Elephant Ear
Also known as Elephant's Ear, Taro, Malanga, Dasheen, Alocasia, Caladium, Colocasia. One plant, one grade per pet — the verdicts below are transcribed from primary sources and human-reviewed.
Elephant ear — the common name for several Araceae genera, including Alocasia, Colocasia, and Caladium — is an irritant to cats (S2 Irritant): chewing it releases insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and gut, with drooling, oral pain, and vomiting, and very rarely swelling of the upper airway that makes breathing difficult.
FULL VERDICT →Elephant ear — the common name for several Araceae genera, including Alocasia, Colocasia, and Caladium — is an irritant to dogs (S2 Irritant): chewing it releases insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and gut, with drooling, oral pain, and vomiting, and very rarely swelling of the upper airway that makes breathing difficult.
FULL VERDICT →Care at a glance
What happens if it's eaten
Signs on record for each animal, transcribed from the cited sources.
- oral irritation; intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue, and lips
- pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips
- oral pain
- excessive drooling
- pawing at the mouth or face (Pet Poison Helpline, Caladium)
- poor appetite
- retching
- vomiting
- difficulty swallowing
- swelling of the upper airway, making breathing difficult (very rare)
- oral irritation; intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue, and lips
- pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips
- oral pain
- excessive drooling
- pawing at the mouth or face (Pet Poison Helpline, Caladium)
- poor appetite
- retching
- vomiting
- difficulty swallowing
- swelling of the upper airway, making breathing difficult (very rare)
When to call the vet
Call your vet if vomiting or other stomach signs persist; go immediately if your cat shows any difficulty breathing.
FULL VERDICT →Call your vet if vomiting or other stomach signs persist; go immediately if your dog shows any difficulty breathing.
FULL VERDICT →Safe swaps, graded S0
Non-toxic on record for cats — verified against the index at build time.
FAQ
Is taro the same as taro vine (pothos)?
No — the two names belong to different plants. "Taro" is an elephant ear: the ASPCA uses it for Colocasia esculenta and for Caladium hortulanum, and Pet Poison Helpline lists "Taro" among the other names of elephant ear and of Alocasia. "Taro Vine" is pothos, Epipremnum aureum — it is on the ASPCA's Golden Pothos entry, and Pet Poison Helpline's "Taro Vine" entry names Epipremnum aureum. Both are S2 Irritant on calcium oxalate crystals, so the first aid is the same; the plant is not. The vine has its own record: see our pothos verdict.
Is an elephant-ear begonia an elephant ear?
No. The ASPCA lists "Elephant-Ear Begonia" as a separate plant, Begonia scharfii, family Begoniaceae — not one of the Araceae genera on this page. Its entry names "Soluble calcium oxalates" as the toxic principle and lists "Kidney failure (in grazing animals), vomiting, salivation in dogs/cats. Most toxic part is underground." That is a begonia record, not this one: see our begonia verdict.