Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My cat ate Flamingo Flower - what should I do?
Anthurium scherzeranum
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
Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
Escalation note
The insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause immediate mechanical irritation upon contact with tissues. If your cat has ingested any part of this plant, please contact your veterinarian or a pet poison control center immediately.
First aid at home
Remove plant material from the mouth and rinse with cool water; offering milk, canned-tuna water, or chicken broth lets the calcium bind and dilute the oxalate crystals and tends to ease the pain quickly. Do not induce vomiting.
What to watch for
Hypersalivation and pawing at the mouth, head shaking, vomiting, and visible swelling of the lips, tongue, or back of the throat. Cats often stop eating because of the pain. In a small fraction of cases oropharyngeal swelling progresses to airway compromise.
Time window
Onset is rapid — immediate to within 2 hours of chewing. Oral signs usually resolve within 12–24 hours with supportive care.
When to call the vet
Call if drooling does not settle within an hour, you see swelling of the mouth or face, your cat won't eat, vomiting persists, or the breathing or voice changes at all.
What this means for your cat
Cats: not safe. The leaves and flower spadix contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that release into mouth tissue the moment a cat bites, producing immediate burning rather than a delayed systemic poisoning.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.