What should I do if my cat ate Flamingo Flower?

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. 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 should I do if my dog ate Flamingo Flower?

Remove plant material and offer milk, tuna water, or chicken broth — the calcium in dairy binds the oxalate crystals and the dilution eases the burn. Do not induce vomiting; bringing the crystals back up only re-injures the mouth and esophagus. Call if drooling lasts more than 30–60 minutes, you see swelling of the lips, tongue, or face, vomiting continues, your dog won't eat, or there is any change in breathing.

Flamingo Flower — (c) Neptalí Ramírez Marcial, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Neptalí Ramírez Marcial — Photo by (c) Neptalí Ramírez Marcial, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Neptalí Ramírez MarcialiNaturalistCC BY

Photo by (c) Neptalí Ramírez Marcial, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Neptalí Ramírez MarcialiNaturalistCC BY

Pet safety reference

Flamingo Flower

Q: Is Flamingo Flower safe for cats?

Flamingo Flower is potentially toxic to cats. 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.

Q: Is Flamingo Flower safe for dogs?

Flamingo Flower is potentially toxic to dogs. Ingestion typically results in immediate discomfort due to the presence of insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Please consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has chewed or ingested this plant.

Anthurium scherzeranum

The Flamingo Flower is a popular tropical houseplant known for its vibrant, waxy spathes and deep green foliage. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that can cause irritation if ingested.

Check a list

AnthuriumAnthurium scherzeranumFlamingo FlowerPainter's Palette

Light: Bright indirect light
Habit: Clumping
Care: Moderate

Safety status

Cats & Dogs

Potentially toxic

Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.

Verified against ASPCA/provenance audit 2026-05-06 on May 6, 2026.

Sources

ASPCA Toxic Plant List

If a pet has chewed or swallowed plant material and is showing symptoms, contact a veterinarian or poison resource immediately. This product is for structured reference, not diagnosis.

Cats — concern notes

Common signs

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.

Dogs — concern notes

Common signs

Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.

Escalation note

Ingestion typically results in immediate discomfort due to the presence of insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Please consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has chewed or ingested this plant.

Safer alternatives

No hand-picked alternatives for this plant yet. You can still pick your own using the Compare button on any other plant.

Source evidence

ASPCA Toxic Plant List

toxicology · 99% reliability

Open source

Flamingo Flower is toxic to both cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.

NC State Extension Plant Toolbox

botanical · 94% reliability

Open source

Anthurium scherzeranum is a perennial herb in the Araceae family, native to Costa Rica.

cats safety page My cat ate Flamingo Flower dogs safety page My dog ate Flamingo Flower

Same safety verdict

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