Peony
Paeonia officinalis · Paeoniaceae
How it looks
The Peony is a perennial or shrub that bears large flowers singly at the branch tips in spring and early summer. The flowers are large and full, commonly white, pink, red, or purple. The leaves are deeply lobed and dark green, and the plant stands 2–3 ft (60 cm–1 m) tall, common in gardens.
Mild caution — vomiting and lethargy
Peony is reported to cause only mild vomiting and lethargy. The exact toxin is unconfirmed, but the ASPCA classifies it at a caution level, so monitoring is still needed.
Guide for parents
Peony is a popular cut flower in May and June, loved for its large, lush blooms. It often comes home from the florist by the bunch. Chewing a petal or two rarely leads to serious trouble, but if your cat seems unusually lethargic, check whether any leaves show signs of being torn off. Keep the vase out of reach, and pick up fallen petals right away.
If ingested
Contact your nearest vet immediately
- Onset
- Right away to within 2 hours of ingestion
- Symptoms
- Vomiting, lethargy
- Action
- Rinse the mouth with water and monitor. Consult a vet if symptoms last more than 12 hours.
Details
- Scientific name
- Paeonia officinalis
- Common name
- Peony
- Family
- Paeoniaceae
- Toxic parts
- All parts
- Compounds
- Unknown
- Onset
- Right away to within 2 hours of ingestion
- Symptoms
- Vomiting, lethargy
- Action
- Rinse the mouth with water and monitor. Consult a vet if symptoms last more than 12 hours.
- Source
- ASPCA
