Cats are naturally inquisitive creatures, drawn to exploring their surroundings and sampling new things—often using their mouths or paws. While a lush indoor garden or vibrant bouquet can be a lovely addition to your home, it's important to be aware that certain common plants pose serious health risks to our feline friends. Even a small nibble can cause severe symptoms, ranging from mild stomach upset to life-threatening organ failure.
By familiarizing yourself with which plants are harmful to cats, you can take proactive steps to prevent dangerous encounters. Below, you will find some of the most commonly encountered toxic plants, along with explanations of why they're unsafe and what symptoms you might see if your cat comes into contact with them. Armed with this knowledge, you can make informed choices about the greenery you bring indoors and create a safer environment for your pet.
To quickly determine whether your household plant might pose a risk, use your browser's search feature. Press CTRL+F (or Command+F on a Mac), type in the name of your plant, and review the results to learn more.
Some typical symptoms of poisoning to look out for:
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Twitching
- Breathing difficulties
- Nausea
- Weakness
Toxic Plants for Cats
A
Adam-and-Eve • African Wonder • Alocasia • Aloe • Amaryllis • Ambrosia Mexicana • American Bittersweet • American Holly • American Mandrake • American Mistletoe • American Yew • Andromeda Japonica • Angelica Tree • Apple • Apricot • Arrowhead Vine • Arum • Arum Lily • Asian Lily • Australian Ivy Palm • Autumn Crocus • Azalea
B
Baby Doll Ti Plant • Barbados Pride • Bay Laurel • Bead Tree • Begonia • Bergamot Orange • Bird of Paradise • Bird's Tongue Flower • Bishop's Weed • Bitter Root • Black Calla • Black Cherry • Black Laurel • Black Nightshade • Bobbins • Bog Laurel • Borage • Boxwood • Branching Ivy • Brazilwood • Bread and Butter Plant • Brunfelsia • Buckeye • Buckwheat • Buddhist Pine • Burning Bush • Buttercup • Butterfly Iris
C
Caladium • Calamondin Orange • California Ivy • Calla Lily • Cape Jasmine • Caraway • Cardboard Cycad • Cardboard Palm • Cardinal Flower • Carnation • Castor Bean Plant • Ceriman • Chamomile • Chandelier Plant • Charming Dieffenbachia • Cherry • Chinaberry Tree • Chinese Evergreen • Chinese Jade • Chives • Chokecherry • Christmas Rose • Chrysanthemum • Clematis • Climbing Bittersweet • Climbing Lily • Climbing Nightshade • Clivia Lily • Coffee Tree • Coleus • Common Privet • Coontie Palm • Cordatum • Corn Plant • Cornstalk Plant • Cow Parsnip • Cowbane • Cuckoo-pint • Cutleaf Philodendron • Cycads • Cyclamen
D
Daffodil • Dahlia • Daisy • Day Lilies (all varieties) • Deadly Nightshade • Desert Azalea • Desert Rose • Devil's Backbone • Devil's Ivy • Dieffenbachia • Dock • Dog Daisy • Dog Hobble • Dogbane Hemp • Dracaena • Dumbcane • Dwarf Poinciana
E
Easter Lily • Easter Rose • Eastern Star • Elephant Ears • Elephant-Ear Begonia • Emerald Feather • English Holly • English Ivy • English Yew • Epazote • Eucalyptus • European Bittersweet • European Holly • Everlasting Pea • Exotica
F
False Bittersweet • False Queen Anne's Lace • Feather Geranium • Fern Palm • Fetterbush • Fiddle-leaf • Fig • Figwort • Fire Lily • Flag • Flamingo Flower • Fleabane • Florida Beauty • Florist's Calla • Foxglove • Franciscan Rain Tree
G
Garden Calla • Garden Chamomile • Garden Hyacinth • Gardenia • Garlic • Geranium • Geranium-Leaf • Giant Dracaena • Giant Dumb Cane • Giant Hogweed • Glacier Ivy • Gladiola • Gloriosa Lily • Gold Dieffenbachia • Gold Dust Dracaena • Golden Birds Nest • Golden Pothos • Golden Ragwort • Good Luck Plant • Grapefruit • Grass Palm • Greater Ammi • Green Gold Naphthysis • Ground Apple • Groundsel
