What are the symptoms of Macadamia Nuts poisoning in cats?

weakness in hind legs, vomiting, tremors, elevated temperature (hyperthermia), lethargy, inability to stand

Macadamia Nuts

Q: Can cats eat Macadamia Nuts?

Toxic: Never — causes paralysis and serious illness. Macadamia nuts cause a distinctive and poorly understood syndrome in cats. While most commonly documented in dogs, cats should also avoid macadamia nuts. Even a small amount can cause muscle weakness, especially of the hind limbs, along with hyperthermia and vomiting. The toxin is unknown but the syndrome is well-documented in veterinary literature. Source: ASPCA.

Toxic

Verdict

Never — causes paralysis and serious illness.

Toxic principle: unknown toxin (syndrome primarily documented in dogs; few confirmed cat cases)

Source: ASPCA · Verified 2026-06-12

If your cat ate this

Cats hide symptoms — don't wait and see. Even small amounts of certain substances can be fatal to a cat. Act fast.

1. Call your veterinarian immediately
US — National hotline: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 aspca.org(24/7, Consultation fee may apply.)
US — National hotline: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 petpoisonhelpline.com(24/7, $89 per incident fee; also covers Canada.)
GB — National hotline: Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 animalpoisonline.co.uk(24/7, £35 per call (8am–8pm weekdays), £45 at other times.)
AU — National hotline: Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 animalpoisons.com.au(24/7)
NZ — National hotline: Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 poisons.co.nz(11am–7pm NZ time (currently being extended), Charges apply.)
CA — National hotline: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 petpoisonhelpline.com(24/7, $89 per incident fee.)

Verified 2026-08-06

Verdict

Macadamia nuts cause a distinctive and poorly understood syndrome in cats. While most commonly documented in dogs, cats should also avoid macadamia nuts. Even a small amount can cause muscle weakness, especially of the hind limbs, along with hyperthermia and vomiting. The toxin is unknown but the syndrome is well-documented in veterinary literature.