Are Carnations Toxic to Cats?
Yes — the ASPCA lists carnations as toxic to cats.
What the ASPCA publishes
- Scientific name
- Dianthus caryophyllus
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae
- Also called
- Pinks, Wild Carnation, Sweet William
- Toxic to cats
- Yes
- Toxic to dogs
- Yes
- Toxic principle
- Unknown irritant
Clinical signs, in the ASPCA’s words
“Mild gastrointestinal signs, mild dermatitis”
⚠️ The ASPCA publishes no threshold for any of these plants — no “this much is a problem”. We don’t invent one.
Common questions
Are carnations toxic to cats?
Yes — the ASPCA lists carnations as toxic to cats.
What happens if a cat eats carnations?
The ASPCA publishes this as the clinical signs, word for word: “Mild gastrointestinal signs, mild dermatitis” It names the toxic principle as “Unknown irritant”. We reprint their wording rather than paraphrasing it — a paraphrase is what gets quoted back with the caution removed. It does not tell you how much is too much, and neither do we: the ASPCA publishes no threshold for any of these plants.
Are carnations safe for cats?
Not according to the ASPCA, which lists carnations as toxic to cats and publishes clinical signs for it. That is the answer to the question as asked; we are not going to soften it, and we are not going to tell you a small amount is fine either — the ASPCA publishes no threshold for any of these plants.
My cat ate carnations — what now?
Call your veterinarian, or the ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. Note which plant, which part, and roughly how much. This page reports what the ASPCA publishes about carnations; it cannot tell you whether your cat is affected, and no amount is described here as safe.
Other plants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats
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If your cat has chewed carnations, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. This page reports what the ASPCA publishes; it is not a diagnosis, and no amount is described here as safe.
Verified on . Based on ASPCA Poison Control (ASPCA, 24-hour emergency line, accessed 2026-07-28) and Kitten Age & Weight Chart (ASPCA Pro, 2023 (golden-test source, not used to build the calculation)). See the method.