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Mushrooms & Pets: The Card
Dogs and cats — stick it on the fridge.
The one-sentence rule
Store-bought mushrooms, cooked plain: fine in small amounts. Anything wild, or anything cooked with garlic, onion, or butter: not.
Fine — plain-cooked, small amounts
Cultivated, store-bought mushrooms, cooked in water with no seasoning.
- Button, cremini, portobelloAgaricus bisporus
- OysterPleurotus ostreatus
- King oysterPleurotus eryngii
- ShiitakeLentinula edodes
- Lion's maneHericium erinaceus
- ChestnutPholiota adiposa
- Maitake, enokiGrifola frondosa, Flammulina
Never
- Any wild mushroom
- Cooking does not neutralise death cap toxins. A cooked wild mushroom of unknown identity is exactly as dangerous as a raw one.
- Garlic, onion, leek, chive, shallot
- The Allium family is toxic raw or cooked. It destroys red blood cells and causes hemolytic anemia over 1–3 days — the most common way a mushroom dish harms a pet.
- Butter, heavy oil
- Fatty food can trigger pancreatitis — a painful and sometimes serious inflammation.
- Salt, broth, sauces, seasoning
- None of it belongs in the bowl.
How to serve, if you offer any
- Tear or dice into small pieces.
- Steam or simmer in plain water for 4–6 minutes, until soft.
- Drain and cool. No oil, butter, salt, or seasoning.
- One or two pieces, as an occasional treat.
- The first time, wait 24 hours and watch for sensitivity.
Cats are obligate carnivores — mushrooms aren't a food they need. Interest comes from the umami taste, not a nutritional requirement.
Emergency — wild or unknown mushroom
- Remove access to the mushroom.
- Photograph the mushroom where it grew.
- Take a sample including the base (it matters for identification).
- Call your vet or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661.
- Don't wait for symptoms to appear.
Signs to watch for: Lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, loss of appetite, tremors, jaundice, excessive drooling.