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What plants or food are poisonous to cats?

It's important to provide a balanced diet for your cat. However, there are some foods and plants that can be dangerous for them if consumed.

Plants that are poisonous to cats

House Plants

  • Amaryllis
  • Aphelandra
  • Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus)
  • Christmas Cherry (Solanum)
  • Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema)
  • Codiaeum
  • Croton (Codiaeum)
  • Cyclamen
  • Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
  • Dieffenbachia*
  • Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)
  • Elephant’s Ear (Alocasia, Caladium)
  • Epipremnum aureum
  • Ferns
  • Holly (Ilex)
  • Hypoestes phyllostachya
  • Hyacinthus
  • Ivy (Hedera)
  • Mistletoe (Viscum)
  • Nerium oleander
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander)
  • Ornithogalum
  • Senecio
  • Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum)
  • Umbellatum
  • Umbrella Plant (Schefflera)
  • Zebra Plant (Aphelandra)

Garden Plants

  • Abrus precatorius
  • Aconitum*
  • Actaea
  • Aesculus
  • Agrostemma githago
  • Aleurites
  • Allium
  • Alocasia
  • Alstroemeria*
  • Anagallis
  • Anemone
  • Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia)
  • Angel Wings (Caladium)
  • Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
  • Aquilegia
  • Arisaema
  • Arum
  • Astragalus
  • Atropa
  • Avocado (Persea americana)
  • Azalea (Rhododendron)
  • Baneberry (Actaea)
  • Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)
  • Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia)
  • Bloodroot (Sanguinaria)
  • Box (Buxus)
  • Broom (Cytisus)
  • Brugmansia
  • Bryony
  • Buckthorn (Rhamnus)
  • Burning Bush (Dictamnus)
  • Buttercup (Ranunculus)
  • Buxus
  • Caesalpinia
  • Caladium
  • Caltha*
  • Catharanthus
  • Celastrus
  • Centaurea cyanus
  • Cestrum
  • Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
  • Chincherinchee (Ornithogalum)
  • Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema)
  • Clematis
  • Colchicum
  • Columbine (Aquilegia)
  • Conium
  • Convallaria majalis
  • Corncockle (Agrostemma githago)
  • Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
  • Cotoneaster
  • Crocus (Colchicum)
  • X Cupressocyparis leylandii*
  • Cyclamen
  • Cytisus
  • Daffodil (Narcissus)
  • Daphne*
  • Datura*
  • Delonix
  • Delphinium
  • Dendranthema*
  • Dicentra
  • Dictamnus
  • Digitalis
  • Echium*
  • Elder (Sambucus)
  • Euonymus
  • Euphorbia*
  • False Acacia (Robinia)
  • Ferns
  • Ficus
  • Flax (Linum)
  • Four O’Clock (Mirabilis jalapa)
  • Foxglove (Digitalis)
  • Frangula (Rhamnus)
  • Fremontodendron*
  • Galanthus
  • Gaultheria
  • Giant Hog Weed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
  • Gloriosa superba
  • Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba)
  • Hedera*
  • Helleborus*
  • Hemlock (Conium)
  • Henbane (Hyoscyamus)
  • Heracleum mantegazzianum
  • Hippeastrum
  • Holly (Ilex)
  • Horse Chestnut (Aesculus)
  • Hyacinthus
  • Hydrangea
  • Hyoscyamus
  • Ilex
  • Impatiens
  • Ipomoea
  • Iris
  • Ivy (Hedera)
  • Jasminum
  • Juniperus sabina
  • Kalmia
  • Laburnum
  • Lantana
  • Larkspur (Delphinium)
  • Lathyrus
  • Ligustrum
  • Lilium
  • Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
  • Linum
  • Lobelia* (except bedding Lobelia)
  • Lords and Ladies (Cuckoo Pint) (Arum)
  • Lupinus
  • Lycopersicon*
  • Lysichiton
  • Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus)
  • Marigold (Tagetes)
  • Melia
  • Mirabilis jalapa
  • Monks Wood (Aconitum)
  • Morning Glory (Ipomoea)
  • Narcissus
  • Nerium oleander
  • Nicotiana
  • Nightshade, Deadly (Atropa)
  • Nightshade, Woody (Solanum)
  • Oak (Quercus)
  • Onion (Allium)
  • Ornithogalum
  • Oxytropis
  • Paeonia
  • Papaver
  • Parthenocissus
  • Peach (Prunus persica)
  • Peony (Paeonia)
  • Pernettya
  • Persea americana
  • Philodendron
  • Physalis
  • Phytolacca
  • Pokeweed (Phytolacca)
  • Polygonatum
  • Poppy (Papaver)
  • Primula obconica*
  • Privet (Ligustrum)
  • Prunus armeniaca
  • Prunus laurocerasus
  • Prunus persica
  • Quercus
  • Ranunculus
  • Rhamnus (including R frangula)
  • Rhododendron
  • Rhus*
  • Ricinus
  • Robinia
  • Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius)
  • Rubber Plant (Ficus)
  • Rudbeckia
  • Rue (Ruta)
  • Ruta
  • Sambucus
  • Sanguinaria
  • Schefflera*
  • Scilla
  • Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton)
  • Snowdrop (Galanthus)
  • Solandra
  • Solanum
  • Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum)
  • Spindle Tree (Euonymus)
  • Spurge (Euphorbia)
  • Strelitzia
  • Sumach (Rhus)
  • Sweet Pea (Lathyrus)
  • Tagetes
  • Tanacetum
  • Taxus
  • Tetradymia
  • Thornapple (Datura)
  • Thuja*
  • Thunbergia
  • Tobacco (Nicotiana)
  • Tomato (Lycopersicon)
  • Tulipa*
  • Veratrum
  • Viscum
  • Wisteria
  • Yew (Taxus)

*Contact with these plants may be sufficient to cause skin irritation

Download our list of poisonous plants (PDF)

Food that is poisonous to cats

Many cats are lactose intolerant, so avoid giving them cow’s milk. Make sure fresh water is available at all times.

Human food including cheese, chocolate or eggs, should be avoided as treats, unless it is steamed white fish or chicken. Keep raw dough out of reach of your cat too.

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