What is the most dangerous houseplant for cats?

True lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis, including Easter, Tiger, Asiatic and daylilies) are the most dangerous, because even tiny exposures — a nibbled leaf, pollen, or water from the vase — can cause fatal kidney failure in cats. The ASPCA treats any lily ingestion in a cat as an emergency. Sago palm is the other deadly one, causing severe liver failure. If you have cats, the safest choice is to keep true lilies and sago palm out of the home entirely.

Are pothos and philodendron toxic to cats?

Yes, both are, though usually less severely than lilies or sago palm. Pothos, philodendron, monstera, peace lily and dieffenbachia all contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which cause intense mouth and throat irritation, drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting and difficulty swallowing when chewed. It is painful and distressing but rarely fatal. Because these are among the most popular easy-care houseplants, cat owners should place them well out of reach or choose a cat-safe alternative.

What should I do if my cat eats a toxic plant?

Act quickly. Remove any plant material from the cat's mouth, note the exact plant, and call your veterinarian or an animal poison line right away — the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435, a fee may apply) or the Pet Poison Helpline are available around the clock. For a true lily or sago palm, treat it as an emergency and go straight to a vet, because early treatment is critical. Do not wait for symptoms with the deadly plants; by the time they appear, damage may be done.

Which houseplants are safe for cats?

Several popular plants are non-toxic per the ASPCA: spider plant, Boston fern, areca and parlor palms (true palms, not sago), calathea and prayer plants, peperomia, African violet, and many hoyas. These let you keep greenery without the risk. Even with safe plants, cats may vomit if they eat a lot of foliage, so it is still worth discouraging chewing. Always verify a specific plant on the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant database before bringing it home.

Is aloe vera toxic to cats?

Yes, aloe vera is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA. The gel inside is not the problem, but the outer leaf contains compounds that cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy when eaten. It joins a long list of common succulents and houseplants that are mildly to moderately toxic, including jade plant and kalanchoe. If you keep aloe for its household uses, place it where cats cannot reach it, and check any new succulent against the ASPCA database, since many are toxic.

Which Common Houseplants Are Toxic to Cats? (ASPCA List)

Written & researched by Elena Marsh Gardening & Landscaping Editor

Updated October 2026

Three-quarter view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft overcast light

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Many popular houseplants are toxic to cats — the most common include true lilies, sago palm, pothos, philodendron, monstera, peace lily, dieffenbachia, ZZ plant and aloe vera. They range from mildly irritating to deadly. True lilies and sago palm are the genuine emergencies: even small exposures can cause fatal kidney or liver failure. The larger group — pothos, philodendron, monstera and their relatives — cause painful mouth and throat irritation from calcium oxalate crystals but are rarely fatal. When in doubt, check the plant against the ASPCA's toxic plant database and keep the dangerous ones out of reach.

Which are the truly dangerous ones?

A short list can seriously harm or kill a cat, and these deserve real caution or exclusion from the home.

Plant	Risk	Why
True lilies (Lilium, Hemerocallis)	Deadly	Kidney failure from any part, even pollen or vase water
Sago palm (Cycas)	Deadly	Severe liver failure; seeds most toxic
Kalanchoe	Serious	Can affect the heart; vomiting, lethargy
Cyclamen	Serious	GI upset that can become severe

For lilies especially, the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant list for cats advises treating any ingestion as an emergency — there is no safe amount for a cat.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft early-morning light

Which common plants cause mouth irritation?

The most popular easy-care houseplants share one problem: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals in their tissue. When a cat chews them, the crystals cause intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue and throat — drooling, pawing at the mouth, foaming, vomiting and trouble swallowing. It is painful and alarming but usually not life-threatening, and the discomfort tends to stop cats from eating much.

Plant	Typical signs
Pothos / devil's ivy	Mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting
Philodendron (many types)	Mouth irritation, vomiting, hard swallowing
Monstera	Mouth irritation, vomiting
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)	Mouth/throat irritation, GI upset
Dieffenbachia / dumb cane	Significant mouth irritation, drooling
ZZ plant	GI upset, vomiting
Aloe vera	Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy

Wide view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft early-morning light

What to do if your cat eats one

Move fast and stay methodical. Remove any plant material from the cat's mouth, identify the exact plant, and call for guidance immediately — your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline, all available 24/7 (a consultation fee may apply). For a true lily or sago palm, do not wait for symptoms; go straight to a vet, because early treatment is what saves the cat. For the calcium-oxalate irritants, offer water or something cold to soothe the mouth and call for advice, but the outlook is usually good. Do not induce vomiting unless a professional tells you to.

Wide environmental view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in warm late-afternoon light

Cat-safe alternatives

You do not have to give up houseplants. The ASPCA's plant database for cats lists many non-toxic options that let you keep greenery safely: spider plant, Boston fern, areca and parlor palms (true palms, unlike the deadly sago), calathea and prayer plants, peperomia, African violet and most hoyas. Even with these, a cat that gorges on foliage may vomit, so it is worth discouraging chewing with placement and deterrents. Before buying any new plant, look it up on the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant database — it is the authoritative, species-by-species reference, and it settles the question far better than a plant's common name, which is often ambiguous.

The bottom line

Keep true lilies and sago palm out of a cat household entirely, place calcium-oxalate plants like pothos, philodendron and monstera out of reach, and verify anything new against the ASPCA database. Since monstera and peace lily are on this list, our care guides — watering a monstera and low-light houseplants — note placement that keeps them away from pets. Browse the full hub at Houseplants & Indoor Greenery.

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Which Common Houseplants Are Toxic to Cats?