Plant encyclopedia
Plants toxic to cats
Cats nibble on anything green — and some of the most popular cut flowers are dangerous for them. Lilies top the list: even pollen on the fur or a sip of vase water can cause acute kidney failure in cats. Tulips, eucalyptus and dieffenbachia don't belong in a cat household either.
This list is generated from our plant encyclopedia and updates automatically with every new entry. We deliberately err on the side of caution. If you're gifting a bouquet to a cat household, just tell us — we'll arrange it cat-safe.
In an emergency: German poison control Bonn +49 228 19240 (24/7), for pets contact an emergency vet. This page does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
202 entries from our encyclopedia
Allium (Ornamental Onion)
Allium
Highly toxicYew
Taxus baccata
Highly toxicMonkshood
Aconitum napellus
Highly toxicFoxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Highly toxicHellebore
Helleborus niger
Highly toxicAutumn Crocus
Colchicum autumnale
Highly toxicLilies
Lilium
Highly toxicLily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
Highly toxicOleander
Nerium oleander
Highly toxicStar of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum
Highly toxicRhododendron
Rhododendron
Highly toxicDelphinium
Delphinium
Highly toxicGlory Lily
Gloriosa
Highly toxicFlame Lily
Gloriosa superba
Highly toxicAndromeda
Pieris japonica
Highly toxicChives
Allium schoenoprasum
Highly toxicDaylily
Hemerocallis
Highly toxicDesert Rose
Adenium obesum
Highly toxicIndoor Azalea
Rhododendron simsii
Highly toxicChinese Evergreen
Aglaonema commutatum
ToxicColumbine
Aquilegia vulgaris
ToxicElephant Ear
Alocasia
ToxicAloe Vera
Aloe vera
ToxicAmaryllis
Hippeastrum
ToxicAnemones
Anemone coronaria
ToxicFlamingo Flower
Anthurium andraeanum
ToxicAnthuriums
Anthurium
ToxicAsparagus Fern
Asparagus setaceus
ToxicBigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
ToxicBegonia
Begonia
ToxicWeeping Fig
Ficus benjamina
ToxicWisteria
Wisteria sinensis
ToxicSquill
Scilla
ToxicSnake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata
ToxicBoxwood
Buxus sempervirens
ToxicColeus
Coleus scutellarioides
ToxicCalla Lilies
Zantedeschia
ToxicChrysanthemums
Chrysanthemum
ToxicClematis
Clematis
ToxicDumb Cane
Dieffenbachia seguine
ToxicMandevilla
Mandevilla
ToxicDragon Tree (Dracaena)
Dracaena
ToxicIvy
Hedera helix
ToxicTree Ivy
x Fatshedera lizei
ToxicPothos
Epipremnum aureum
ToxicPeace Lily
Spathiphyllum wallisii
ToxicString of Pearls
Senecio rowleyanus
ToxicEucalyptus
Eucalyptus
ToxicFritillary
Fritillaria imperialis
ToxicHosta
Hosta
ToxicGarden Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
ToxicJade Plant
Crassula ovata
ToxicGeranium
Pelargonium
ToxicGinseng Ficus
Ficus microcarpa
ToxicGladiolus
Gladiolus
ToxicZZ Plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
ToxicWallflower
Erysimum cheiri
ToxicFalse Queen Annes Lace
Ammi
ToxicCrinum Lily
Crinum
ToxicBluebell
Hyacinthoides
ToxicGarden Mum
Chrysanthemum indicum-Hybriden
ToxicHydrangeas
Hydrangea
ToxicDogs Tooth Violet
Erythronium
ToxicHyacinths
Hyacinthus orientalis
ToxicIris
Iris
ToxicAfrican Milk Tree
Euphorbia trigona
ToxicFlaming Katy
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
ToxicCordyline
Cordyline fruticosa
ToxicCherry Laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
ToxicClimbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea petiolaris
