Emergency contacts: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: 888-426-4435 (24/7, consultation fee may apply). If your cat ate any lily, go to an emergency vet immediately — do not wait for symptoms.
Cats are curious by nature. They chew on leaves, bat at hanging vines, and nibble on potted plants — often out of boredom or instinct. The problem is that hundreds of common houseplants are toxic to cats, and even a small amount of certain species can be fatal.
Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores with a liver that lacks certain enzymes needed to metabolize plant compounds. This makes them more sensitive than dogs to many plant toxins. A plant that causes mild vomiting in a dog can cause liver failure or kidney shutdown in a cat.
This guide covers the most dangerous plants for cats — from the lethal to the merely unpleasant — plus safe alternatives and what to do in an emergency. If you're not sure whether a plant in your home is cat-safe, upload a photo to Snap Plant for an instant identification with pet toxicity information.
These plants can be life-threatening even in small amounts. Remove them from your home entirely if you have cats.
This is the most important section in this entire guide. All true lilies (Lilium species) are acutely toxic to cats and can cause fatal kidney failure. This includes Easter lily, tiger lily, Asiatic lily, Stargazer lily, Japanese show lily, and rubrum lily. Daylilies (Hemerocallis species) are equally dangerous.
Every part of the lily is toxic — petals, leaves, pollen, and even the water in a vase that held lilies. A cat that brushes against a lily and grooms pollen off its fur has ingested a potentially lethal dose. Symptoms appear within hours: vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, then kidney failure within 24–72 hours. Severity: Lethal. Treat any lily exposure as a veterinary emergency.
Extremely popular as a decorative plant and in bonsai, the sago palm is one of the most toxic plants to cats and dogs. Every part is poisonous — the seeds (nuts) are most concentrated. Sago palm contains cycasin, which causes severe liver failure. Even a single seed can kill a cat. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, jaundice, and seizures. Severity: Lethal.
A popular ornamental shrub, oleander is toxic to cats, dogs, and humans. It contains cardiac glycosides (oleandrin and neriine) that disrupt the heart's electrical activity. Ingestion can cause severe vomiting, heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, and death. Even dried oleander in mulch or smoke from burning branches is dangerous. Severity: Potentially lethal.
Not to be confused with spring crocus (which is mildly toxic), the autumn crocus contains colchicine — a compound so toxic it's used in chemotherapy. Ingestion causes severe vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage, respiratory failure, and death. It blooms without leaves in fall, making it easy to overlook. Severity: Lethal.
Both contain grayanotoxins that disrupt sodium channels in cells. Ingestion of even a few leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, weakness, heart arrhythmia, seizures, coma, and death. Commonly planted in gardens and given as spring gifts. Severity: Potentially lethal.
The source of the heart medication digoxin, foxglove contains cardiac glycosides throughout the entire plant. Ingestion causes heart arrhythmia, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and cardiac failure. Popular in cottage gardens and available as cut flowers. Severity: Potentially lethal.
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These plants are found in millions of homes and are toxic to cats — though usually not lethal if treated promptly.
One of the most popular hanging houseplants, pothos contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that cause immediate oral irritation, drooling, swallowing difficulty, and vomiting upon ingestion. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis. Symptoms: excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, reduced appetite.
Like pothos, all philodendron species contain calcium oxalate crystals. Heart-leaf philodendron, split-leaf philodendron, and elephant ear philodendron are all toxic. Symptoms are similar to pothos: intense mouth burning, drooling, vomiting. The insoluble crystals act like tiny needles in the soft tissues of the mouth and throat.
Named "dumb cane" because its sap causes the mouth to swell and temporarily prevents speech (in humans). In cats, the calcium oxalate crystals cause severe oral pain, drooling, swelling of the mouth and throat, difficulty swallowing and breathing, and vomiting. Throat swelling can potentially block the airway. Severity: Moderate to high.
One of the most popular low-maintenance houseplants, snake plant is toxic to cats (and dogs) due to saponins. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Not usually life-threatening, but uncomfortable for your cat. Severity: Mild to moderate.
Despite its medicinal reputation for humans, aloe vera is toxic to cats. The latex layer just beneath the skin contains anthraquinone glycosides (aloin) that act as powerful laxatives. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and urine that may appear reddish-brown. The clear gel inside is less toxic than the latex. Severity: Mild to moderate.
The exact toxic mechanism in jade plants is unknown, but ingestion causes vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination (ataxia), and sometimes a slowed heart rate in cats. Severity: Mild to moderate.
The trendy ZZ plant contains calcium oxalate crystals throughout — in the leaves, stems, and rhizomes. Ingestion causes oral irritation, drooling, and vomiting similar to pothos. Wear gloves when handling ZZ plants and wash hands thoroughly — the sap is a skin and eye irritant in humans too. Severity: Moderate.
A common trailing houseplant and outdoor ground cover, English ivy contains triterpenoid saponins and polyacetylene compounds. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, abdominal pain, and in larger amounts, difficulty breathing and neurological symptoms. Severity: Moderate.
Peace lily is NOT a true lily and does not cause kidney failure — but it is still toxic to cats due to calcium oxalate crystals. Symptoms include oral pain, drooling, pawing at the face, and vomiting. Often mistakenly listed as "safe" on older plant lists. Severity: Moderate. Note: true lilies (Lilium) are far more dangerous.
Rubber plant contains ficin, a proteolytic enzyme in its milky latex sap. Ingestion causes oral irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea. The sap is also a skin irritant for humans. Severity: Mild.
Often listed as non-toxic, spider plants actually produce compounds related to opium that can cause mild hallucination-like reactions in cats. Cats are attracted to spider plants and may vomit after eating them. While not dangerous, repeated vomiting warrants removing the plant from reach. Severity: Very mild — generally self-limiting.
Unlike many cacti, Christmas cactus is mildly toxic rather than dangerous. The fibrous plant material can cause vomiting and diarrhea if consumed in quantity. Severity: Very mild.
Mums contain pyrethrins (the basis for many insecticides) along with other compounds that cause vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, and skin irritation in cats. Severity: Mild.
You don't have to give up houseplants — these species are considered non-toxic to cats by the ASPCA:
Not sure what plant is sitting on your windowsill? Snap Plant's AI identification tool lets you upload a photo of any plant and get an instant identification — including toxicity ratings for both humans and pets. Whether you're at a garden center, a friend's house, or looking at your own collection with new eyes, you can know before you bring a plant home whether it's safe for your cat.
The tool is especially useful for:
Related reading: Indoor Plants Safe for Cats · Is This Plant Poisonous to Dogs? · Toxic Spring Bulbs for Pets
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