Yes. The ASPCA lists peace lily (Spathiphyllum) as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats, with insoluble calcium oxalates as the toxic principle. If your cat or dog chewed one, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Peace lily is not a true lily, and for cats that difference matters.

What happens if a cat or dog eats a peace lily

The ASPCA entry gives the same verdict for both species, "Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats," and lists these clinical signs: "Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing." The toxic principle is insoluble calcium oxalates. The entry is filed at genus level (scientific name: Spathiphyllum), with "Mauna Loa Peace Lily" as an additional common name.

NC State Extension's Plant Toolbox lists the leaves as the poison part and rates the plant's poison severity as "Medium." For light, water and repotting, see the peace lily care guide.

What to do if your pet ate some

Call your veterinarian, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The ASPCA notes, "A consultation fee may apply." Have the plant's name ready; the botanical name, Spathiphyllum, helps. If you aren't sure whether the plant was a peace lily or a true lily, say so on the call.

Peace lily is not a true lily

Peace lily belongs to the arum family, Araceae, per NC State Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden. True lilies are the genus Lilium, which NC State places in the lily family, Liliaceae.

The difference matters most for cats. The FDA lists true lilies (Lilium species) and daylilies (Hemerocallis species) under "Highly Toxic Lilies for Cats." It says eating "just a small amount of a leaf or flower petal," licking pollen off the fur or drinking the water from a vase can cause fatal kidney failure in a cat "in less than 3 days," and that "if treatment is delayed by 18 hours or more after ingestion, the cat will generally have irreversible kidney failure."

The same FDA page says other plants "may have the word 'lily' in their name but they aren't in the 'true lily' or 'daylily' families and don't cause kidney failure in cats." It discusses peace lilies separately, noting that they "contain insoluble crystals of calcium oxalates." The kidney risk is specific to cats: the FDA says dogs that eat lilies "don't develop kidney failure."

To tell them apart: NC State describes the peace lily's bloom as a "spadix and spathe with white, sail-like 4 inch to 12 inch blooms above the foliage," the spathe being a modified leaf. True lilies grow from bulbs, and their flowers "have 6 tepals," per NC State. If there is any chance your cat got into a true lily or daylily, call right away.

Keeping a peace lily in a home with pets

  • Put it where pets can't reach it. A room your pet doesn't enter is more reliable than a high shelf, since cats climb and jump.
  • Pick up fallen leaves. NC State names the leaves as the poison part.
  • Hanging planters, barriers and deterrent sprays aren't guaranteed to stop a determined pet.
  • If your pet chews plants often, a plant the ASPCA lists as non-toxic is a better fit (see below).

Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic

  • Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum): non-toxic to dogs and cats, per the ASPCA. See spider plant care.
  • Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans): non-toxic to dogs and cats, per the ASPCA. See parlor palm care.
  • Boston fern: non-toxic to dogs and cats, per the ASPCA. See Boston fern care.
  • African violet (Saintpaulia spp.): non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, per the ASPCA.

Non-toxic doesn't mean a pet can eat it without consequence. The ASPCA's plant list notes that "the consumption of any plant material may cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset for dogs and cats." For more options, see plants safe for cats, plants safe for dogs and the toxic plant directory.

Frequently asked

Are peace lilies toxic to dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists peace lily (Spathiphyllum) as toxic to dogs as well as cats, with insoluble calcium oxalates as the toxic principle. Its listed clinical signs are oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435; the ASPCA notes that a consultation fee may apply.
Is a peace lily as dangerous to cats as a true lily?
They are different plants in different families. Peace lily is in the arum family (Araceae), per NC State Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden; true lilies are Lilium, in the lily family (Liliaceae). The FDA says true lilies and daylilies can cause kidney failure in cats, and that plants named 'lily' outside those families don't cause kidney failure in cats. Peace lily is still listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA, so call your veterinarian if your cat chewed one, and call right away if it might have been a true lily.
Is it safe to have a peace lily with cats?
The ASPCA lists peace lily as toxic to cats, so no placement makes it risk-free. If you keep one, put it in a room your cat can't enter and pick up fallen leaves, which NC State lists as the poison part. If your cat chews plants, a plant the ASPCA lists as non-toxic, such as spider plant or parlor palm, is a better choice.
Which part of a peace lily is poisonous?
NC State Extension's Plant Toolbox lists the leaves as the poison part and rates poison severity as Medium. The ASPCA entry lists the plant as toxic to cats and dogs without naming a specific part.
What should I do if my cat bit a peace lily leaf?
Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (the ASPCA notes that a consultation fee may apply). Have the plant's name ready; the botanical name is Spathiphyllum. If you aren't sure the plant was a peace lily rather than a true lily, say so on the call.

Sources: ASPCA — Peace Lily, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, ASPCA — Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants, FDA — Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats, NC State Extension — Spathiphyllum, NC State Extension — Lilium, Missouri Botanical Garden — Spathiphyllum, ASPCA — Spider Plant, ASPCA — Parlor Palm, ASPCA — Boston Fern, ASPCA — African Violet