Updated 2026-08-07 · Source: Merck Veterinary Manual; Pet Poison Helpline · Free · No sign-up
No — moldy food and compost is toxic to cats. Call your vet or poison control today, even if your cat seems fine.
If your cat may have eaten something harmful — or any part of a lily — call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right now — don't wait for symptoms. A consultation fee may apply to the ASPCA hotline.
Verdict for cats
Toxic
Severity
4 / 5 — Serious — call your vet or poison control today.
Safe amount
None
Category
Human snacks
Source
Merck Veterinary Manual; Pet Poison Helpline · reviewed 2026-08-07 · confidence: high
Why
The same mycotoxins affect cats. Cats raid bins less often, but a cat that has eaten moldy food needs the same urgent call.
Signs to watch for if your cat has eaten moldy food and compost
Vomiting and diarrhea
Muscle tremors or twitching
Wobbliness, agitation or disorientation
Seizures
Yellow gums or eyes if the liver is affected, sometimes a day or two later
Signs vary with the amount and with the individual pet, and some appear only after a day or more. Their absence does not mean your cat is in the clear — call rather than watch.
What to do now
Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 straight away. Tell them what your cat ate, roughly how much, and when, and take the packaging with you. Don't wait for symptoms — with several poisons the harm is done before a pet looks ill.
Never induce vomiting and never give any medicine unless a vet tells you to. With some substances it causes more damage than the poison. This page tells you when to get help — it never tells you how to treat at home.
Safer alternatives for cats
A small piece of plain cooked chicken or turkey
Plain cooked fish, boneless and unseasoned
A vet-approved commercial cat treat, kept to under a tenth of daily calories
Cat grass grown indoors instead of houseplants
Fresh water — a fountain tempts many cats to drink more
Verdicts are transcribed from the cited veterinary sources, never inferred. Where a source establishes a finding for one species only, the other species is left null and the page says to ask your vet — a dog finding is never copied onto a cat.
This page is a reference, not veterinary advice or a diagnosis. CanMyPetEat is a reference, not veterinary advice or a diagnosis. It tells you when to get help — never how to treat at home. Never induce vomiting or give any medicine unless a vet tells you to. Individual pets vary and toxicity guidance changes; your vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center are the authority.
No — moldy food and compost is toxic to cats. Call your vet or poison control today, even if your cat seems fine. The same mycotoxins affect cats. Cats raid bins less often, but a cat that has eaten moldy food needs the same urgent call.
What happens if a cat eats moldy food and compost?
Watch for: Vomiting and diarrhea; Muscle tremors or twitching; Wobbliness, agitation or disorientation; Seizures; Yellow gums or eyes if the liver is affected, sometimes a day or two later. Signs can take hours or, for some poisons, a day or more to appear, so call your vet rather than waiting to see.
How much moldy food and compost is dangerous for a cat?
More than a taste can cause real illness, and the risk rises with the amount and with a smaller pet. The safe amount is none — if your cat has had more, call your vet.