Which houseplants are toxic to cats and dogs?
Every species we track, checked against ASPCA Animal Poison Control. Where we could not resolve an ASPCA entry we say not confirmed rather than calling a plant safe — an unverified "toxic" is a survivable mistake, an unverified "safe" is not.
If your pet has chewed a plant and you are worried, act now, don't read on.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control, 24 hours: (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply), or call your own vet. Take a piece of the plant with you.
Signs that need a vet the same day whatever the plant: repeated vomiting, drooling that will not stop, swelling of the mouth or face, trouble breathing or swallowing, collapse, or a seizure.
Toxic to cats
| Plant | Cats | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Aglaonema Aglaonema commutatum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Alocasia Alocasia spp. | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Aloe Aloe vera | Toxic | Saponins, anthraquinones |
| Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Areca palm Dypsis lutescens | Not toxic | — |
| Bird of paradise Strelitzia nicolai / reginae | Toxic | GI irritants |
| Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata | Not toxic | — |
| Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spp. | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Calathea Goeppertia (formerly Calathea) spp. | Not toxic | — |
| Citrus Citrus spp. | Toxic | Essential oils and psoralens |
| Corn plant Dracaena fragrans | Toxic | Saponins |
| Croton Codiaeum variegatum | Toxic† | Diterpene esters in the sap |
| Dieffenbachia Dieffenbachia seguine | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates, proteolytic enzyme |
| Fiddle leaf fig Ficus lyrata | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates and the sap enzyme ficin |
| Heartleaf philodendron Philodendron hederaceum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Hoya Hoya carnosa | Not toxic | — |
| Jade plant Crassula ovata | Toxic | Unknown |
| Madagascar dragon tree Dracaena marginata | Toxic | Saponins |
| Money tree Pachira aquatica | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Monstera Monstera deliciosa | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Moth orchid Phalaenopsis spp. | Not toxic | — |
| Norfolk Island pine Araucaria heterophylla | Not toxic | — |
| Parlor palm Chamaedorea elegans | Not toxic | — |
| Peace lily Spathiphyllum wallisii | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Pilea Pilea peperomioides | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Ponytail palm Beaucarnea recurvata | Not toxic | — |
| Pothos Epipremnum aureum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Rubber plant Ficus elastica | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates and the sap enzyme ficin |
| Snake plant Dracaena trifasciata | Toxic | Saponins |
| Spider plant Chlorophytum comosum | Not toxic | — |
| String of pearls Curio rowleyanus | Toxic† | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Senecio/Curio) |
| Tradescantia Tradescantia zebrina | Toxic | — |
| Umbrella plant Schefflera arboricola | Toxic | Calcium oxalate crystals |
| ZZ plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
Toxic to dogs
| Plant | Dogs | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Aglaonema Aglaonema commutatum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Alocasia Alocasia spp. | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Aloe Aloe vera | Toxic | Saponins, anthraquinones |
| Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Areca palm Dypsis lutescens | Not toxic | — |
| Bird of paradise Strelitzia nicolai / reginae | Toxic | GI irritants |
| Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata | Not toxic | — |
| Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spp. | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Calathea Goeppertia (formerly Calathea) spp. | Not toxic | — |
| Citrus Citrus spp. | Toxic | Essential oils and psoralens |
| Corn plant Dracaena fragrans | Toxic | Saponins |
| Croton Codiaeum variegatum | Toxic† | Diterpene esters in the sap |
| Dieffenbachia Dieffenbachia seguine | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates, proteolytic enzyme |
| Fiddle leaf fig Ficus lyrata | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates and the sap enzyme ficin |
| Heartleaf philodendron Philodendron hederaceum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Hoya Hoya carnosa | Not toxic | — |
| Jade plant Crassula ovata | Toxic | Unknown |
| Madagascar dragon tree Dracaena marginata | Toxic | Saponins |
| Money tree Pachira aquatica | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Monstera Monstera deliciosa | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Moth orchid Phalaenopsis spp. | Not toxic | — |
| Norfolk Island pine Araucaria heterophylla | Not toxic | — |
| Parlor palm Chamaedorea elegans | Not toxic | — |
| Peace lily Spathiphyllum wallisii | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Pilea Pilea peperomioides | Not confirmed† | Not established |
| Ponytail palm Beaucarnea recurvata | Not toxic | — |
| Pothos Epipremnum aureum | Toxic | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Rubber plant Ficus elastica | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates and the sap enzyme ficin |
| Snake plant Dracaena trifasciata | Toxic | Saponins |
| Spider plant Chlorophytum comosum | Not toxic | — |
| String of pearls Curio rowleyanus | Toxic† | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Senecio/Curio) |
| Tradescantia Tradescantia zebrina | Toxic | — |
| Umbrella plant Schefflera arboricola | Toxic | Calcium oxalate crystals |
| ZZ plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia | Toxic† | Insoluble calcium oxalates |
† 8 of the 34 species here are not listed under a name we could resolve in ASPCA's database. Those rows come from standard horticultural and veterinary references and are marked unconfirmed — we still show the more cautious reading, but the confirmation is not ours to claim.
General information, not veterinary advice. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control.