Is Jasmine Safe for Cats and Dogs?

Jasmine (Jasminum spp. (Jasminum sambac, Jasminum polyanthum, Jasminum officinale)) is non-toxic to both cats and dogs.

Why

The ASPCA lists jasmine (Jasminum species) as non-toxic to cats and dogs. This covers the common true jasmines, such as Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac), pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) and common jasmine (Jasminum officinale).

The word jasmine is used for many unrelated plants. Carolina or yellow jessamine (Gelsemium) is a dangerous neurotoxic plant, Paraguayan jasmine (Brunfelsia) can cause seizures, and cape jasmine is the mildly toxic gardenia. Always check the botanical name.

How to recognize it

True jasmines are shrubs or twining vines with small, usually white or pale pink, tubular flowers that open into five or more flat petals and have a strong sweet scent. Leaves are glossy and either single or divided into small leaflets. Yellow-flowered Carolina jessamine, a toxic look-alike, has trumpet-shaped yellow flowers.

What to do

• Check that the label says Jasminum before buying a jasmine for a home with pets.
• If your pet ate a plant labeled jessamine or a jasmine you cannot identify, call a vet and bring a photo.
• Eating a lot of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.

Which plants called jasmine or jessamine are dangerous?

The ASPCA non-toxic rating applies to true jasmine, the genus Jasminum. These other plants share the name but not the rating.

• Carolina or yellow jessamine, Gelsemium: Pet Poison Helpline lists it as toxic. It contains neurotoxins that can cause muscle weakness, difficulty breathing and swallowing, seizures and death.
• Paraguayan jasmine or yesterday-today-tomorrow, Brunfelsia: listed by the ASPCA as toxic, with tremors and seizures that can last several days.
• Cape jasmine, Gardenia jasminoides: mildly toxic, causing vomiting, diarrhea or hives.
• Night-blooming jasmine or night jessamine, Cestrum: a member of the nightshade family, not a jasmine. It is not covered by the ASPCA jasmine listing, so do not assume it is safe.
• Star or Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and Madagascar jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda) are not true jasmines, but the ASPCA lists both as non-toxic.

Is jasmine tea safe for pets?

Jasmine tea is usually green tea scented with Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) flowers, the jasmine most familiar in Chinese-speaking regions. The flowers themselves are non-toxic, but the tea leaves contain caffeine.

The ASPCA warns that caffeine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, hyperactivity, an abnormal heart rhythm and tremors in pets. A lick from a cup is unlikely to matter, but tea bags, loose leaves and strong brewed tea should be kept away from pets.

Can jasmine still upset a pet's stomach?

Yes, a little. Non-toxic means the plant contains no known poison, not that eating a lot of it has no effect. A cat that chews a jasmine vine or a dog that strips a shrub may vomit or have loose stool from the plant material alone, and this usually passes within a day.

Jasmine vines are often grown on fences and trellises next to other climbers. If your pet vomits repeatedly, seems weak or wobbly, or you are not sure what it chewed, call your vet and bring a sample of the plant.

Toxic plants to tell apart from it

These look similar or are often sold alongside it. Check the label before buying.

• Mildly toxicGardenia
• ToxicLily of the valley

Common questions

Is jasmine safe for pets?

Cats: Non-toxic. Dogs: Non-toxic. Yes. True jasmine (Jasminum) is non-toxic to cats and dogs, but some plants also called jasmine or jessamine are toxic.

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

Yes. It is listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Check that the label says Jasminum before buying a jasmine for a home with pets.

What should I do if my pet chews jasmine?

There is usually no emergency, because jasmine is listed as non-toxic. Eating a lot of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset, so call a vet if vomiting continues.

Which toxic plants look like jasmine?

Watch out for gardenia and lily of the valley: they look similar or are often sold alongside it. Check the botanical name on the label before buying.

← All plants

Sources

• Pet Poison Helpline. Jessamine.
• ASPCA. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (dogs, cats).
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Toxicology section.

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).