ToxicClivia
Clivia miniata
ToxicSnowflake
Leucojum
ToxicCrocus
Crocus
ToxicCroton
Codiaeum variegatum
ToxicChinese Lantern
Physalis alkekengi
ToxicChinese Lantern Lily
Sandersonia
ToxicArborvitae
Thuja
ToxicFloss Flower
Ageratum houstonianum
ToxicPrivet
Ligustrum
ToxicLobelia
Lobelia erinus
ToxicBay Laurel
Laurus nobilis
ToxicLupins
Lupinus
ToxicSummer Snowflake
Leucojum
ToxicPoppies
Papaver
ToxicMonstera
Monstera deliciosa
ToxicFeverfew
Tanacetum
ToxicDaffodils
Narcissus
ToxicNerine
Nerine
ToxicPeonies
Paeonia
ToxicPhilodendron
Philodendron
ToxicMoss Rose
Portulaca grandiflora
ToxicRanunculus
Ranunculus asiaticus
ToxicPanicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
ToxicRuscus
Ruscus aculeatus
ToxicYarrow
Achillea millefolium
ToxicUmbrella Plant
Schefflera arboricola
ToxicAfrican Lily
Agapanthus
ToxicSnowdrop
Galanthus nivalis
ToxicSatin Pothos
Scindapsus pictus
ToxicDusty Miller
Jacobaea
ToxicSkimmia
Skimmia japonica
ToxicSpindle
Euonymus
ToxicHolly
Ilex aquifolium
ToxicStrelitzia
Strelitzia reginae
ToxicArrowhead Plant
Syngonium podophyllum
ToxicGlobeflower
Trollius europaeus
ToxicTulips
Tulipa
ToxicHeliotrope
Heliotropium arborescens
ToxicLantana
Lantana camara
ToxicSweet Peas
Lathyrus odoratus
ToxicWinter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
ToxicYucca
Yucca gigantea (syn. Yucca elephantipes)
ToxicFlowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
ToxicFlowering Tobacco
Nicotiana
ToxicCyclamen
Cyclamen persicum
ToxicElecampane
Inula
Mildly irritatingBanksia
Banksia
Mildly irritatingSweet William
Dianthus barbatus
Mildly irritatingBarberry
Berberis
Mildly irritatingBlue Lace Flower
Trachymene
Mildly irritatingBougainvillea
Bougainvillea
Mildly irritatingBlushing Bride
Serruria
Mildly irritatingMaltese Cross
Silene chalcedonica
Mildly irritatingTurtle Vine
Callisia repens
Mildly irritatingSmoke Bush
Cotinus coggygria
Mildly irritatingBilly Buttons
Craspedia globosa
Mildly irritatingDahlias
Dahlia
Mildly irritatingAngelica
Angelica
Mildly irritatingTarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
Mildly irritatingRed Hot Poker
Kniphofia
Mildly irritatingFeather Grass
Stipa
Mildly irritatingPrickly Pear
Opuntia
Mildly irritatingStonecrop
Sedum
Mildly irritatingFirethorn
Pyracantha
Mildly irritatingLilac
Syringa vulgaris
Mildly irritatingForsythia
Forsythia
Mildly irritatingLove-Lies-Bleeding
Amaranthus
Mildly irritatingFiddle-leaf Fig
Ficus lyrata
Mildly irritatingHoneysuckle
Lonicera
Mildly irritatingLeopard's Bane
Doronicum
Mildly irritatingPhotinia
Photinia x fraseri
Mildly irritatingLeopard Plant
Ligularia
Mildly irritatingRubber Plant
Ficus elastica
Mildly irritatingHakea
Hakea
Mildly irritatingHarlequin Flower
Sparaxis
Mildly irritatingCotton Lavender
Santolina
Mildly irritatingSneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Mildly irritatingHibiscus
Hibiscus syriacus
Mildly irritatingPeruvian Lily
Alstroemeria
Mildly irritatingChamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
Mildly irritatingCape Cowslip
Lachenalia
Mildly irritatingSiberian Bugloss
Brunnera macrophylla
Mildly irritatingAfrican Corn Lily
Ixia
Mildly irritatingButton Bush
Berzelia
Mildly irritatingBlanket Flower
Gaillardia
Mildly irritatingCoral Bead Plant
Nertera granadensis
Mildly irritatingLavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Mildly irritatingLavender Plant
