Is Cyclamen Toxic to Dogs and Cats?

Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is toxic to both cats and dogs.

If your pet has eaten a toxic plant, contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital right away and bring a photo or piece of the plant. In the US you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (fees may apply).

Why

Cyclamen contains saponins that irritate the mouth and digestive tract. The highest concentration is in the tuber, the round root under the soil.

Chewing leaves or flowers usually causes drooling and stomach upset. Eating a large amount of tuber can cause heart rhythm problems and seizures.

How to recognize it

Cyclamen has heart-shaped leaves, often with silver markings, and upswept, twisted petals in pink, red, purple or white that rise from a round, flattened tuber at the soil surface. It is a very popular winter-flowering pot plant.

Signs to watch for

• Drooling and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abnormal heart rhythm or seizures after eating the tuber

What to do

• Contact your veterinarian, particularly if your pet dug up and ate the tuber.
• Place potted cyclamen out of reach, and do not let dogs dig in its pot.

Why is the tuber the part to watch?

The tuber sits at or just above the soil line and looks like a flattened brown disk. It holds most of the saponins. A cat that nibbles a leaf or a petal will likely drool and vomit. A dog that digs the tuber out of the pot and chews it gets a far bigger dose, and that is when heart rhythm problems and seizures become possible.

Repotting is another risky moment. A tuber left on the floor or in the compost bin is easy for a dog to grab.

Which cyclamen plants will pets meet?

Florist cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is sold in huge numbers as a winter and holiday pot plant. It arrives in homes at the same time as other gift plants and often ends up on a low table or windowsill, right where a bored indoor cat will find it.

Hardy garden cyclamen, such as ivy-leaved cyclamen, grow under trees and in rock gardens. Dogs can dig up their tubers, which grow larger over the years. The leaves of these garden types often appear in autumn and stay through winter, when little else in the bed is green.

Is cyclamen the same as an African violet?

No. Cyclamen often shares shelf space with African violets, which the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs. The two are unrelated.

African violets have fuzzy leaves and flat, open flowers held close to the foliage. Cyclamen has smooth, heart-shaped leaves and swept-back petals on tall stems. If you want a flowering pot plant for a home with pets, the African violet is the safer pick. Moth orchids are another option the ASPCA lists as non-toxic.

Pet-safe alternatives

Looking for something similar without the risk? These plants are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

• Non-toxicAfrican violet
• Non-toxicOrchids (moth orchid)

Common questions

Is cyclamen poisonous to pets?

Cats: Toxic. Dogs: Toxic. Yes. Cyclamen is toxic to dogs and cats, especially the tuber (root).

Is it safe to keep cyclamen in a home with cats and dogs?

Not within your pets' reach. Place potted cyclamen out of reach, and do not let dogs dig in its pot.

What should I do if my pet chews cyclamen?

Contact your veterinarian, particularly if your pet dug up and ate the tuber.

Which pet-safe plants can I grow instead of cyclamen?

African violet and orchids are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

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Sources

• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (dogs, cats).
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Toxicology section.