Plant safety for cats
Is foxglove toxic to cats?
SevereListed toxic to cats by ASPCA
Yes — foxglove is toxic to cats and can be deadly: its cardiac glycosides cause vomiting, an irregular heartbeat and heart failure. In India it grows only in cool hill-station gardens.
Why severe: Heart poisons — potentially deadly. Rare in India.
- Name
- Foxglovealso Digitalis
- Botanical name
- Digitalis purpurea · Plantaginaceae
Toxic parts
Treat every part as toxic — ASPCA lists the plant without naming a safer part.
What's in it
Cardiac glycosides (digitalis) — heart poisons.
How to recognise it
- Tall spike of drooping tube-shaped bells — purple, pink or white, spotted inside
- Soft, hairy leaves at the base
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting, diarrhoea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Weakness
- Heart failure, death
What to do — now
Go to a vet now — don't wait for signs. 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.
Where Indian cats meet it
Rare: cool hill-station gardens only.
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.
