Cashews are not toxic to cats, but their richness makes them a treat to skip. They are very high in fat, which can upset a cat's stomach or, with regular feeding, contribute to pancreatitis, and roasted cashews are usually salted. A single plain piece is unlikely to harm a cat, yet there is no nutritional upside.
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Caution — rich, fatty, and saltyAmount, form, or frequency matters
Can cats eat cashews? 🥜
Cashews are not toxic to cats, but their richness makes them a treat to skip. They are very high in fat, which can upset a cat's stomach or, with regular feeding, contribute to pancreatitis, and roasted cashews are usually salted. A single plain piece is unlikely to harm a cat, yet there is no nutritional upside.
Source-linked record · Last reviewed July 17, 2026 · Not veterinary advice
Why this answer
Cashews are among the fattiest nuts, and that fat load is the core problem for an obligate carnivore whose digestion is tuned for animal tissue, not oily seeds. Even a few can bring on vomiting or diarrhea, and repeated fatty snacks raise the risk of pancreatitis. Most packaged cashews are also salted, adding sodium that a small cat handles poorly.
Watch for
Vomiting or diarrhea from the fat
Lethargy or abdominal discomfort
Increased thirst from salted cashews
How much is okay
At most a small piece of a plain, unsalted cashew on a rare occasion, not a handful and never salted or seasoned.
Serve it safely
Offer only plain, unsalted cashews if you share at all.
Give a small broken piece rather than a whole nut.
Avoid salted, honey-roasted, and flavored cashews.
Sources and evidence notes (3)
People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — Multi-species veterinary toxicology list covering alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, citrus, coconut, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, milk and dairy, nuts, onions, garlic and chives, raw meat and eggs, salty snacks, xylitol, and yeast dough.
Petfoodology
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University — Board-certified veterinary nutritionist guidance on pet diets, treat limits (about 10% of daily calories), human-food snacks, and species-appropriate feeding for cats and dogs.
Feeding Your Cat
Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine — Feline nutrition fundamentals: cats are obligate carnivores; complete balanced cat food should be the diet base; treats should stay a small share of daily calories.
Answer card
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Remove access. Take the food away and move your cat to another room.
Note the facts. What was it, roughly how much is missing, and when? Keep the packaging.
Call before symptoms. For chocolate, onion, garlic, grapes, raisins, alcohol, or anything sugar-free (xylitol), call a hotline or your veterinarian now — early treatment is easier and cheaper.
Never do this
Do not induce vomiting, feed milk, salt, or oil, or wait overnight to "see how it goes". Signs of chocolate or Allium poisoning can take hours to days to appear.
Go to an emergency vet immediately if
Your cat is collapsing, twitching or seizing, struggling to breathe, drooling heavily, vomiting repeatedly, or wobbly on their feet.
Outside the US? Call your local emergency veterinary clinic — keep the number saved in your phone.
Effective: July 17, 2026
Can Cats Eat It? provides general educational information for cat owners. It is not veterinary, diagnostic, treatment, or emergency advice.
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