Is Chrysanthemum toxic to cats?
Chrysanthemum is toxic to cats (S2 Irritant): its sesquiterpene lactones and pyrethrins cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and incoordination, and contact can cause dermatitis — irritating, rarely serious.
- TOXINsesquiterpene lactones, pyrethrins, other potential irritants
- WHAT TO EXPECTvomiting; diarrhea; hypersalivation
- CALL THE VETCall your vet if vomiting or diarrhea persists or worsens, your cat seems wobbly or unsteady, or a skin reaction spreads.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| vomiting |
| diarrhea |
| hypersalivation |
| incoordination |
| dermatitis |
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 a chrysanthemum?
The ASPCA lists vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination, and dermatitis, and names the toxic principles as sesquiterpene lactones, pyrethrins, and other potential irritants. Two of those signs are why the grade is S2 Irritant rather than a plain stomach upset: dermatitis is a skin reaction from contact, and incoordination reaches beyond the gut. Pet Poison Helpline's pyrethrins page puts the plant itself lower, saying eating plant material "is typically only going to cause gastrointestinal upset." Take the flowers away and watch; if signs persist, call your vet.
Are mums and chrysanthemums the same plant — and does this cover daisies?
Mums and chrysanthemums are the same plant: the ASPCA carries two entries for Chrysanthemum spp., one under each name, and this page covers both. Daisies are a different matter. The ASPCA lists "daisy" as an alternative name on those entries, but daisy is a common name spread across many genera, and we don't let one plant's record stand in for a word that loose — so daisies are not covered here, and we have not graded them. If you have a plant sold as a daisy, treat it as ungraded rather than as a chrysanthemum, whichever grade that would have implied.