 Other common household substances that should be used with caution around cats include mothballs and other naphthalene products . Phenol @-@ based products ( e.g. Pine @-@ Sol , Dettol / Lysol or hexachlorophene ) are often used for cleaning and disinfecting near cats ' feeding areas or litter boxes , but these can sometimes be fatal . Ethylene glycol , often used as an automotive antifreeze , is particularly appealing to cats , and as little as a teaspoonful can be fatal . Some human foods are toxic to cats ; for example chocolate can cause theobromine poisoning , although ( unlike dogs ) few cats will eat chocolate . Large amounts of onions or garlic are also poisonous to cats . Many houseplants are also dangerous , such as Philodendron species and the leaves of the Easter lily ( Lilium longiflorum ) , which can cause permanent and life @-@ threatening kidney damage . 
