Plant safety for cats
Is tulsi (तुलसी) safe for cats?
?Not assessedNot assessed for cats — here's what we know
Tulsi has not been formally assessed for cats. Its close relative sweet basil is listed non-toxic by ASPCA, and we know of no reports of tulsi poisoning — a nibble is not a worry. Discourage regular chewing, and never give tulsi oil or extracts.
Why not assessed: Not formally assessed for cats. Its close relative sweet basil is listed non-toxic.
- Name
- Tulsialso Holy basil
- Hindi
- तुलसी
- Botanical name
- Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn. O. sanctum) · Lamiaceae
- Other Indian names
- Marathiतुळस (tulas)
- Bengaliতুলসী (tulsi)
- Tamilதுளசி (thulasi)
- Teluguతులసి (tulasi)
- Kannadaತುಳಸಿ (tulasi)
What's in it
No toxic principle has been identified for cats.
The evidence
Not assessed for cats — here's what we know. Not assessed is not the same as safe — and not proof of danger either.
How to recognise it
- A bushy herb with small, aromatic, oval leaves
- Slender flower spikes
- Usually grown in a tulsi chaura or pot
Look-alikes and name traps
Sweet basil is the relative that ASPCA lists as non-toxic.
What to do
No vet database has assessed it for cats — so there is no verdict either way.
- A nibble is not known to be dangerous. If your cat ate a lot, or seems unwell, call your vet and take the plant or a photo.
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- No need to move your tulsi chaura — just discourage regular chewing.
- Never give a cat tulsi oil, drops or extracts.
Where Indian cats meet it
In a tulsi chaura in the courtyard or on the balcony of most Hindu homes, worshipped daily; Tulsi Vivah is a festival.
Sources
- NC State Plant Toolbox: Ocimum tenuiflorum (no poison data) (human toxicity data)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Basil (sweet basil)
- ASPCA: Plants toxic and non-toxic to cats (full list)
- Wikidata: Ocimum tenuiflorum (Indian-language names)
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.
