Yew

Yes, yew (Taxus spp.) is highly toxic to cats. All parts of the plant — needles, seeds, and bark — contain taxine alkaloids, and any suspected ingestion is treated as a medical emergency.

Yew poisoning in cats causes drooling, vomiting, tremors, and diarrhea, followed rapidly by cardiac and respiratory signs: weak or irregular pulse, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, weakness, and collapse. Onset can occur within minutes to several hours, and in severe cases the first visible sign is sudden death.

Remove any plant material from your cat's mouth, do not induce vomiting, and do not give activated charcoal without veterinary direction. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant for identification, call ASPCA APCC (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) immediately, and transport your cat to an emergency vet — do not wait to see whether symptoms develop.

Progression can be extremely rapid — signs can appear within minutes to several hours of ingestion, though some cases have reported symptoms several days after exposure. Because cardiac failure can occur with little warning, monitoring should continue beyond the first day and any suspected exposure warrants an immediate emergency vet visit, not a wait-and-see approach.

Yes, yew (Taxus spp.) is highly toxic to dogs. All parts of the plant — needles, seeds, and bark — are dangerous due to taxine alkaloids, and even a small amount can be fatal. Any suspected ingestion is a veterinary emergency.

Early signs include drooling, vomiting, weakness, and muscle tremors. These can rapidly progress to ataxia, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, dangerous changes in heart rate and blood pressure, seizures, collapse, and sudden cardiac arrest — which can sometimes be the first observed sign.

Go to an emergency vet immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear. Do not induce vomiting and do not give anything by mouth. Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) on the way, and bring a sample of the plant or a clear photo for identification.

Absorption is rapid: clinical signs or sudden death can occur within minutes to several hours of ingestion. Because of the risk of delayed cardiac arrhythmias, veterinary monitoring is typically required for at least 24 hours even if the dog initially appears stable.