Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My cat ate Amaryllis - what should I do?
Amaryllis spp.
Potentially toxic
Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison-control resource now, especially if any amount was chewed or swallowed.
Verified against ASPCA/provenance audit 2026-05-06 on May 6, 2026.
Signs to watch for
Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, and tremors.
Escalation note
Ingestion of the bulb is particularly dangerous due to higher concentrations of toxins. Please contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center immediately if you suspect ingestion.
First aid at home
Get your cat away from the plant and clear any chewed material from her mouth — a quick rinse with water can help wash out irritants. Do not induce vomiting at home. Call your vet or a poison control line right away, and if you can, bring a sample of the chewed plant (especially any bulb fragments) with you so the clinic knows what they're treating.
What to watch for
From leaves and flowers (most common): drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea, often with abdominal discomfort and loss of appetite. From a chewed bulb (more serious): weakness, low blood pressure, muscle tremors, and in severe cases seizures.
Time window
Signs can develop anywhere from a few minutes up to 24 hours after ingestion. With supportive care, leaf and flower exposures usually resolve in 24–48 hours; bulb ingestions may take longer.
When to call the vet
Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 immediately for any suspected bulb chew, or any time your cat seems wobbly, weak, or unresponsive. For leaf or petal nibbles, call if drooling and vomiting don't ease within an hour or two.
What this means for your cat
Amaryllis is toxic to cats, and the bulb is the most dangerous part. The whole plant contains lycorine and other phenanthridine alkaloids, but the alkaloids and oxalate crystals concentrate in the bulb — a cat that nibbles a leaf or petal usually shows mild GI signs, while a cat that chews into a bulb can show much more serious whole-body symptoms.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Source references
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.