Can cats eat apricots?
Yes, a small piece of ripe apricot flesh is not toxic to cats, though there is rarely much reason to offer it — cats lack the taste receptors for sweetness that make fruit appealing to dogs and people, so most show little interest. The parts that genuinely matter to keep away from your cat are the stone, leaves and stem, not the flesh itself.
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Why the flesh is not the concern
Ripe apricot flesh contains nothing toxic to cats at the tiny amount a cat might realistically be curious about. It offers essentially no nutritional benefit to a cat either, since cats are obligate carnivores whose diet should be built around meat rather than fruit, so there is no real upside to offering it beyond satisfying curiosity.
Because cats cannot taste sweetness, most show little interest in fruit generally, and a cat sniffing then walking away from a piece of apricot is a far more common reaction than one eagerly eating it, unlike the enthusiastic response many dogs show to sweet fruit.
Why the stone, leaves and stem are the real risk
Apricot stones, leaves and stems contain a compound that releases cyanide when broken down, and while a cat swallowing a whole stone is unlikely given how small a cat's mouth is relative to the fruit, it is a genuine choking and blockage risk on top of the toxicity concern, and neither part should ever be deliberately offered.
If you grow apricot trees or keep dried apricots at home, keep both out of reach — dried apricots often carry added sugar or are treated with sulphites, neither of which suit a cat's diet, and a cat exploring a garden with a fallen, stone-in fruit is more of a genuine risk than one being handed a small piece of flesh by an owner.
What to feed instead
Since fruit offers little value to a cat and most cats are not interested anyway, a treat made specifically for cats is a far better way to reward or spoil them — formulated for their actual nutritional needs rather than adapted from something meant for people.
If your cat does show genuine interest in fruit or vegetables, that is unusual enough to be worth mentioning to your vet, mainly to rule out anything else going on rather than because the interest itself is dangerous.
Signs something has gone wrong
If your cat has eaten any part of an apricot stone, leaves or stem, or seems to be choking, drooling excessively, vomiting, or acting unusually lethargic, contact your vet promptly rather than waiting to see if it passes. Take a description of what was eaten and roughly how much with you if you can.
A cat who has simply licked or nibbled a small piece of ripe flesh and shows no reaction is very unlikely to need anything more than watching, but any of the signs above change that. If you are ever unsure whether what your cat has got into is a genuine concern, a phone call to your vet or an out-of-hours emergency line costs nothing and settles the question far faster than waiting to see.
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Common questions
- Can cats eat dried apricots?
- It is better to avoid them. Dried apricots are often higher in concentrated sugar than fresh fruit and may be treated with sulphites, neither of which suit a cat's diet. A cat is very unlikely to be interested regardless, since cats cannot taste sweetness.
- What happens if my cat eats an apricot stone?
- Apricot stones contain a compound that releases cyanide when broken down, and the stone itself is also a choking and blockage risk. If your cat has swallowed or chewed a stone, contact your vet promptly rather than waiting to see if symptoms appear.
- Why don't cats seem interested in sweet fruit like apricots?
- Cats lack the taste receptors that let most mammals detect sweetness, which is why fruit generally has little appeal to them compared with dogs. A cat sniffing and ignoring a piece of apricot is a normal, expected reaction rather than a sign anything is wrong.
- Are apricot leaves poisonous to cats?
- Yes, along with the stem and stone, apricot leaves contain a cyanide-releasing compound and should be kept well away from cats. If you grow an apricot tree and your cat has access to the garden, keep an eye on fallen fruit and prunings.
Related
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Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.