Parsley
Also known as Italian Parsley, Hamburg Parsley, Turnip-rooted Parsley. One plant, one grade per pet — the verdicts below are transcribed from primary sources and human-reviewed.
Parsley is toxic to cats (S2 Irritant): the ASPCA lists furanocoumarins causing photosensitization — a sunburn-like skin reaction and dermatitis — and notes that large amounts are needed to cause the effect, so a garnish is not the concern; a cat grazing a whole pot is.
FULL VERDICT →Parsley is toxic to dogs (S2 Irritant): the ASPCA lists furanocoumarins causing photosensitization — a sunburn-like skin reaction and dermatitis — and notes that large amounts are needed to cause the effect.
FULL VERDICT →Care at a glance
What happens if it's eaten
Signs on record for each animal, transcribed from the cited sources.
- photosensitization (sunburn-like skin reaction, dermatitis) — large amounts needed
- photosensitization (sunburn-like skin reaction, dermatitis) — large amounts needed
When to call the vet
Call your vet if a skin reaction appears or spreads, or your cat seems in discomfort after eating a large amount.
FULL VERDICT →Call your vet if a skin reaction appears or spreads, or your dog seems in discomfort after eating a large amount.
FULL VERDICT →Safe swaps, graded S0
Non-toxic on record for cats — verified against the index at build time.
FAQ
Cilantro is sold as "Chinese parsley" — is it the same plant, with the same warning?
No. Cilantro is Coriandrum sativum and gets its own verdict: S0 Safe on our cilantro page, where the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic with no toxic principle on record. Parsley is Petroselinum crispum, and the ASPCA grades it separately: toxic principle furanocoumarins, sign "Photosensitization (sunburn, dermatitis), large amounts are needed to cause this effect" — S2 Irritant. The shared nickname is a market name, not a botanical one. The ASPCA's own aliases for parsley are "Italian Parsley, Hamburg Parsley, Turnip-rooted Parsley"; Chinese parsley is not among them. Check the botanical name on the label before you trust either verdict.
Does parsley cause vomiting or diarrhea?
Not on this record. The only clinical sign the ASPCA lists for parsley is "Photosensitization (sunburn, dermatitis), large amounts are needed to cause this effect" — a skin reaction to sunlight after eating a lot of it, caused by furanocoumarins. There is no gastrointestinal sign in the entry, and Pet Poison Helpline has no parsley entry to add one. So a pet that has eaten parsley and then vomits is showing something the parsley record does not describe; treat it as you would any vomiting and call your vet if it persists. What the record does ask you to watch for is reddened or irritated skin.