Plant safety for cats
Is datura (धतूरा) toxic to cats?
SevereNot on ASPCA's cat list — rated from other sources
Yes — datura (dhatura) is poisonous to cats. Every part contains atropine-like alkaloids that cause dilated pupils, a racing heart and nervous-system signs. It isn't on ASPCA's cat list, but Pet Poison Helpline lists it as toxic.
Why severe: Atropine-like alkaloids in every part. Not on ASPCA's cat list; Pet Poison Helpline lists it as toxic to animals.
- Name
- Daturaalso Dhatura, Thorn apple, Jimson weed, Kala dhatura
- Hindi
- धतूरा · dhatura
- Botanical name
- Datura metel and Datura stramonium (also D. inoxia) · Solanaceae
- Other Indian names
- Marathiधोत्रा (dhotra)
- Bengaliধুতুরা (dhutura)
- Tamilஊமத்தை (umathai)
- Teluguఉమ్మెత్త (ummetta)
- Kannadaಉಮ್ಮತ್ತಿ (ummatti)
Toxic parts
All parts — leaves, flowers, seeds and the spiny fruit.
What's in it
Tropane alkaloids (atropine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine) — they block the nerve signals that slow the heart and gut.
How to recognise it
- Bushy plant with large, soft, toothed leaves that smell unpleasant
- Big upright trumpet flowers, white or purple-tinged
- Round, spiny seed capsule — the 'thorn apple'
- Kala dhatura has purple-black stems and purple flowers
Look-alikes and name traps
Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia, hanging trumpets on a woody hill-station shrub) carries the same alkaloids. ASPCA's 'thorn apple' page is a different plant (a hawthorn) — don't use it for datura.
Symptoms to watch for
- Dilated pupils
- Fast heart rate
- Flushed skin and gums
- Gut upset, constipation
- Wobbliness, agitation and other nervous-system signs
What to do — now
Go to a vet now — don't wait for signs. Its alkaloids act on the heart and brain.
- 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.
- After Mahashivratri, clear datura flowers and fruit off puja plates and floors.
Where Indian cats meet it
A roadside weed all over India and sacred to Shiva: datura flowers and fruit are offered on Mahashivratri and in Sawan. It was the second commonest plant poison (8%) in a South Tamil Nadu series of human cases.
Sources
- Pet Poison Helpline: Jimson weed (Datura)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Angel's trumpet
- ASPCA: Plants toxic and non-toxic to cats (full list)
- Free Press Journal: Mahashivratri, favourite plants of Lord Shiva
- IJRMS: plant poisoning in South Tamil Nadu (human data)
- Wikipedia: Datura metel (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.
