Is Thyme toxic to cats?
Thyme is non-toxic to cats (S0 Safe): the ASPCA lists Thymus vulgaris as safe for cats, dogs, and horses with no toxic principle on record — a kitchen herb that can sit on a cat-height windowsill.
- TOXINnone — no toxic principles on record
- WHAT TO EXPECTno symptoms on record
- CALL THE VETSee a vet only if unusual or persistent symptoms follow ingestion.
Nothing to do — really
Care at a glance
FAQ
My cat nibbles the thyme on the windowsill — any harm?
Not from the thyme. It is S0 Safe for cats: the ASPCA lists Thymus vulgaris as non-toxic with no toxic principle on record, which is what makes it a kitchen herb that can sit on a cat-height windowsill. S0 means non-toxic on record, not that a big meal of any plant sits well — a cat that eats a lot of leaf may still get an upset stomach. If the nibbling bothers the plant more than you, move it up a shelf.
Is thyme safe for dogs as well as cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Thymus vulgaris as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, with "non-toxic" in the toxic-principle field itself, so thyme is S0 Safe on both our cat and dog pages. The entry's alternative names — common thyme, garden thyme, German thyme — are all the same species and all covered. It is one of five herbs on our index graded S0 for cats, alongside basil, rosemary, sage, and cilantro, which together make a kitchen windowsill a mixed household can plant without a plan. A dog that eats a mouthful of thyme has eaten a mouthful of thyme, nothing more.