Is Yucca safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for Yucca

The ASPCA records Yucca (Yucca, family Agavaceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses. Toxic principle: Saponins. Clinical signs listed: Dogs, cats: Vomiting; Horses: liver disease, dermatitis. Read the ASPCA entry.

This is one of the few entries where the listed signs differ by species: dogs and cats get vomiting, while horses are recorded with liver disease and dermatitis. If you keep yucca anywhere a horse can reach it, that is a materially different risk from the houseplant case.

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?

• Cast Iron Plant, see the care guide.
• Pilea (Chinese Money Plant), see the care guide.
• Money Tree, see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Yucca, 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.