Is Calla Lily safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Moderate
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
The National Park Service's Presidio of San Francisco places calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) on its own list of "Outsiders" - non-native plants documented growing in the park's wetland areas and seeps - and gives its range in the state simply as "throughout coastal California." The California Invasive Plant Council goes further, rating the species "Limited" (its category for real but minor statewide ecological impact) and mapping it as established along the California coast, in the North and South Coast Ranges, and around San Francisco Bay, adding that most invading populations turn up "near human habitations in coastal prairies and wetlands." In practice that means calla lily is not confined to a florist's bouquet or a garden bed in California - a dog nosing around a damp coastal drainage ditch or seep can encounter the same plant growing wild.
ASPCA lists calla lily as toxic to both dogs and cats, with insoluble calcium oxalates as the toxic principle and documented signs of oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. The Presidio's own page independently calls the plant "highly toxic to both animals and humans," echoing the ASPCA data from an unrelated federal source. Because the oral irritation can make swallowing difficult, wipe any visible plant material from a pet's mouth and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) right away.
Facts and examples
- NPS's Presidio of San Francisco page places calla lily among its "Outsiders" (non-native plants), documents it in the park's wetland areas and seeps, gives its range in the state as "throughout coastal California," and separately calls it "highly toxic to both animals and humans." (source, verified 2026-07-30)
- Cal-IPC rates Zantedeschia aethiopica "Limited" and documents it established along the California coast, in the North and South Coast Ranges, and around San Francisco Bay, with most invading populations found near human habitations in coastal prairies and wetlands. (source, verified 2026-07-30)
- ASPCA lists calla lily as toxic to dogs and cats via insoluble calcium oxalates, with oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth/tongue/lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing as documented signs. (source, verified 2026-07-30)
Verdict re-verified against aspca.org, 2026-07-30 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-30