Toxic to cats · Plants

Is Weeping Fig toxic to cats?

Low severity

Weeping Fig is mildly toxic to cats. Severe cases are rare, but it can cause discomfort and is best kept out of reach.

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Is weeping fig toxic to dogs and cats?

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What to do right now

  1. Move your cat away from the plant, and put the plant where your cat can't reach it.
  2. Don't make your cat vomit and don't give home remedies unless a vet or poison line tells you to.
  3. Call your vet or a pet poison line, even if your cat seems fine. Don't wait for signs to get worse. In the US: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 or ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 (fees may apply).
  4. If you go to the vet, bring the plant's label so the vet knows exactly what your cat chewed.

Go to an emergency vet if

  • Your cat has trouble breathing or swallowing.
  • Your cat has a seizure, collapses, stops responding to you or is unconscious.
  • Your cat is bleeding.

Symptoms to watch for

  • Decreased appetite
  • Drooling
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin irritation

How much is dangerous

No source gives a toxic dose for cats. Pet Poison Helpline says the amount eaten, the cat's size and any allergies all affect how a pet reacts.

Why it's dangerous

The plant contains an irritating sap that causes localized inflammation upon contact with the skin or mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.

Toxic compound: Ficus sap

Outlook

Pet Poison Helpline rates weeping fig as mild for cats. The signs the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline describe are limited to irritation of the mouth, stomach and skin, and neither describes life-threatening effects.

Where pets are exposed

  • Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), an indoor plant also sold as Benjamin fig, ficus tree or plain ficus. The ASPCA also lists it under the name "fig".
  • The leaves and stems, which pets may chew.
  • The sap. If it gets on your pet's skin or fur, it can make the skin red, irritated or itchy.
  • Other Ficus plants, such as rubber tree (Ficus elastica), fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) and common fig (Ficus carica). They also have irritating sap.
  • The name "rubber plant" is also used for plants outside the Ficus genus: baby rubber plant is a Peperomia, and Chinese rubber plant is jade plant (see the questions below).

Prevention

  • Keep weeping figs, rubber trees and other Ficus plants out of reach of pets that chew plants, or keep them out of the house.
  • Check the botanical name on the plant label before you buy. "Rubber plant" can mean a Ficus (an irritant), a Peperomia (non-toxic) or a jade plant (toxic), so the common name alone isn't enough.

Good to know

Numerous species belonging to the genus Ficus contain similar irritating sap.

Common questions

Is a weeping fig (ficus tree) poisonous to dogs?

Yes, but only mildly. The ASPCA lists weeping fig as toxic to dogs, and Pet Poison Helpline rates it as mild. Chewing the plant can irritate the mouth and stomach, causing drooling, eating less, retching, vomiting or diarrhea. The sap can make the skin red, irritated or itchy.

Is a ficus plant toxic to cats?

Yes, but only mildly. The ASPCA lists weeping fig as toxic to cats, and Pet Poison Helpline rates it as mild for cats. Chewing it can cause drooling, an irritated mouth, eating less, retching, vomiting or diarrhea, and the sap can irritate the skin.

Is a rubber tree plant (Ficus elastica) toxic to dogs and cats?

It is mildly irritating, like weeping fig. Rubber tree is a close relative: a different species in the same genus, Ficus. Pet Poison Helpline describes only minor stomach upset and mouth irritation from it, such as drooling, retching and vomiting, but gives no separate rating for dogs or cats. It also lists fiddle-leaf fig and common fig among the Ficus with irritating sap, so keep all of these plants out of reach of pets that chew.

Are baby rubber plants and Chinese rubber plants a type of ficus?

No. Both names belong to other plants. Baby rubber plant, also called American rubber plant, is Peperomia obtusifolia, which the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Chinese rubber plant, also called dwarf or Japanese rubber plant, is jade plant (Crassula). The ASPCA lists jade plant as toxic to dogs and cats, with different signs: vomiting, depression and loss of coordination. Check the botanical name on the label to know which plant you have.

My dog or cat chewed a ficus leaf. What should I do?

Move your pet away from the plant and call your vet or a pet poison line, even if your pet seems fine. In the US: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 or ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 (fees may apply). Don't make your pet vomit or give home remedies unless a vet tells you to. Go to an emergency vet straight away if your pet has trouble breathing or swallowing, collapses or has a seizure.

Can ficus sap hurt my pet's skin?

It can irritate it. Pet Poison Helpline and the ASPCA both list skin irritation from weeping fig: the skin can turn red, irritated or itchy where the sap touched. No source we found gives home advice for cleaning the sap off, so ask your vet or a pet poison line what to do.

Sources

This page is informational and is not veterinary advice. If your pet has been exposed to something risky, contact your vet or an animal poison control line right away.

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