Food safety

Can Cats Eat Carnations?

Toxic — call your vet now — Carnations for cats.

Toxic — call your vet now

Why: Carnations are mildly toxic to cats. Eating the flowers or leaves usually causes drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea, and contact can irritate the skin. They are a common bouquet flower, so keep arrangements out of reach.

If your cat ate carnations: Call your veterinarian if your cat ate carnations, especially a large amount. Vomiting, drooling or diarrhoea usually settle, but your vet can advise whether treatment is needed.

Related: Lilies, Cactus, Slugs

Why this verdict

Carnations are mildly toxic to cats. Eating the flowers or leaves usually causes drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea, and contact can irritate the skin. They are a common bouquet flower, so keep arrangements out of reach.

If your cat ate carnations

Call your veterinarian if your cat ate carnations, especially a large amount. Vomiting, drooling or diarrhoea usually settle, but your vet can advise whether treatment is needed.

Related foods

Lilies, Cactus, Slugs

Check another food

Back to the Food-Safety Checker to check all 90 foods, or see the beginner feeding guide and the feeding estimator.

Before you use the result

Use the result as a starting point for observation and planning. Cats vary by age, body condition, temperament, medical history, and household setup.

Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and the Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat. Chocolate toxicity figures are approximate values from the Merck Veterinary Manual. If your cat ate something on the toxic list, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.