Is Geranium toxic to cats?

The plant contains essential oils that act as irritants to the gastrointestinal tract and skin upon contact or ingestion.

Sources don't describe a treatment specific to geraniums. A poison control vet first decides whether your cat can be watched at home or needs care at a clinic, and ASPCA says many poisonings can be managed at home. If your cat got into concentrated essential oil, such as geranium oil, vets give supportive care until the signs pass. That can include fluids, stomach medicines, a bath to wash the oil off the coat and fresh air. Vets don't make the cat vomit after oil, because the oil can be breathed into the lungs. Cats are at higher risk from essential oils than dogs.

Signs are usually mild and short-lived, and none of the sources describe deaths or organ damage from the plant. They don't give recovery times for cats.

• Garden geraniums, also called pelargoniums (Pelargonium species). There are many cultivars, including regal pelargoniums and ivy geraniums.
• Scented geraniums, such as rose-, lemon- and peppermint-scented types, and Pelargonium graveolens.
• Geraniums in pots, window boxes and patio planters, and geraniums grown as houseplants or brought indoors over winter. NC State lists the leaves as the poisonous part. The toxins are geraniol and linalool.
• Skin contact. Brushing against or rubbing on the leaves can cause mild skin irritation, even if your pet eats nothing.
• Geranium essential oil. Oil from a diffuser can settle on fur and be swallowed during grooming, a tipped-over diffuser can spill, and oil put directly on a pet is also a risk.

• Keep geraniums where your pets can't reach them, including potted plants you bring indoors. Take extra care if you have a cat, because cats are the most sensitive species.
• Don't put geranium oil, or any concentrated essential oil, on your pet.
• Keep pets out of the room while a diffuser is running.
• Keep plant labels, so you can tell your vet or a poison line exactly what your pet ate.