H
Hahn's Self Branching English Ivy • Hashish • Hawaiian Ti • Heartleaf Philodendron • Heavenly Bamboo • Hellebore • Hercules' Club • Hills of Snow • Holly • Horse Chestnut • Horsehead Philodendron • Horseweed • Hortensia • Hosta • Hurricane Plant • Hyacinth • Hydrangea
I
Impala Lily • Indian Apple • Indian Borage • Indian Hemp • Indian Pink • Indian Rubber Plant • Inkberry • Iris • Iron Cross Begonia • Ivy Arum
J
Jack-in-the-pulpit • Jade Plant • Japanese Show Lily • Japanese Yew • Jerusalem Cherry • Jerusalem Oak • Jonquil
K
Kaffir Lily • Kalanchoe • Kiss-me-quick • Klamath Weed • Kudu Lily
L
Lacy Tree Philodendron • Lady-of-the-night • Lambkill • Lantana • Larkspur • Laurel • Lavender • Leatherflower • Leek • Lemon • Lemon Grass • Lemon Verbena • Lenten Rose • Lily • Lily of the Palace • Lily of the Valley • Lily of the Valley Bush • Lime • Lobelia • Locust • Lord-and-Ladies • Lovage
M
Madagascar Dragon Tree • Maiden's Breath • Malanga • Maleberry • Maple Leaf Begonia • Marble Queen • Marijuana • Marjoram • Mauna Loa Peace Lily • Mayapple • Mayweed • Meadow Saffron • Medicine Plant • Metallic Leaf Begonia • Mexican Breadfruit • Milfoil • Milkweed • Mint • Mock Azalea • Mole Bean Plant • Morning Glory • Morning-Noon-and-Night • Moss Rose • Mother of Millions • Mother-in-Law • Mother-in-Law's Tongue • Mum
N
Naked Lady • Nandina • Narcissus • Nasturtium (Watercress) • Needlepoint Ivy • Nephthytis • Nicotiana • Nightshade
O
Octopus Tree • Oilcloth Flower • Oleander • Onion • Orange • Orange Day Lily • Oregano • Oregon Holly • Ornamental Pepper
P
Pacific Yew • Painter's Palette • Palm Lily • Panda Plant • Paper White • Paraguayan Jasmine • Parsley • Peace Begonia • Peace Lily • Peach • Peacock Flower • Pencil Cactus • Peony • Perennial Pea • Periwinkle • Philodendron Pertusum • Pie Plant • Pieris • Pig Lily • Pigtail Plant • Pink Pearl • Pinks • Plantain Lily • Plum • Poinciana • Poinsettia • Poison Daisy • Poison Hemlock • Poison Parsnip • Portulaca • Prayer Bean • Pride-of-India • Primrose • Privet • Purslane
R
Ragwort • Ranger's Button • Red Emerald • Red Lily • Red Princess • Red-Marginated Dracaena • Rex Begonia • Rhododendron • Rhubarb • Ribbon Plant • Ridderstjerne • Rock Moss • Roman Chamomile • Rosebay • Rubrum Lily • Running Myrtle
S
Sabi Star • Sacred Bamboo • Saddle Leaf • Sago Palm • Satin Pothos • Scented Geranium • Schefflera • Seaside Daisy • Seven Bark • Shamrock Plant • Shatavari • Showy Daisy • Silver Dollar • Silver Jade Plant • Skunk Cabbage • Snake Lily • Snake Plant • Solomon's Lily • Sorrel • Sowbread • Spanish Thyme • Spindle Tree • Split Leaf Philodendron • Spotted Dumb Cane • Spring Parsley • St. John's Wort • Staggerbush • Starch Root • Stargazer Lily • Starleaf • Stinking Chamomile • Straight-Margined Dracaena • Striped Dracaena • Superb Lily • Sweet Cherry • Sweet Pea • Sweet William • Sweetheart Ivy • Swiss Cheese Plant
T
Tahitian Bridal Veil • Tail Flower • Taro • Taro Vine • Tarragon • Texas Umbrella Tree • Ti-Plant • Tiger Lily • Tobacco • Tomato Plant • Tree Philodendron • Tree Tobacco • Tropic Snow • True Aloe • Trumpet Lily • Tulip
U
Umbrella Leaf • Umbrella Tree
V
Variable Dieffenbachia • Variegated Philodendron • Variegated Wandering Jew • Vinca • Virgin's Bower
W
Wahoo • Wake Robin • Wandering Jew • Warneckei Dracaena • Water Flag • Water Hemlock • Wax-Leaf • Weeping Fig • Western Yew • White Heads • Wild Arum • Wild Calla • Wild Carnation • Wild Coffee • Winter Cherry • Winterberry • Wisteria • Wood Lily
Y
Yarrow • Yellow Oleander • Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow • Yew • Yew Pine • Yucca