Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My cat ate Peace Lily - what should I do?
Spathiphyllum
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 the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
Escalation note
Symptoms are generally localized to the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. 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
Take the plant material away and gently rinse your cat's mouth with cool water to wash out remaining crystals. Do not induce vomiting. Then call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline for next steps.
What to watch for
Almost immediate pawing at the mouth, lip smacking, and head shaking. Heavy drooling, decreased appetite, and vomiting (sometimes with visible leaf bits) typically follow within minutes. Watch for ongoing refusal to eat or drink — the mouth pain can keep cats from drinking, and dehydration is the more common follow-on problem than airway swelling.
Time window
Signs appear within minutes to a couple of hours of chewing. With appropriate care, symptoms typically resolve within 1–3 days without lasting effects.
When to call the vet
Call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) if drooling lasts more than an hour, your cat refuses food or water, vomiting persists, or you see any swelling of the mouth or face. Severe oral swelling or any change in breathing is an emergency — go straight to a clinic.
What this means for your cat
Despite the name, the peace lily is not a true lily — it won't cause kidney failure the way a Lilium does. It is, however, packed with insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that fire into a cat's tongue and gums the moment she chews a leaf. Reactions are painful and instant, but in most cats they stay confined to the mouth and GI tract and resolve within a few days with supportive care.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.