My pregnant cat, due in 2 weeks, ate a few poppy seeds from a bagel crust. Is this safe for her

Short answer

A few seeds from a bagel crust are highly unlikely to cause harm. The trace opiates in poppy seeds are present in such minute amounts that a cat would need to eat a large volume to be affected. The main concern with any new food during pregnancy is stomach upset, which could cause stress. Watch her for any vomiting or diarrhea over the next 12 hours. If she seems her normal self, eating and drinking, there's no need for a vet visit. Simply keep all human baked goods out of reach for the remainder of her pregnancy to avoid any unnecessary risks.

Poppy seeds — Food safety facts

Feed with care · Cats · full breakdown on the linked food page

Contain trace opiates and can show up on a drug test. A few on bread are harmless.

Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Feed with care), so the notes below hold for either pet.

Poppy seeds is not poisonous to cats, but it is easy to over-feed. Rich fat, salt or seasoning can bring on vomiting or diarrhoea within a day, and repeated large portions are a recognised trigger for pancreatitis.

If it ate some before you noticed, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or a painful, swollen abdomen over the next 24 hours. A one-off small amount in a healthy adult usually passes with water and rest; repeated exposure, a puppy or kitten, a senior, or a pet with an ongoing illness is a reason to call your vet the same day.

Poppy seeds can turn up now and then, but not as a daily habit: keep the rest of the day's food unchanged 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 Poppy seeds food facts page.

Open the full food page: Poppy seeds food facts →

My pregnant cat, due in 2 weeks, ate a few poppy seeds from a bagel crust. Is this safe for her and the kittens?

Poppy seeds — Food safety facts

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