Plant safety for cats
Is crown flower (आक / मदार) toxic to cats?
SevereNot on ASPCA's cat list — rated from other sources
Yes — treat aak (madar) as dangerous for cats. It isn't on ASPCA's cat list, but its milky sap and every part carry heart poisons like those in related milkweeds, which ASPCA lists as toxic to cats. Call a vet if your cat chewed it.
Why severe: Heart poisons in the milky sap and every part. Rated severe from its toxin class — it is not on ASPCA's cat list and no cat case is published.
- Name
- Crown floweralso Aak, Madar, Giant milkweed, Arka
- Hindi
- आक / मदार · aak / madar
- Botanical name
- Calotropis gigantea and Calotropis procera · Apocynaceae
- Other Indian names
- Marathiरुई (rui)
- Bengaliআকন্দ (akanda)
- Tamilஎருக்கு (erukku)
- Teluguజిల్లేడు (jilledu)
- Gujaratiઆંકડો (aankdo)
- Sanskritअर्क (arka)
Toxic parts
The milky sap (latex) and all parts.
What's in it
Cardenolides (calotropin, calotoxin, uscharin) — heart poisons; the sap is also an irritant.
How to recognise it
- Grey-green shrub of wasteland and roadsides
- Large, thick, waxy leaves that clasp the stem
- White milky sap where a leaf breaks
- Waxy flowers with a raised central 'crown' — lavender-white (gigantea) or white with purple tips (procera)
- Puffy pods full of silky-tufted seeds
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting, low mood, weakness
- Seizures, weak pulse, dilated pupils
- Kidney or liver failure in severe cases
No cat timings are published; the signs listed are ASPCA's for related milkweeds.
What to do — now
Go to a vet now — don't wait for signs. Its heart poisons need a vet's monitoring.
- Take your cat, a piece of the plant (or a clear photo) and tell the vet what was eaten, when and how much.
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- No milk, oil, salt water or home remedies.
- If sap is on the fur or paws, stop your cat licking it — International Cat Care's advice for a contaminated coat is to wash it with warm soapy water.
Where Indian cats meet it
Wasteland, roadsides and temple compounds everywhere. Aak flowers, leaves and garlands are offered to Shiva in Sawan and on Mahashivratri — keep offerings off the floor.
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Milkweed (related plant)
- ASPCA: Plants toxic and non-toxic to cats (full list)
- PROSEA via Pl@ntUse: Calotropis (toxins)
- International Cat Care: Cats and poisons
- Free Press Journal: Mahashivratri, favourite plants of Lord Shiva
- Wikipedia: Calotropis gigantea (names and where it grows)
Facts last checked
General information for cat parents, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. The facts come from ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, International Cat Care, the Merck Veterinary Manual and the other sources listed on every page — and we say so when the evidence comes from dogs or people. If your cat may have eaten something harmful, call your vet.
