Is English ivy safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
ASPCA reports English ivy (Hedera helix): listed as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. Vomiting, belly pain, heavy drooling and diarrhea. The ASPCA says the leaves are more toxic than the berries. It is also listed as toxic to horses. If a pet chews it, call your vet or a pet poison line.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: branching ivy, glacier ivy, needlepoint ivy, sweetheart ivy, california ivy. Hedera helix.
What in it is the problem
Triterpenoid saponins (including hederagenin).
What it can do
Vomiting, belly pain, heavy drooling and diarrhea.
Good to know
The ASPCA says the leaves are more toxic than the berries. It is also listed as toxic to horses.
Did your pet chew it?
Call your vet or a pet poison line, and say what plant, how much and when. If you aren't sure which plant it was, take a photo of it.
Poison emergency? Call now
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
For the children
"Some plants can make pets sick, and lilies are very dangerous for cats. Ask a grown-up before you bring a plant or flowers inside."
A job: Be the plant checker. Help a grown-up look up each plant in the house on this site, and write the ones to keep away on a list.
This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Common names are shared by different plants, so check the Latin name.
Sources
- ASPCA: English Ivy (checked October 29, 2026)