Houseplants That Are Dangerous to Cats and Dogs
Lilies, sago palms and azaleas are dangerous in small amounts; monstera and pothos irritate the mouth. What every cat and dog owner should know about plant toxicity.
Pets chew plants all the time. Most of the time it ends with a sore mouth or a bout of vomiting, but a few plants can damage the kidneys or liver in tiny amounts. Knowing which plants are dangerous, and how dangerous, is the best way to decide what to keep and where.
Very dangerous — best kept out of the house
- True lilies (Lilium): the most dangerous plant for cats. Flowers, leaves, pollen and even the vase water are toxic, and a small amount can cause acute kidney failure.
- Sago palm (Cycas revoluta): every part, especially the seeds, can cause severe liver damage in dogs and cats.
- Azaleas and rhododendrons: small amounts cause vomiting and drooling; larger amounts can affect the heart rhythm.
- Daffodil, tulip and hyacinth bulbs: the bulbs are far more toxic than the flowers. Dogs often dig them up.
- Kalanchoe: contains compounds that affect the heart and is dangerous in larger amounts.
Mouth irritants — keep them out of reach
Plants in the arum family contain needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals that make the mouth and tongue burn and swell as soon as they're chewed. Pets drool heavily or paw at their mouths. It's rarely life-threatening, but go to a vet at once if the throat swells and breathing becomes hard.
- Monstera, pothos and philodendron
- Dieffenbachia (dumb cane): the strongest irritant of the group.
- Alocasia, peace lily, arrowhead plant and calla lily
Plants that upset the stomach
- Aloe: compounds near the leaf skin cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Jade plant: can cause vomiting and lethargy.
- English ivy: leaves cause vomiting, diarrhoea and drooling.
- Eucalyptus: the leaf oils cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
- String of pearls: can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Poinsettia: less dangerous than its reputation, but can cause mouth irritation and mild vomiting.
If you think your pet ate a plant
- Clear any plant pieces from its mouth and work out which plant it ate and roughly how much.
- If you don't know the plant, take a photo. GreenPic shows the plant's name and pet toxicity straight away.
- If it ate lily, sago palm, azalea or a bulb, or keeps vomiting, see a vet immediately even if it seems fine.
- Don't make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Plenty of plants are safe with pets. Calathea, prayer plant, parlor palm, areca palm, Boston fern, spider plant, peperomia, Chinese money plant, hoya and moth orchids are all listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
If your pet loves chewing greenery, a pot of cat grass (oat or wheat grass) gives it something safe to nibble.
Plants in this article
- Lilium
- Sago palm
- Azalea
- Daffodil
- Flaming Katy
- Dumb cane
- Swiss cheese plant
- Pothos
- Amazonian elephant ear
- Aloe vera
- Calathea
- Prayer plant
- Parlor palm
- Spider plant
- Chinese money plant