Is Kalanchoe safe for cats and dogs?

Also sold as: Mother-In-Law-Plant, Devils Backbone, Chandelier Plant, Mother of Millions. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) if you are matching a plant you already own.

What the ASPCA lists for Kalanchoe

The ASPCA records the genus Kalanchoe (family Crassulaceae), through its entry filed as Kalanchoe spp, as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats. Toxic principle: Bufodienolides. Clinical signs listed: Vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm (rare). Read the ASPCA entry.

Read that list of signs carefully, because kalanchoe does not behave like most toxic houseplants. The great majority of entries in this database are mouth irritants: the pain is immediate, it stays in the mouth, and the pet stops after one bite. Here the ASPCA records the toxic principle as Bufodienolides and lists abnormal heart rhythm among the signs, marked rare. Vomiting and diarrhea are the common outcome, but a plant that can affect the heart at all belongs in a different mental category from a plant that stings the tongue. If a pet has eaten a quantity of kalanchoe, that is a reason to call rather than watch and wait, and it is worth mentioning the plant by name when you call.

The ASPCA covers this at genus level, filed as Kalanchoe spp, so the entry applies to the florist kalanchoe on this page and to every other species in the genus. There is no separate page for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. The genus also arrives under a set of unusually alarming folk names: Mother-In-Law Plant, Devils Backbone, Chandelier Plant and Mother of Millions are four further entries in the database, all pointing at one other species, Kalanchoe tubiflora, and all recording the same verdict, the same principle and the same signs as the genus entry. So the names sound different but the answer does not change.

Do not confuse Kalanchoe with Snake Plant

One letter of difference in a folk name separates two unrelated plants here. The ASPCA files kalanchoe under Mother-In-Law Plant, and files the snake plant under Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Both are toxic to cats and dogs, so neither name gets you a safe answer, but the mechanisms are not the same: the snake plant entry records saponins, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while the kalanchoe entry records Bufodienolides and includes abnormal heart rhythm. If someone tells you the plant is a mother-in-law something, that is not enough to know which signs to watch for. The ASPCA lists Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, toxic principle Saponins, with clinical signs: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Read the ASPCA entry for Snake Plant. If you are unsure which one you have, treat it as the toxic plant until you can confirm, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 if your pet has eaten any of it.

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?

• Calathea, see the care guide.
• Peperomia, see the care guide.
• Fittonia (Nerve Plant), see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Kalanchoe, 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.