Is Mistletoe toxic to cats?
American mistletoe is toxic to cats (S3 Toxic): its lectins and phoratoxins cause vomiting and diarrhea, and larger amounts can slow the heart, drop blood pressure, and make breathing difficult — a holiday sprig with berries needs to stay out of reach, not just out of sight.
- TOXINtoxalbumin, pharatoxin viscumin (lectins, phoratoxins)
- WHAT TO EXPECTvomiting; diarrhea; low blood pressure (rare)
- CALL THE VETCall your vet promptly after any ingestion; go immediately if you see labored breathing or wobbliness.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| vomiting |
| diarrhea |
| low blood pressure (rare) |
| difficulty breathing |
| low heart rate |
| stumbling gait (large ingestions) |
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
Which part of mistletoe is poisonous to cats — the berries?
The whole sprig, berries included. Pet Poison Helpline's entry covers "American Mistletoe plant and berries," and the ASPCA lists the toxic principles for the plant without singling out a safe part — so a fallen berry and a chewed leaf count the same. The signs on record start with "vomiting, diarrhea" and, with larger amounts, "low blood pressure (rare), difficulty breathing, low heart rate." Berries matter for a practical reason: they drop, and a cat finds them on the floor. Hang cut mistletoe well out of reach, sweep under it, and call your vet promptly if any part was eaten.
Is the mistletoe on my tree the same one in the Christmas sprig?
This page covers American mistletoe (Phoradendron), the kind sold as holiday sprigs in the United States — that is the plant both the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline record, and it is graded S3 Toxic for cats. European mistletoe (Viscum album), the species in much of the old-world folklore, has no ASPCA entry, so we don't grade it and won't borrow this page's verdict for it. If you can't tell which you have, treat it as this one: keep it out of reach, and if your cat has chewed any of it, call your vet promptly.