Is English Ivy safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for English Ivy

The ASPCA records English Ivy (Hedera helix, family Araliaceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses. Toxic principle: Triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin). Clinical signs listed: Vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea. Foliage is more toxic than berries. Read the ASPCA entry.

The last clause is the useful one and it is the ASPCA's own wording: the foliage is more toxic than the berries. That is the opposite of what most people assume, and it matters indoors, where an ivy almost never fruits, so the leaves are the entire exposure. A trailing plant on a high shelf is still within reach of a cat, so height is not containment here.

The ASPCA entry is English Ivy, filed as Hedera helix, with Branching Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy, Sweetheart Ivy and California Ivy listed as additional common names. Those are the names most variegated cultivars are sold under, so a shopper checking a specific cultivar name will usually still land on the right entry.

What this verdict does and does not mean

Being non-toxic does not mean a plant is chew-proof: even pet-safe houseplants can upset a cat's or dog's stomach if they eat a large amount, simply because it is plant matter. Most toxic houseplants cause irritant-level symptoms, such as drooling, mouth soreness, or a mild upset stomach, rather than a medical emergency. A small number of plants are a genuine emergency, most notably true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) for cats, which can cause fatal kidney failure from even a small amount of pollen or a nibbled leaf. If you are ever in doubt, or your pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.

Safer alternatives

Looking for something with a similar look and habit that is pet-safe instead?

• Prayer Plant, see the care guide.
• Hoya Carnosa (Wax Plant), see the care guide.
• Christmas Cactus, see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for English Ivy, browse the pet safety checker for other plants, or identify a plant from a photo first if you are not sure what you have. Verdicts here follow the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.