Is Rosemary-Leaved Rock Rose toxic to cats?

Mildly. The ASPCA lists rosemary-leaved rock rose as mildly toxic to cats — a chewing cat typically gets mouth irritation, drooling, and vomiting rather than a medical emergency, but it is still best kept out of reach. Cistus is not listed by the ASPCA as either toxic or explicitly non-toxic; no documented toxic principle is established for this species, but as confirmation of safety is absent, a mildly-toxic precautionary classification is applied. Contact with the resinous foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Cistus is not listed by the ASPCA as either toxic or explicitly non-toxic; no documented toxic principle is established for this species, but as confirmation of safety is absent, a mildly-toxic precautionary classification is applied. Contact with the resinous foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals. Signs usually appear soon after chewing rather than hours later — watch for drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, loss of appetite, or unusual lethargy after your cat has had access to rosemary-leaved rock rose.

Stay calm. Remove any plant from your cat's mouth and take the plant away. Note how much was eaten and when, and do not induce vomiting unless told to. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 and follow their advice; a leaf or photo helps the vet treat it correctly.

The ASPCA classification Growli uses applies to both cats and dogs: Rosemary-Leaved Rock Rose is mildly toxic to dogs as well. See the full rosemary-leaved rock rose pet-safety guide for both species.

For a similar look without the risk, see the best cats-safe plants list — every plant there is ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs.