Is This Toxic to My Cat?

Why Cats Are More Sensitive to Toxins

Cats have unique liver metabolism that makes them especially vulnerable to many common substances. Unlike dogs and humans, cats lack certain liver enzymes (glucuronyl transferases) needed to break down and eliminate many compounds. This is why substances safe for humans or even dogs—like acetaminophen, essential oils, and permethrin—can be deadly to cats. Their small body size also means toxins reach dangerous concentrations faster.

Cats' obligate carnivore evolution led to the loss of certain detoxification pathways that herbivores and omnivores retained. This makes dose calculations especially critical—a "small amount" to a human can be a lethal dose for a 10-pound cat.