Onions might be delicious, but they can be a pain to prepare. We're used to the tears that chopped onions bring on, but are our cats? Do our cats cry over onions? Are onions even safe for cats?

There's nothing better than a meal that heavily features onions. They add a tang and a richness to meals, and are a key ingredient in any dish that requires a soffritto. The problem, of course, is that preparing onions can be a process that – quite literally – brings tears to the eye.

In this cat guide, TAG24 will take you on a journey of cats and onions. Do onions make cats cry the same way they make us cry, and are onions dangerous to cats, can they eat them? Let's take a look!

Cats and onions don't mix, but it's not just a mutual distaste, it's an angry and violent one. According to reports published in the National Library of Medicine, onions and garlic are the most common cause of poisoning in cats, usually causing "mild digestive upsets" but occasionally causing death.

As onions have the potential to cause serious illness, and even death, if ingested by your cat, experts are warning that veterinarians and animal welfare groups should better educate owners about the risks. As onion is the leading cause of toxicosis (poisoning) in our feline friends, this warning becomes all-the-more relevant.

The chemicals present in onions that pose a danger to our cats are the amino acids S-meth and S-prop (SMCO), as well as sulfoxides and aliphatic sulfides. It's vitally important to understand that these same chemicals are present in all other vegetables within the allium family as well, including garlic, leeks, shallots, spring onions, and more.

It's unlikely that your cat will try to eat an onion, of course, the problem is accidental consumption and the impact that these same chemicals have when they get into the air.

It is okay for cats to smell onions, just as long as they don't consume any. They won't be harmed by a brief sniff or a nudging with their nose. That being said, cats are simply not fans of onions - they don't like the smell, they don't like the taste - so it's unlikely that your kitty will give them a whiff anyway.

What's more likely is that your feline friend will wander off once you begin cutting onions, calmly making themselves scarce. Onions release a lot of chemicals into the air, and seeing as your cat has such a strong sense of smell, you might notice that it'll leave almost as soon as the skin of the onion is pierced.

Cats will cry just as badly as you will when cutting up onions. These round vegetables release a volatile sulfur compounds into the air as they are cut, and these chemicals are responsible for both the smell of a chopped onion and the tears that begin streaming down your face.

It's all pretty simple, to be honest! These fumes irritate your eyeballs and, when they hit your retinas, your body starts to produce tears as a protective mechanism. The onions won't actually hurt your eyes, but the gas triggers a response – and it's the same in cats.

There's a popular TikTok trend that has people making their cats cry with chopped up onions. What's problematic, though, is that while onions are fine for us, they're not fine for cats. Sure, it's adorable to see your cat fighting back tears like that, but you could actually inflict some pretty serious harm.

When cutting up onions, make sure that your cat has either left the room or is chilling somewhere that's well away from the kitchen bench. A little bit of onion fume won't hurt it, but too much could be both unpleasant and unhealthy.

The main problem with onions, which we'll discuss in detail in just a moment, is the thiosulfates that can enter your cat's blood stream when ingested. When a cat cries from onions, it is instead having a reaction to the amino acid sulfoxides, which turn into a sulfuric acid that then irritates your kitty's eyes.

What's the point, you may ask? Well, it's quite simple really. These are two different things and, as such, you don't need to worry that your cat has been poisoned if it is crying after you chopped up an onion – they will be fine, it just needs a bit of time.

If you want to help soothe its eyes, though, take your cat into the bathroom. Close the windows, put a pillow on the floor, and turn the shower on hot. If you leave it in there for two or three minutes, the steam should help soothe its eyes.

Under no circumstances should you ever let your cat eat onions, as they are extremely toxic. Whether they are dried, roasted, the scraps and skins of recently chopped-up onions, cooked or sautéd, or part of a stew, onions can kill a cat if consumed in too high a quantity.

What's even scarier is that this "high quantity" is not so high at all. The same report we quoted earlier also shared that as little as five grams of onion can cause serious health issues that may result in death.

Onion poisoning is extremely painful as well, as it attacks and damages your cat's blood cells, and can be associated with severe symptoms.

The symptoms of onion poisoning in cats include:

• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Depression and a sense of malaise
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal and generalized pain
• Dehydration

If you think that your cat has eaten onions and is displaying any of these signs and symptoms, you must immediately take it to the vet. This is a medical emergency and needs to be treated straight away – your cat could die if you don't.

The idea of a cat chopping onions brings pure fear to my delicate heart. Without opposing thumbs, there is very little chance that your kitty will be able to safely handle a knife and, as everyone knows, safe and precise knife skills are at the core of what's needed when cutting onions.

In the end, the best that a cat could really do is use its paws to cut the onion. This is also not ideal, though, as onions aren't great for cats and can cause some pretty serious health issues. What's more, your cat's claws are pretty short in comparison to the diameter of the onion - that's going to be one difficult chop!

Jokes aside, cats and onions don't mix. That goes both in terms of cuisine (cats can be a bit chewy) and in terms of health. Keep your cats away from you when you chop onions, lest it starts to cry its little eyes out!