Clove
12 foods contain this ingredient
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About Clove
Clove is the dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, added to some pet products in tiny amounts as a flavoring or eugenol-based preservative.
Clove is used in pet foods mainly as a natural spice or flavoring and occasionally for its antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities, but it provides little in the way of calories, protein, or essential nutrients for dogs and cats. Because clove contains eugenol, it can offer preservative and antioxidant benefits in small, controlled amounts, yet concentrated clove oil or large doses may cause gastrointestinal upset, liver enzyme effects, altered blood clotting and heightened sensitivity in cats, so it should be used sparingly and only in products formulated and tested for safety.
Related ingredients
- Derived from
- dried flower buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum)
- Primary role
- flavoring and eugenol-based antioxidant/antimicrobial agent
Why it's used
Clove's essential oil content, dominated by the aromatic compound eugenol, gives it antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that formulators sometimes draw on for natural preservation, alongside its use purely as a spice note. Any nutritional contribution to the finished food is negligible next to its functional or flavoring role.
Common concerns
- Feline eugenol sensitivity Cats are deficient in the liver enzyme glucuronyl transferase used to clear phenolic compounds like eugenol, which the Merck Veterinary Manual and veterinary toxicology sources associate with liver injury when concentrated clove or clove oil exposure occurs.
- Reported clinical signs Pet Poison Helpline lists clove oil among essential oils linked to drooling, vomiting, tremors, wobbliness (ataxia), respiratory distress, and liver failure in cases of significant exposure.
- Concentration matters The concern centers on concentrated clove oil or essential-oil-strength exposure rather than the trace amounts of ground clove that might appear in a formulated pet food, so dose and form are the key variables.
Also relevant
Dogs do not share the same enzyme deficiency as cats but eugenol is still described as directly affecting liver cells at higher exposure levels, so concentrated clove products are treated with similar caution across species.
Common Questions
What category is Clove?
Clove is categorized as a herb ingredient in the KibbleLab database.
Is Clove part of an allergen group?
No allergen group is linked to Clove in the KibbleLab database.
Which foods contain Clove?
12 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Clove, including Earth Animal, Evolve, GO! Solutions.
Foods with Clove
Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.
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