Is Lantana safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
Lantana (Lantana camara) is grown across California as a heat-tolerant, butterfly-attracting landscape shrub, but the California Invasive Plant Council also tracks it as a 'Watch' species - one worth monitoring for spread - established in the central and south coast ranges of California, where it moves into grasslands, woodlands, and riparian and bottomland habitat. Cal-IPC notes its seeds are dispersed by birds, and even by sheep and goats that eat the fruit, so a plant that starts out in a cultivated yard can end up establishing well beyond the property line along a creek bed or grazing area.
ASPCA lists lantana as toxic to both cats and dogs, with pentacyclic triterpenoids as the toxic principle; documented clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing, with liver failure noted as a more severe outcome that is more common in livestock than in cats and dogs. The unripe green berries and leaves carry the highest risk, so a pet that has been chewing on a lantana hedge and starts vomiting or breathing heavily should be brought to a veterinarian along with a plant sample if possible; call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) for guidance.
Facts and examples
- Cal-IPC rates Lantana camara 'Watch' and documents it established in the central and south coast ranges of California, invading grasslands, woodlands, and riparian/bottomland habitat, with seeds dispersed by birds, sheep, and goats. (source, verified 2026-07-29)
- ASPCA lists lantana as toxic to cats and dogs via pentacyclic triterpenoids, causing vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, and (more commonly in livestock) liver failure. (source, verified 2026-07-29)
Verdict re-verified against aspca.org, 2026-07-29 — 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 2026-07-29