Is Jade Plant safe for cats and dogs?

Cats: Toxic · Dogs: Toxic · Severity: Moderate. Jade plant (Crassula ovata) is one of the specific species UC Agriculture and Natural Resources profiles in its "Plant Safely in Drought-Tolerant Landscapes" program, a University of California resource built for gardeners choosing low-water plants at their local nursery. UC ANR's own entry for the plant states it is "mildly poisonous if ingested causing vomiting or diarrhea to humans and pets," warns that its sap "may be irritating to the skin," and recommends gardeners "supervise pets and children playing near this plant." A UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Solano County describes how the plant is actually grown day to day: either in a large ceramic pot with fast-draining succulent soil and bright indirect light, or planted directly in the ground in a sheltered spot facing north or east under a house's eaves, where a single specimen can live "upwards of 70 years" - meaning the jade plant in a California yard is as likely to be an old, unmoved fixture of the landscape as a recent nursery purchase.

Species	Verdict
Cats	Toxic
Dogs	Toxic

Severity: Moderate

If your pet may have gotten into this: call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 right away. Both lines operate 24/7 (a consultation fee may apply).

Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic

Jade plant (Crassula ovata) is one of the specific species UC Agriculture and Natural Resources profiles in its "Plant Safely in Drought-Tolerant Landscapes" program, a University of California resource built for gardeners choosing low-water plants at their local nursery. UC ANR's own entry for the plant states it is "mildly poisonous if ingested causing vomiting or diarrhea to humans and pets," warns that its sap "may be irritating to the skin," and recommends gardeners "supervise pets and children playing near this plant." A UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Solano County describes how the plant is actually grown day to day: either in a large ceramic pot with fast-draining succulent soil and bright indirect light, or planted directly in the ground in a sheltered spot facing north or east under a house's eaves, where a single specimen can live "upwards of 70 years" - meaning the jade plant in a California yard is as likely to be an old, unmoved fixture of the landscape as a recent nursery purchase.

ASPCA lists jade plant as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, with an unknown toxic principle and documented clinical signs of vomiting, depression, and incoordination. Because a wobbly or unusually drowsy pet can also signal something more serious, any pet that has chewed on jade plant and is showing those signs should be seen by a veterinarian; call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) for guidance.

Facts and examples

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' "Plant Safely in Drought-Tolerant Landscapes" program profiles Crassula ovata (jade plant) directly, stating it is "mildly poisonous if ingested causing vomiting or diarrhea to humans and pets," that its sap "may be irritating to the skin," and recommending gardeners "supervise pets and children playing near this plant." (source, verified 2026-07-30)
A UC Cooperative Extension Solano County Master Gardener article describes jade plant grown either in a large ceramic pot with fast-draining succulent soil in bright indirect light, or planted directly in the ground in a sheltered north- or east-facing spot, noting a single plant can live "upwards of 70 years." (source, verified 2026-07-30)
ASPCA lists jade plant as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, toxic principle unknown, with documented clinical signs of vomiting, depression, and incoordination. (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

Sources

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