Plant safety for cats
Is brunfelsia toxic to cats?
SevereListed toxic to cats by ASPCA
Yes — brunfelsia (yesterday-today-tomorrow) is toxic to cats: it can cause tremors and seizures that last several days, plus vomiting and drooling. Go to a vet now.
Why severe: Tremors and seizures that can last for several days.
- Name
- Brunfelsiaalso Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, Kiss-me-quick, Lady-of-the-night (ASPCA alias)
- Botanical name
- Brunfelsia species (e.g. B. pauciflora) · Solanaceae
Toxic parts
Treat every part as toxic — ASPCA lists the plant without naming a safer part.
What's in it
Brunfelsamidine.
How to recognise it
- Shrub whose flowers open violet with a small white eye, fade to lavender, then white
- So three colours show on the bush at once
Look-alikes and name traps
ASPCA calls it 'lady-of-the-night', but India's raat ki rani is a different plant (Cestrum). It isn't a jasmine either — real mogra is non-toxic.
Symptoms to watch for
- Tremors
- Seizures that can last for several days
- Vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling
- Lethargy, wobbliness
- Coughing
What to do — now
Go to a vet now — don't wait for signs. Seizures can start and keep going for days.
- 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.
Where Indian cats meet it
A garden shrub in Indian gardens and nurseries (photographed in Yercaud and Thane).
Sources
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.
