Are snake plants toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. The ASPCA lists snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata, also called mother-in-law’s tongue, golden bird’s nest and good luck plant) as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats.

• Toxic principle: saponins.
• Clinical signs: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

If your pet has eaten part of a snake plant, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The line is open 24/7, and a consultation fee may apply. This guide is general information, not veterinary advice.

What makes snake plants toxic

Pet Poison Helpline says the saponins are in the leaves and stems. Merck Veterinary Manual’s table of toxic houseplants says they are in the leaves and flowers, alongside organic acids.

The two sources describe these symptoms:

• Merck: vomiting, drooling and diarrhea, caused by the saponins acting on the gut.
• Pet Poison Helpline: drooling and vomiting in pets generally, plus dilated pupils and a wobbly gait reported specifically in cats.

Snake plant works differently from pothos. Pothos contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause immediate pain in the mouth. The signs listed for snake plant’s saponins are mainly stomach and gut problems, such as vomiting and diarrhea, rather than mouth pain.

What to do if your cat or dog chewed a snake plant

1. Take the plant away and note roughly how much is missing and when it happened.
2. Call for advice. Your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (24/7, a consultation fee may apply) and Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (a fee applies) can all help.
3. Give the exact plant name. Merck stresses that plants sharing a common name can belong to different families and differ in toxicity. Pet Poison Helpline lists the snake plant’s scientific name as Dracaena trifasciata, so you may see either name on a plant tag.
4. Follow the advice you are given. Merck lists the treatment as symptomatic, and says fluids and electrolytes may be needed, which is a job for your vet.

Pet Poison Helpline adds that how toxic a plant is for a particular pet depends on the amount eaten, the animal’s size and other factors. That is one more reason to call rather than guess.

Related plants that are also toxic

Pet Poison Helpline gives the scientific name as Dracaena, and the ASPCA lists two common dracaenas with the same toxic principle:

Plant	ASPCA: cats and dogs	Toxic principle	Clinical signs (ASPCA)
Snake plant	Toxic	Saponins	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Madagascar dragon tree	Toxic	Saponins	Vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, loss of appetite, drooling, dilated pupils (cats)
Corn plant	Toxic	Saponins	Vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, loss of appetite, drooling, dilated pupils (cats)
Yucca	Toxic	Saponins	Vomiting (dogs, cats)

Botanical family is not a reliable guide, though. The ASPCA places snake plant in the family Agavaceae. Our database places ponytail palm there too, and the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic. Always check the individual plant in the pet-safe plant checker.

Why snake plants end up in so many homes

Snake plants turn up on low-light lists. Illinois Extension lists mother-in-law’s tongue among plants for low light, with a minimum of about 75 foot-candles. University of Maryland Extension names snake plant as an example of a low-light plant (25-100 fc). The sources in our database say it adapts to almost any light, from dim interiors to sun, though Iowa State notes it prefers moderate light.

Even a plant this tolerant needs some daylight. Here are estimates from our planner for a north window in New York City (latitude 40.7° N), assuming a standard 3 x 4 ft window with clear double glazing, open sky and mixed weather:

• 1 ft (0.3 m) from the glass: a snake plant “survives”. It gets enough light to hold on, but not the medium light it grows best in.
• 10 ft (3 m) back: the spot falls below the low-light survival minimum in some months, and the planner rates it “too dim”.

Pet-safe swaps for a snake plant spot

The table below lists plants the ASPCA rates non-toxic to cats and dogs whose light needs overlap with a snake plant’s. A few worth a closer look:

• Cast iron plant prefers shade and does not tolerate direct sun. Sources call it one of the best choices for dim rooms and offices, and it is rated easy care.
• Zebra haworthia is a small succulent that copes with lower light better than most succulents. An east or west window with a few hours of direct sun is ideal. In too little light its leaves stretch and lose their color.
• Parlor palm, kentia palm and lady palm tolerate low light but grow best in bright, indirect light, and all are rated easy care. Avoid direct sun on parlor and lady palms, which can scorch or burn the fronds.
• Ponytail palm is non-toxic, but it only suits a sunny window. It wants as much light as you can give it indoors.

The ASPCA notes that eating any plant material can cause vomiting and stomach upset in cats and dogs. “Non-toxic” means serious poisoning is not expected, not that a pet can graze on the plant.

To check that a swap will grow in your spot, open the Window Light Planner. Enter your city, which way the window faces and how far the plant sits from the glass, then tick “Non-toxic to cats” and “Non-toxic to dogs”. The planner rates each plant as thriving, dipping in winter, surviving or too dim at that spot. For more choices, see pet-safe plants for low light.