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Entry 139Filed under Breeding

Coffee Plants and Cats: What to Know About Toxicity and Caffeine

“Coffee plant” can mean two different species. The ASPCA lists Polyscias guilfoylei as toxic to cats, while the available sources do not settle the risk from Coffea arabica leaves or fruit.
3-minute read By Animalso Team
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It depends on which plant you mean. The ASPCA lists Polyscias guilfoylei, sometimes called Coffee Tree or Wild Coffee, as toxic to cats. That is not Coffea arabica, the plant grown for coffee beans. The sources available do not establish whether chewing Coffea arabica leaves or fruit is toxic to cats, so neither the ASPCA listing nor its absence should be taken as proof that a coffee plant is safe.

Which “coffee plant” do you have?

Common names can describe different plants. The ASPCA’s Coffee Tree listing identifies the plant as Polyscias guilfoylei, in the Araliaceae family. Coffea arabica is a different species, grown for coffee beans. A name on a nursery tag or in an online listing may not be enough to tell them apart.

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Check the scientific name on the plant label or ask the seller. If you are contacting a veterinarian, send clear photos of the whole plant and the label, if available. The ASPCA also advises verifying a plant’s identity; its database is not all-inclusive, and a plant’s absence from the database does not establish that it is safe.

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What is known about each exposure?

Exposure What is established
Polyscias guilfoylei (Coffee Tree or Wild Coffee) The ASPCA lists this plant as toxic to cats. Its listed toxic principle is saponin. ASPCA: Coffee Tree
Coffea arabica leaves or fruit The ASPCA Coffee Tree entry and the reviewed article distinguishing the species do not determine whether these plant parts are toxic to cats. ASPCA: Coffee Tree; Catster: Are Coffee Plants Toxic to Cats?
Coffee beans, grounds, or brewed coffee These are caffeine-containing products and pose a separate ingestion concern. PetMD advises contacting a veterinarian or poison helpline after caffeine ingestion. PetMD: Cats and Caffeine

Do not use the Polyscias toxicity listing to conclude that Coffea arabica is toxic. Equally, the lack of a determination for Coffea is not evidence that its leaves or fruit are safe. The sources do not establish a safe amount or dose threshold for Coffea foliage; do not infer one from caffeine amounts in processed coffee products.

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What symptoms are associated with the known risks?

If the plant is Polyscias guilfoylei

The ASPCA lists contact dermatitis, vomiting, anorexia (loss of appetite), and depression as clinical signs. A veterinarian-reviewed Catster article also discusses fatigue, weakness, tremors, and seizures in connection with this plant; those additional signs are not part of the ASPCA’s shorter listed set.

If your cat ingested a caffeine-containing coffee product

PetMD lists vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal behavior, restlessness or hyperactivity, open-mouth breathing, elevated heart rate, muscle tremors, unsteadiness, seizures, elevated body temperature, and dehydration among possible signs of caffeine toxicity. These are signs associated with caffeine ingestion, not established effects of chewing a Coffea leaf.

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What to do if your cat ate a plant or coffee product

  1. Contact a veterinarian or poison-control service promptly. Do this for a suspected ingestion, especially if your cat is showing signs of illness. ASPCA says to contact a local veterinarian or its 24-hour emergency poison hotline at (888) 426-4435. PetMD lists Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661 for caffeine exposure. Fees may apply to poison-control services.
  2. Share the details you have. Give the plant’s scientific name or show photos, describe the part eaten, estimate how much was eaten and when, and say whether the cat has symptoms. For coffee products, identify whether it was beans, grounds, or a beverage.
  3. Do not induce vomiting at home. PetMD warns that there is no safe method to make a cat vomit at home. Follow the veterinarian’s or poison-control professional’s instructions instead.

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