Toxic plants for cats

Succulent · Caution — irritant

Caution — the outer leaf upsets the stomach; the inner gel is fine.

The latex just under the skin holds saponins and anthraquinones that cause vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy. The clear inner gel is essentially non-toxic, but a pet that bites a whole leaf gets the irritant layer too. Rarely serious.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — not a true fern; the berries upset the stomach.

Eating the berries causes vomiting, belly pain and diarrhoea, and repeated contact with the foliage can irritate the skin. Mild, but note it is unrelated to the safe true ferns like Boston fern.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — the underground tubers are the most irritating part.

Soluble calcium oxalates cause mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting; the tubers hold the most. Oral and stomach upset in dogs and cats rather than anything life-threatening.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a colourful leaf that burns the mouth.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth pain and swelling, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. Usually not life-threatening, but see a vet if swelling is marked.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — an oral irritant, and again NOT a true (deadly) lily.

Like the peace lily, a calla lily is not a true lily and carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals rather than the cat kidney toxin. Expect mouth burning, heavy drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing — painful but rarely dangerous.

Herb or edible · Caution — irritant

Fine for cats in normal amounts — too much just causes a mild tummy upset.

Catnip is meant for cats and the usual reaction — a burst of euphoria or mellow sedation — is harmless. It is listed as a mild concern only because a cat that eats a large amount can get self-limiting vomiting or diarrhoea. In normal use it is a treat, not a hazard.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — a common cut flower; usually mild upset.

Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrins and other compounds that cause vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, wobbliness and sometimes skin irritation. A larger amount brings stronger signs, but it is rarely dangerous.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a classic mouth-burning houseplant.

Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals plus an irritant enzyme cause intense oral burning, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing — the name 'dumbcane' comes from the mouth pain. Rarely life-threatening, but marked swelling can affect breathing, so see a vet if that happens.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — saponins cause stomach upset; cats may show dilated pupils.

Eating the leaves brings vomiting (sometimes with a little blood), low appetite, drooling and low mood; cats can also show dilated pupils. Generally not life-threatening, but a very common houseplant.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a big-leaved plant that burns the mouth.

Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause intense oral burning, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Painful but usually not serious; see a vet if swelling affects breathing or swallowing.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — the leaves upset the stomach more than the berries.

Triterpenoid saponins cause vomiting, belly pain, drooling and diarrhoea. The foliage is more toxic than the berries, and it is rarely serious — but it is a common trailing plant a cat will bat at.

Garden plant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a shade-garden favourite; saponins upset the stomach.

Eating hosta leaves or flowers causes vomiting, diarrhoea and depression. Generally not serious, but a common garden plant dogs graze.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — foliage is mild, the bulb holds the toxin.

As with tulips, the bulb is where the alkaloids concentrate. Leaves and flowers cause mild drooling or upset; a chewed bulb can bring vomiting or diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), depression and tremors.

Garden plant · Caution — irritant

Caution — usually just stomach upset.

The leaves and flowers hold a cyanogenic compound, but true cyanide poisoning is rare — in practice a pet that eats some gets vomiting, diarrhoea and low mood. Call your vet if a large amount was eaten.

Succulent · Caution — irritant

Caution — a common succulent that causes upset and wobbliness.

The exact toxin is unknown, but pets can show vomiting, low mood or lethargy and incoordination. Usually mild to moderate and self-limiting; call your vet if your pet seems drunk on its feet or very flat.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — a mild irritant; don't confuse it with toxic marsh marigold.

Garden marigold (Tagetes) is at most a mild irritant — the sap can upset the stomach or irritate skin and eyes. The name to watch is 'marsh marigold' (Caltha palustris), a different and more toxic plant. When in doubt about which you have, keep pets away.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a trendy houseplant that irritates the mouth.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause oral burning, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing if a pet chews the leaves. Rarely serious, but a popular plant worth keeping off the floor around young pets.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a painful mouth irritant, but NOT the deadly kind of lily.

Good news first: a peace lily is not a true lily and does not cause the fatal kidney failure in cats that Lilium does. What it does have is insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which cause intense burning of the mouth, lips and tongue, drooling, pawing at the mouth and vomiting. Usually not serious, but see a vet if swelling affects breathing or swallowing.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — oral irritation from calcium oxalate crystals.

Chewing brings mouth pain and swelling, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. Uncomfortable but rarely serious in dogs and cats — rinse the mouth and call your vet if signs are marked.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — famously over-rated; usually only mild irritation.

The Christmas poinsettia's reputation is worse than its bite. The milky sap irritates the mouth and stomach, causing drooling and the odd bout of vomiting, and it settles on its own. Worth keeping tidy, not worth panic.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — a very common trailing houseplant; an oral irritant.

The same calcium oxalate crystals: mouth burning, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. One of the most common houseplants pets chew, and usually not serious, but keep trailing vines out of a kitten's reach.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — another calcium-oxalate oral irritant.

Chewing causes mouth burning, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. Rarely serious in dogs and cats — a common office and home plant.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — saponins cause stomach upset.

Also sold as mother-in-law's tongue. Chewing brings nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which usually settles on its own. Not among the dangerous houseplants, but not one to let a pet graze on.

Flower · Caution — irritant

Caution — the flower is mild, but the bulb is the real hazard.

Tulipalin is concentrated in the bulb. A pet nosing the leaves or petals may drool or have a mild upset; a dog that digs up and chews a bulb can be more seriously affected — vomiting, diarrhoea and depression. Keep bulbs out of reach.

Houseplant · Caution — irritant

Caution — mild mouth and stomach irritation.

A calcium-oxalate houseplant like pothos and philodendron: chewing causes mouth or skin irritation, drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea. Severe reactions are rare — wash any sap off skin and rinse the mouth.