Lavandula angustifolia
Mildly irritatingLungwort
Pulmonaria
Mildly irritatingMeadowsweet
Filipendula
Mildly irritatingOregon Grape
Mahonia aquifolium
Mildly irritatingMarguerites
Leucanthemum vulgare
Mildly irritatingMint
Mentha
Mildly irritatingCrocosmia
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora
Mildly irritatingPincushion Protea
Leucospermum
Mildly irritatingCarnations
Dianthus caryophyllus
Mildly irritatingLove-in-a-mist
Nigella damascena
Mildly irritatingOregano
Origanum vulgare
Mildly irritatingPaper Daisy
Rhodanthe
Mildly irritatingPassion Flower
Passiflora
Mildly irritatingParsley
Petroselinum crispum
Mildly irritatingPistachio Foliage
Pistacia lentiscus
Mildly irritatingPrimrose
Primula vulgaris
Mildly irritatingProtea
Protea cynaroides
Mildly irritatingStriped Squill
Puschkinia scilloides
Mildly irritatingCupids Dart
Catananche
Mildly irritatingBaby's Breath
Gypsophila paniculata
Mildly irritatingViburnum
Viburnum
Mildly irritatingGlory of the Snow
Chionodoxa
Mildly irritatingPineapple Lily
Eucomis
Mildly irritatingConebush
Leucadendron
Mildly irritatingSilver Brunia
Brunia
Mildly irritatingArtemisia
Artemisia
Mildly irritatingButterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii
Mildly irritatingBird of Paradise Plant
Strelitzia reginae
Mildly irritatingMarigold
Tagetes erecta
Mildly irritatingSpiderwort
Tradescantia zebrina
Mildly irritatingGrape Hyacinth
Muscari
Mildly irritatingAngels Fishing Rod
Dierama
Mildly irritatingFlame Freesia
Tritonia
Mildly irritatingTrumpet Vine
Campsis radicans
Mildly irritatingTuberose
Agave amica (Syn. Polianthes tuberosa)
Mildly irritatingVerbena
Verbena
Mildly irritatingGoat's Beard
Aruncus dioicus
Mildly irritatingBugle Lily
Watsonia
Mildly irritatingPoinsettia
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Mildly irritatingQueen Annes Lace
Daucus
Mildly irritatingCrabapple
Malus
Mildly irritatingJapanese Aralia
Fatsia japonica
Mildly irritatingLemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Mildly irritatingCotoneaster
Cotoneaster
Mildly irritatingCypress
Cupressus
Mildly irritatingFrequently asked questions
- Which flowers are most dangerous for cats?
- Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis) are by far the most dangerous: all parts, even pollen and vase water, can cause acute kidney failure. Tulips, daffodils, lily of the valley and autumn crocus are also highly toxic.
- What should I do if my cat has nibbled a toxic plant?
- Don't wait: remove plant material from the mouth, identify the plant (take a photo!) and call your vet or the emergency vet immediately. With lily contact every hour counts — even without visible symptoms.
- What symptoms do cats show after plant poisoning?
- Typical signs are heavy drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, trembling, apathy or loss of appetite. With lilies, symptoms may only appear after hours when the kidneys are already damaged — so always see a vet immediately if in doubt.
- Are there cat-safe alternatives for bouquets?
- Yes — roses, gerberas, sunflowers, snapdragons or limonium are safe for cats. Our cat-safe list shows all non-toxic entries from the encyclopedia.
- Is it enough to keep the plant out of reach?
- For highly toxic species like lilies: no. Cats reach almost every spot in a home, and even falling pollen is dangerous. Highly toxic plants simply don't belong in a cat household.