Is Begonia toxic to cats?
Begonia is toxic to cats (S2 Irritant): its soluble calcium oxalates cause vomiting and drooling, with the underground parts the most toxic — irritating, and rarely serious in cats.
- TOXINsoluble calcium oxalates
- WHAT TO EXPECTvomiting; salivation
- CALL THE VETCall your vet if vomiting or drooling persists or worsens or your cat stops eating or drinking.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| vomiting |
| salivation |
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
Is begonia like pothos — does it burn a cat's mouth?
The two records don't read the same, so we won't merge them. For begonia, the ASPCA names soluble calcium oxalates as the toxic principle and lists vomiting and salivation as the signs in cats and dogs. For pothos, the principle is insoluble calcium oxalates and the signs are oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing — see our pothos verdict. Both are S2 Irritant for cats, but the burning-mouth picture belongs to the pothos record, not the begonia one. Watch a cat that ate begonia for vomiting and drooling; if signs persist, call your vet.
Which part of a begonia is most toxic?
The part under the soil. The ASPCA's entry ends with the sentence "most toxic part is underground," so the tubers and roots carry more of the soluble calcium oxalates than the leaves and flowers do — though the ASPCA lists all parts as toxic, and the grade is S2 Irritant for cats and dogs alike. For a potted begonia that means the danger is a dug-up pot, not a nibbled leaf; for a tuberous begonia stored over winter, it means the bare tubers themselves. The signs on record for cats and dogs are vomiting and salivation. Keep tubers put away; if signs persist, call your vet.