Is Parsley safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
ASPCA reports Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): listed as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. The skin can become extra sensitive to sunlight, causing sunburn-like irritation. The ASPCA says it takes a large amount to cause this. The ASPCA lists parsley as toxic to dogs and cats, but the problem it describes needs large amounts. If a pet eats a lot, call a vet or a poison line.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: Italian parsley, Hamburg parsley, turnip-rooted parsley. Petroselinum crispum.
What in it is the problem
Furanocoumarins.
What it can do
The skin can become extra sensitive to sunlight, causing sunburn-like irritation. The ASPCA says it takes a large amount to cause this.
Good to know
The ASPCA lists parsley as toxic to dogs and cats, but the problem it describes needs large amounts. If a pet eats a lot, call a vet or a poison line.
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: Parsley (checked October 29, 2026)