Ask the APCC: Tomatoes in Your Pet's Dry Food?

I give my cats dry cat food, and was surprised to learn that the brand I feed contains tomatoes. Aren’t tomatoes poisonous to pets?
—Tricia K.

In this case the answer is no, Tricia. The green parts of the tomato plant are considered toxic because they contain solanine, which has the potential to produce significant gastrointestinal and central nervous system effects. However ripe tomatoes, the part of the plant typically used in food products, are not toxic. Therefore, we would not expect any poisoning-related issues with the tomato content of your cat food.

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