🌿 Herbs & Spices
Can pets eat Mint?
Small amounts of spearmint safe; peppermint essential oil is not.
- For dogs
- Caution
- For cats
- Caution
- Category
- Herbs & Spices
Mint 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
Mint 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
Mint is caution for dogs and cats. Herbs & Spices lists 4 caution, 6 safe, and 3 higher-hazard dog ratings across 13 foods.
Key facts about Mint
According to PlainPetFood's food-safety corpus, Mint ranks #83 of 160 foods by dog-side hazard band (caution) and #59 of 160 by dog-side documentation depth (benefits, risks, symptoms, notes). Herbs & Spices lists 13 foods in our archive; 23.1% 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
CautionSmall amounts of spearmint leaf OK; peppermint OIL is not safe
Full dog guide →For Cats
CautionKeep away from mint essential oils; catnip is different species and safe
Full cat guide →Mint for dogs vs cats, at a glance
| 🐕 Dogs | 🐈 Cats | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety level | Caution | Caution |
| Portion | Small amount | Avoid or minimal |
| Preparation | Fresh spearmint or dried | - |
| Key risk to watch | Peppermint essential oil toxic | Catnip is the only mint-family plant cats should have freely |
Per-species safety ratings for mint from PlainPetFood's veterinary-toxicology data. Open the species guides below for full warning signs and emergency steps.
🐕 Mint for dogs
- ✓Fresh breath
- ✓Digestive aid
- ⚠Peppermint essential oil toxic
- ⚠Large amounts upset stomach
- ⚠Some mint species harmful
🐈 Mint for cats
- ⚠Catnip is the only mint-family plant cats should have freely
- ⚠Peppermint oil toxic
- ⚠Can cause liver problems in large amounts
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat mint?
Mint is rated caution for dogs. Only offer small amounts with the right preparation (small amount). Key risk: peppermint essential oil toxic.
Can cats eat mint?
Mint is rated caution for cats. Only offer small amounts with the right preparation (avoid or minimal). Key risk: catnip is the only mint-family plant cats should have freely.
More herbs & spices safety records
Browse other foods in the same category, each with its own dog and cat safety rating.
See the full herbs & spices safety list for dogs and cats.
Other foods with the same dog and cat safety profile
These foods match mint'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.