Is Sago Palm safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for Sago Palm

The ASPCA records Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta, family Cycadaceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses. Toxic principle: Cycasin. Clinical signs listed: Vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, death. Read the ASPCA entry.

Read that list again, because it is unlike every other entry on this site. Most toxic houseplants here cause mouth pain and an unhappy few hours. This one ends in liver failure and death, and the ASPCA says so in its own clinical signs field. The seeds carry the most cycasin, and dogs are the usual victims because they dig up and chew them. A suspected ingestion is an emergency, not a wait-and-see: signs can take hours to appear and the treatment window closes before they do.

The ASPCA files this under Sago Palm with the scientific name Cycas revoluta, zamia species, so the entry covers the zamias as well. Their additional common names include Coontie Palm and Cardboard Palm. It is not a palm at all, it is a cycad, which matters when you are checking a label: a plant sold as a palm may be either, and only one of them can kill a dog.

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?

• Parlor Palm, see the care guide.
• Areca Palm, see the care guide.
• Majesty Palm, see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Sago Palm, 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.