Tomatoes are red fruits from a vine plant grown in gardens and farms, eaten fresh or cooked in sauces and salads. Ripe flesh provides water but offers little nutritional benefit for pets, and tomato pomace (skins, pulp, and seeds left after juicing) is used as a fiber ingredient in some commercial pet foods. Green or unripe tomatoes and plant parts contain tomatine and solanine and are toxic, so only small amounts of ripe flesh are appropriate.
Tomatoes are sold as cherry, grape, plum, beefsteak, and heirloom varieties and are used raw, roasted, stewed, or blended. Processed products such as ketchup, pasta sauce, and tomato paste often include onion, garlic, sugar, and salt. Those additions are less suitable for pets than plain ripe tomato flesh.
Tomatine and solanine are highest in green fruit, vines, and leaves. Home gardens and windowsill plants create access to dropped unripe tomatoes and pruning scraps. For pets, remove stems and leaves and offer only tiny pieces of ripe red flesh.
