Is Yew safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
ASPCA reports Yew (Taxus spp.): listed as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. Sudden death from heart failure. Early signs in dogs are muscle tremors, trouble breathing and seizures. The ASPCA page for yew is listed under the name Japanese yew. If a pet may have eaten any, call a vet or a poison line right away.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: Japanese yew. Taxus spp..
What in it is the problem
Taxine.
What it can do
Sudden death from heart failure. Early signs in dogs are muscle tremors, trouble breathing and seizures.
Good to know
The ASPCA page for yew is listed under the name Japanese yew. If a pet may have eaten any, call a vet or a poison line right away.
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: Yew (checked October 29, 2026)