Is Lily of the valley safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
ASPCA reports Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis): listed as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. Vomiting, uneven heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, coma and seizures. Not the same as the Lily-of-the-Valley Bush (a different ASPCA entry). Call a vet or poison line right away if a pet may have eaten it. If a pet chews it, call your vet or a pet poison line.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: no other common names listed. Convallaria majalis.
What in it is the problem
Cardenolides (heart-active compounds), including convallarin.
What it can do
Vomiting, uneven heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, coma and seizures.
Good to know
Not the same as the Lily-of-the-Valley Bush (a different ASPCA entry). Call a vet or poison line right away if a pet may have eaten it.
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: Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lily of the Valley (checked October 29, 2026)