Tea leaves & teabags — Food safety facts
Do not feed · Cats · full breakdown on the linked food page
Caffeine like coffee — a dog that eats loose tea or a teabag can get vomiting, tremors and a racing heart. Emergency for larger amounts.
Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Do not feed), so the notes below hold for either pet.
Tea leaves & teabags should not be given to cats at all. Even a small amount can do harm, so there is no portion small enough to be safe.
Do not induce vomiting and do not give milk or oil to “dilute” it. Note the food and roughly how much was eaten, then call your vet or a pet poison hotline and follow their advice on whether to bring the pet in straight away.
Why these cautions matter
Caffeine overstimulates the heart and nervous system, and pets clear it so slowly that tremors and restlessness drag on far longer than they would in a person.
Tea leaves & teabags has no place in everyday feeding: keep the rest of the day's food unchanged after this and watch the litter box and how quickly they finish the next meal.
The full verdict, portion guidance and serving notes are collected on the Tea leaves & teabags food facts page.