Is Pothos toxic to cats?
Pothos is toxic to cats (S2 Irritant): its insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause intense oral burning, drooling, and vomiting, but ingestion is rarely life-threatening.
- TOXINinsoluble calcium oxalates
- WHAT TO EXPECToral irritation; intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips; excessive drooling
- CALL THE VETCall your vet if drooling or vomiting persists or worsens, your cat refuses food or water, or you notice mouth swelling or trouble breathing.
Symptoms
| SIGN |
|---|
| oral irritation |
| intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips |
| excessive drooling |
| vomiting |
| difficulty swallowing |
If your cat just ate it
Safe swaps, graded S0
Graded S0 for cats. Same-shape matches are coming as the index grows.
Care at a glance
FAQ
How toxic is pothos (devil's ivy) to cats?
It's an S2 irritant — painful, rarely dangerous. Pothos and devil's ivy are the same plant (Epipremnum aureum), and the ASPCA lists its insoluble calcium oxalates as causing "oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing." A chewed vine means a sore mouth, not an emergency. Hang it out of reach — trailing vines are the classic chew target.
My cat chewed a pothos vine — do I need the vet right away?
Usually not. Pothos causes contact irritation, and most cats stop after the first sting. Remove the chewed vine. The escalation signs to act on: drooling or vomiting that persists, refusing food or water, or any mouth swelling or trouble breathing — those earn a vet call.
Is pothos the same as taro?
No. "Taro Vine" is one of pothos's names — the ASPCA lists it on its Golden Pothos entry, Epipremnum aureum — but plain "taro" is a different plant: the ASPCA uses it for Colocasia esculenta and Caladium hortulanum, two of the plants sold as elephant ear. Both are S2 Irritant on calcium oxalate crystals, so the first aid is the same; the plant is not.