Are Roses Safe for Cats and Dogs?

Roses (Rosa spp.) are non-toxic to both cats and dogs.

Why

The ASPCA lists roses (Rosa species) as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Eating petals or leaves is not expected to poison a pet, although a large amount of any plant can cause mild stomach upset.

The problems with roses come from outside the flower: sharp thorns, pesticides and fertilizers used on rose bushes, and other flowers that share the vase.

How to recognize it

Roses are shrubs or climbers with thorny stems, leaves divided into toothed oval leaflets, and fragrant layered flowers in almost every color. Cut roses are sold singly or in bouquets, often mixed with other flowers. Plants with rose in the name, such as desert rose, Christmas rose and moss rose, are different plants.

What to do

• Check the mouth and paws if your pet chewed a thorny stem, and call a vet for a deep or bleeding wound.
• Keep rose fertilizers, insecticides and systemic granules away from pets.
• Remove lilies and other toxic flowers from mixed bouquets before bringing them home.

Are all plants named "rose" safe?

No. The ASPCA non-toxic rating is for true roses in the genus Rosa. Several unrelated plants borrow the name, and some are toxic.

• Desert rose, Adenium obesum: listed as toxic to cats and dogs.
• Christmas rose or Lenten rose, Helleborus: listed as toxic.
• Moss rose, Portulaca oleracea: listed as toxic.
• Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus: listed as non-toxic.
• Rosebay is an old name for oleander and rhododendron, both of which are dangerous.

What about the chemicals used on rose bushes?

Roses are often grown with more chemicals than other garden plants. Some systemic rose-care granules, applied to the soil at the base of the bush, have contained disulfoton, an organophosphate insecticide. Pet Poison Helpline warns that it can cause drooling, vomiting, tremors and seizures in pets and that, although it is restricted, older products may still be in circulation. Dogs are drawn to these granules when they are mixed with fertilizer.

Read the label on any rose product, store it closed and up high, and keep pets out of freshly treated beds for as long as the label says. If your pet ate a rose fertilizer or insecticide, call a vet right away and bring the package.

Is a rose bouquet on Valentine's Day safe for my cat?

The roses themselves are, but bouquets rarely contain only roses. Lilies are common fillers, and for cats even pollen or vase water from a true lily can cause kidney failure. Check every flower in the arrangement before it goes on a table a cat can reach.

Florist roses usually have their thorns stripped, but garden roses do not. Cats that chew stems and dogs that rummage through garden prunings can pick up a thorn in the mouth, gums or paw. Signs include pawing at the face, drooling, limping or licking one foot.

Toxic plants to tell apart from it

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

• ToxicLilies
• Mildly toxicChrysanthemums (mums)

Common questions

Are roses safe for pets?

Cats: Non-toxic. Dogs: Non-toxic. Yes. Roses (Rosa) are non-toxic to cats and dogs, though their thorns can injure the mouth and paws.

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

Yes. They are listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Check the mouth and paws if your pet chewed a thorny stem, and call a vet for a deep or bleeding wound.

What should I do if my pet chews roses?

There is usually no emergency, because roses are 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 roses?

Watch out for lilies and chrysanthemums: they look similar or are often sold alongside it. Check the botanical name on the label before buying.

← All plants

Sources

• Pet Poison Helpline. Protect Your Pet from Disulfoton Toxicosis.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination.
• 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).