Is Rubber plant safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
Pet Poison Helpline reports Rubber plant (Ficus elastica): the source says it can harm pets that chew it, but does not name dogs and cats separately. Mild stomach upset with drooling, retching and vomiting, plus irritation of the mouth. Pet Poison Helpline lists Ficus elastica as a concern for pets but does not split dogs and cats. Call a vet or poison line if a pet chews it.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: rubber fig, indian rubber tree, rubber tree plant. Ficus elastica.
What in it is the problem
An irritating chemical in the sap of the leaves and stems (the source does not name it).
What it can do
Mild stomach upset with drooling, retching and vomiting, plus irritation of the mouth.
Good to know
Pet Poison Helpline lists Ficus elastica as a concern for pets but does not split dogs and cats. The ASPCA's Fig page covers a different plant (Ficus benjamina, weeping fig), toxic to dogs and cats, though it also uses the name Indian rubber plant. Call a vet or poison line if a pet chews 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
- Pet Poison Helpline: Rubber Tree Plant (checked October 29, 2026)
- ASPCA: Fig (checked October 29, 2026)