →Date for dogs vs cats, at a glance
| 🐕 Dogs | 🐈 Cats | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety level | Caution | Caution |
| Portion | Half a date max | None — avoid |
| Preparation | Remove pit | - |
| Key risk to watch | Very high sugar | Very high sugar |
Per-species safety ratings for date from PlainPetFood's veterinary-toxicology data. Open the species guides below for full warning signs and emergency steps.
🐕 Date for dogs
- ✓Natural energy
- ✓Fiber
- ✓Vitamins
- ⚠Very high sugar
- ⚠Can cause GI upset
- ⚠Pit choking hazard
🐈 Date for cats
- ⚠Very high sugar
- ⚠Cats do not need fruit
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat date?
Date is rated caution for dogs. Only offer small amounts with the right preparation (half a date max). Key risk: very high sugar.
Can cats eat date?
Date is rated caution for cats. Only offer small amounts with the right preparation (none — avoid). Key risk: very high sugar.
More fruits safety records
Browse other foods in the same category, each with its own dog and cat safety rating.
See the full fruits safety list for dogs and cats.
Other foods with the same dog and cat safety profile
These foods match date's recorded dog and cat safety levels, but come from different food categories.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center + FDA + AAFCO Pet food safety classification (toxicity + FDA enforcement) · August 2026 Safety data combines ASPCA toxicity classifications, FDA pet food enforcement reports, and AAFCO ingredient compliance status.
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. Its dog and cat ratings, portions, preparation notes and warning signs are rendered from the food-safety archive; a named FDA or ASPCA source is linked above when that authority names this food. 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.