Is Chinese evergreen toxic to cats?
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is an irritant to cats (S2 Irritant): chewing it releases oxalate crystals that irritate the lips, mouth, and throat; Pet Poison Helpline also reports rare severe throat swelling that can cause breathing difficulty.
- TOXINmicroscopic oxalate crystals
- WHAT TO EXPECTirritation and pain to lips, oral cavity, and throat; drooling; gagging
- CALL THE VETContact a vet if drooling, gagging, vomiting, or mouth and throat irritation persists or worsens. Pet Poison Helpline reports severe throat swelling with breathing difficulty in rare instances; contact a vet immediately for severe throat swelling or breathing difficulty.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| irritation and pain to lips, oral cavity, and throat |
| drooling |
| gagging |
| vomiting |
| severe throat swelling resulting in breathing difficulty (in rare instances) |
| pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips (ASPCA, Aglaonema modestum) |
| difficulty swallowing (ASPCA, Aglaonema modestum) |
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 Chinese evergreen toxic to cats?
Yes. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is S2 Irritant for cats. Pet Poison Helpline says chewing the plant releases oxalate crystals, causing "irritation and pain to lips, oral cavity, and throat." It also records drooling, gagging, and vomiting, and "in rare instances severe throat swelling resulting in breathing difficulty can occur." Remove the plant and any chewed pieces, and call your vet if signs persist or worsen. Contact a vet immediately for severe throat swelling or breathing difficulty.
Does this Chinese evergreen verdict cover one species or the Aglaonema genus?
The Aglaonema genus. Pet Poison Helpline's Chinese Evergreen entry gives the scientific name "Aglaonema" and describes oxalate crystals causing mouth and throat irritation. The ASPCA's Chinese Evergreen entry names one species, "Aglaonema modestum", and lists it as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Both list the plant as toxic, so this S2 Irritant verdict applies to Aglaonema as a genus. Two signs in the ASPCA entry, swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips and difficulty swallowing, are recorded for A. modestum only.