Is Amaryllis toxic to cats?
Amaryllis is toxic to cats (S3 Toxic): its lycorine and related alkaloids cause vomiting, drooling, abdominal pain, and tremors, and larger doses can bring seizures, a drop in blood pressure, and depressed breathing — despite names like belladonna lily, it is not a true lily.
- TOXINlycorine and other phenanthridine alkaloids, raphide oxalate crystals (concentrated in the bulbs)
- WHAT TO EXPECTvomiting; depression; diarrhea
- CALL THE VETCall your vet promptly after any ingestion; go immediately if you see tremors, seizures, or changed breathing.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| vomiting |
| depression |
| diarrhea |
| abdominal pain |
| hypersalivation |
| anorexia (loss of appetite) |
| tremors, seizures |
| hypotension (drop in blood pressure) |
| respiratory depression |
If your cat just ate it
Same tabletop look, minus the risk
3 tabletop plants graded S0 — non-toxic on record.
Care at a glance
FAQ
What happens if my cat eats amaryllis?
Expect a poisoning that can escalate, not just an upset stomach. The ASPCA records "vomiting (not horses), depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia, tremors," and Pet Poison Helpline adds that the alkaloids "can cause dose-dependent vomiting, hypotension (drop in blood pressure), tremors/seizures, and respiratory depression." Dose-dependent is the key word: the more eaten — and a bulb most of all — the further down that list a cat can go. Take the plant away and call your vet or a poison line promptly; go immediately if you see tremors, seizures, or changed breathing.
Which part of an amaryllis is most dangerous — is the pollen a risk?
The bulb, by our sources; pollen isn't on record. Pet Poison Helpline names "leaves, stems and bulbs" as the parts carrying phenanthridine alkaloids, and the oxalate crystals that cause "excess salivation and abdominal discomfort" are "more concentrated in the bulbs." Neither the ASPCA nor Pet Poison Helpline mentions pollen for amaryllis — so we don't grade it, and we won't guess; that is a true-lily concern, and despite the belladonna-lily name, amaryllis is not a Lilium. Keep loose bulbs out of reach above all, and call your vet promptly if any part was eaten.
Can touching an amaryllis hurt my cat?
Our sources describe poisoning after eating it, not after touching it. Every sign on record for amaryllis — from the ASPCA's "vomiting … tremors" to Pet Poison Helpline's "hypotension … tremors/seizures, and respiratory depression" — follows ingestion of leaves, stems or bulbs; neither source describes a contact reaction, so we don't claim one. What contact does mean is proximity: a cat rubbing against the plant is a cat within reach of chewing it. Move the pot where it can't be reached, and if you find bitten leaves or a dug-at bulb, call your vet promptly.