Is Mint safe for cats?

Yes, mint (Mentha sp.) is considered potentially toxic to cats. The essential oils in the plant can cause gastrointestinal distress, and larger quantities pose a greater risk than a single nibbled leaf.

The most common symptoms after a cat eats mint are vomiting and diarrhea, which typically appear within a few hours of ingestion and resolve in 24–48 hours with supportive care. If your cat got into mint essential oil rather than fresh leaves, watch also for drooling, lethargy, unsteadiness, tremors, low body temperature, or breathing difficulty — oil exposures can progress more quickly and seriously.

A single grazed leaf with no symptoms can usually be monitored at home. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if your cat ate a large amount of fresh mint, is having repeated vomiting or diarrhea, or got into peppermint or other mint essential oils rather than the fresh herb.

Mint essential oils — including peppermint oil — are a greater concern than fresh mint leaves because they are far more concentrated. Essential-oil exposures can cause signs more quickly and can progress to tremors, low body temperature, or breathing difficulty, whereas fresh-leaf ingestion is more likely to cause milder GI upset. Contact your vet or ASPCA APCC (888) 426-4435 immediately if your cat was exposed to any mint oil product.