Golden Ragwort

Yes, Golden Ragwort (Senecio species) is toxic to cats. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause serious health issues including liver damage. Keep this plant away from cats entirely.

Early signs include weight loss, drowsiness, weakness, and excessive yawning — easy to overlook. As liver damage progresses, cats may develop jaundice (yellow gums or whites of eyes), incoordination, and neurological changes such as aimless walking. Acute signs include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy.

Liver damage from pyrrolizidine alkaloids is cumulative, so clinical signs may not appear for days to weeks after ingestion — even as the injury continues to progress internally. This delayed presentation is what makes Golden Ragwort especially dangerous; a cat that seems fine after eating it may still be sustaining serious damage.

Call your veterinarian immediately, even if your cat appears fine — do not wait for symptoms to appear. You can also reach the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The prognosis worsens significantly once clinical signs like jaundice, weakness, or behavior changes become visible, so early intervention is critical.

Yes, Golden Ragwort (Senecio species) is toxic to dogs. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause serious liver damage, making it one of the more dangerous ornamental plants a dog can ingest.

Early signs include extreme drowsiness, weakness, loss of appetite, and yawning. As liver damage progresses — often days to weeks after ingestion — watch for yellowing of the gums or eye whites (jaundice), abdominal swelling, head pressing or aimless walking, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and in severe cases, seizures.

Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear. Because liver damage from pyrrolizidine alkaloids is cumulative and clinical recovery is uncommon once signs are present, prompt veterinary care is critical even if your dog seems fine.

Liver damage from Golden Ragwort is cumulative, meaning signs often do not appear until days to weeks after ingestion as the injury progresses. This delayed onset makes it especially dangerous — a dog may appear normal initially, yet have sustained significant liver damage. Treat any known or suspected ingestion as an emergency regardless of how the dog looks.