Plant safety for cats
Is money plant (मनी प्लांट) toxic to cats?
ModerateListed toxic to cats by ASPCA
Yes — money plant (golden pothos) is toxic to cats: chewing it releases needle-like crystals that burn the mouth and cause drooling and vomiting. It is painful but rarely dangerous — unless the throat swells.
Why moderate: A painful mouth from oxalate crystals — rarely dangerous, but an emergency if breathing is affected.
- Name
- Money plantalso Golden pothos, Devil's ivy, Pothos
- Hindi
- मनी प्लांट
- Botanical name
- Epipremnum aureum · Araceae
- Other Indian names
- Malayalamമണിപ്ലാന്റ് (maniplant)
Toxic parts
All parts — leaves, stems and roots (NC State lists every part).
What's in it
Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals — tiny needles that are released when the leaf is chewed and stab the lips, mouth and throat
How to recognise it
- A trailing or climbing vine with little aerial roots
- Glossy, heart-shaped leaves marbled yellow or cream
- Grown in water bottles, pots and on moss sticks
Look-alikes and name traps
Money plant is not the money tree. US pages that call the 'money tree' safe are describing Pachira, a different, non-toxic plant. Look-alikes that are also toxic: heartleaf philodendron and satin pothos (Scindapsus). The 'Chinese money plant' (Pilea peperomioides, round coin leaves) has no ASPCA page of its own, though other Pilea species are listed non-toxic. Jade is also sold as a 'money' or 'lucky' plant.
Symptoms to watch for
- Drooling
- Pawing at the mouth or face
- Gagging or vomiting
- Painful mouth, not wanting to eat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Rarely: swelling of the throat that makes breathing hard (emergency)
At once — the crystals hurt as soon as the plant is chewed.
What to do
Call your vet. It hurts at once, but most cats recover with supportive care.
- Take the plant away, note how much is missing and take a photo of it.
- Call your vet if your cat drools, paws at the mouth, gags or vomits.
- Go now if breathing is noisy or laboured, the face or throat swells, or your cat can't swallow (Pet Poison Helpline's rule).
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- Move bottle-grown cuttings off windowsills, tables and shelves your cat can reach.
Where Indian cats meet it
Probably India's most common houseplant: in water bottles on windowsills, on balconies, office desks and moss sticks — usually at cat height.
Myth or fact
Myth“Money plant is safe for cats — the internet says so”
FactMost of those pages are about the money tree (*Pachira*). India's money plant is golden pothos, which ASPCA lists as toxic to cats.
Cat-safe swap: A hanging Boston fern or a hoya (wax plant) — both listed non-toxic.
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Golden pothos
- Pet Poison Helpline: Oxalates (insoluble)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Elephant ear (when to see a vet)
- NC State Plant Toolbox: Epipremnum aureum (human toxicity data)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Money tree (Pachira)
- plantsinfo.in: money plant facts
- Hindi Wikipedia: मनी प्लांट (Hindi name)
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.
