Toxic Houseplants to Cats

A surprising number of plants you can buy for your home are toxic to cats (and dogs). While cats are not as prone to chewing as dogs are, they can still end up gnawing on leaves and stems if they suddenly get the urge.

Not limited only to house plants, both plants and flowers found inside and outside the home can vary from mild to severely poisonous to your pet. If your cat ingests any of these toxic plants, they risk suffering a variety of illnesses, including acute kidney failure.

Milla's Kats highly recommends that if you wish to keep house plants, it is best to put them someplace cats can’t reach. Because cats are excellent climbers and jumpers, it’s best practice to use hanging planters. Situate them away from tables, bookshelves, furniture, and other objects that would allow your cat to jump or reach from. Make sure all hanging stems and leaves are out of reach.

If you suspect your cat has ingested something poisonous, there are two 24-hour, 7-days-a-week helplines you can call: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435; consultation fee may apply) and Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661; a $85 consultation fee applies).

A long but by no means complete list of toxic plants and flowers is included at the bottom of this post. However, here are several that you and your cat are most likely to encounter. We have provided plants that are toxic to cats with pictures to easily identify them.

Lilies

Some lilies are so toxic that they should immediately be removed from the house. Best practice states that you should not have any lily in the house, as even drinking from the water in the pot may cause death for your cat.

While a number of plants have “lily” in the name, the most poisonous of them are: Asiatic lilies, daylilies, Easter lilies, Japanese show lilies, red lilies, rubrum lilies, stargazer lilies, tiger lilies, Western lilies, and wood lilies.

Easter lilies are the most dangerous. If your cat ingests one, they can cause death almost immediately. If your cat isn’t treated as soon as possible, it could die.

Pro Tip: Don’t keep lilies in or outside the house!

Sago Palm

Also known as coontie palm, cardboard palm, cycads, and zamias, Cycas revoluta is sometimes kept inside the house but is often seen planted outside. The sago palm seeds are the most dangerous, but all parts of the plant are toxic.

Symptoms of a cat that has ingested it include vomiting, diarrhea, black and/or tar-like stool, bruising, increased thirst, lethargy, liver failure, and death. Survival is expected only at 50 percent even if the cat is brought in immediately.

Autumn Crocus

Colchicum autumnale, also known as meadow saffron or naked lady, is particularly toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. A fall-flowering plant, all parts of it are toxic and shouldn’t be ingested.

Symptoms a cat may experience if they ingest it include drooling, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, seizures, kidney damage, liver damage, breathing difficulties, and even death. Symptoms may take days to appear.

Rhododendrons & Azaleas

The Rhododendron family is over 1,000-species, including azaleas. All parts of either plant are toxic to your cat.

Symptoms a cat may experience if they ingest it include heart arrhythmias, tremors, weakness, blindness, seizures, coma, gastrointestinal distress (such as lack of appetite, drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea), and death.

Cyclamen

Like the lily, this plant should not be kept indoors. Also known as Persian violet and sowbread, Cyclamen spp. has over twenty species that are typically sold as house plants. The roots are the most toxic, but all parts of the plant have toxic components.

Symptoms a cat may experience if they ingest it include drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea for small amounts and abnormal heart rate and rhythm, seizures, and death for large quantities.

Narcissus

This plant contains approximately fifty species, including daffodils (aka jonquil, paper white, or Narcissus). The bulbs are the most toxic, but all parts of the plant contain the toxic component.

Symptoms a cat may experience if they ingest it include drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Rarer but documented symptoms include cardiac arrhythmia, low blood pressure, convulsions, and breathing difficulties.

Oleander

Nerium Oleander (aka white oleander and Rose-Bay) are dangerous to your cat’s heart. The plant is dangerous enough that even the water in its pot can poison your cat. Do not keep it in your home or yard.

Symptoms of a cat that has ingested it include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, seizures, tremors, and fatal heart abnormalities.

Kalanchoe

Also known as mother-in-law plant, devil’s backbone, mother-of-millions, and chandelier plant, all parts of this plant are toxic.

Symptoms of a cat that has ingested it include gastrointestinal distress (such as drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea), and more severe symptoms (albeit rarer), including heart arrhythmias, collapse, and seizures.

Hyacinths and Tulips

Tulip Both types of plant belong to the same family as the abovementioned lily species. The most toxic part of the plant is the bulb, but all parts of the plant contain toxic elements.

Symptoms of a cat that has ingested it include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and depression.

Dieffenbachia

Also known as charming dieffenbachia, dumb cane, exotic perfection, giant dumb cane, gold dieffenbachia, spotted dumb cane, tropic snow, and variable dieffenbachia, this plant is common in households.

Symptoms of a cat that has ingested it include drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and general oral irritation. The plant isn’t deadly, but it causes extreme discomfort and pain in cats.

Toxic Houseplants to Cats Conclusion

Check the extensive list of plants toxic to cats provided before you buy a new plant as well as Google for more updated information. There are dozens of plants that are dangerous to your cat to varying degrees. To ensure your cat is safe, don’t keep indoor plants poisonous to cats and dogs in the house or plant them in the yard. For less toxic but still problematic plants, place them out of reach with hanging planters.