Tomato Plant
Lycopersicon spp · Solanaceae
How it looks
The Tomato is a vegetable whose feather-shaped (divided) leaves give off a strong grassy smell. The stem has fine hairs, and small yellow star-shaped flowers gather together. Round or elongated red, yellow, and orange fruits hang in clusters; height 20 in-7 ft (50 cm-2 m).
Caution — monitor for GI symptoms
The leaves, stems, and unripe fruit of Tomato Plant contain irritating compounds that can cause heavy drooling and depression if chewed. Most cats recover on their own, but as a caution-level plant it still calls for monitoring.
Guide for parents
An occasional nibble on Tomato Plant rarely leads to serious trouble, but its tomatine and solanine can irritate the stomach and mucous membranes, causing mild gastrointestinal upset. Make a habit of clearing away fallen leaves and broken stems the same day, and keep the pot somewhere your cat can't reach. If symptoms last more than 12 hours or your cat shows a marked loss of appetite, consult your vet.
If ingested
Contact your nearest vet immediately
- Onset
- 1–4 hours after ingestion
- Symptoms
- Hypersalivation, severe gastrointestinal upset, depression
- Action
- Consult a vet and monitor. Go in immediately if symptoms worsen.
Details
- Scientific name
- Lycopersicon spp
- Common name
- Tomato Plant
- Family
- Solanaceae
- Toxic parts
- Leaves, Stems, Unripe fruit
- Compounds
- Tomatine, Solanine
- Onset
- 1–4 hours after ingestion
- Symptoms
- Hypersalivation, severe gastrointestinal upset, depression
- Action
- Consult a vet and monitor. Go in immediately if symptoms worsen.
- Source
- ASPCA
