Plants surround most of us. They add the needed finishing touches to any decor. However, a small percentage of these plants have the potential to cause harm to our cats, and these beautiful plants could become a deadly enemy. Cats are generally sensible creatures - but they can become victims of poisoning.
Who is at risk?
Most cats are fastidious creatures and are careful of what they eat. Poisoning cats are, therefore, generally rare. Young cats, especially indoor cats, are most at risk as they may chew houseplants through curiosity or boredom. When a cat is confined to a run or lives entirely, indoors-hazardous plants should be removed from her environment. Cats given free access to the outside world tend to have other things to occupy their minds than sampling unfamiliar vegetation. But even free-roaming adult cats may accidentally ingest needles or seeds that have become entangled in their coat during grooming. Many cats love to eat grass to aid their digestion. Indoor cats may crave some greenery and chew at houseplants.
Many plants are poisonous to cats. They vary in their toxicity. Many are irritant rather than poisonous. Below is a list of houseplants that can be harmful or fatal, depending on the quantity swallowed. Remember that cats that chew plants are exposed to any chemical pesticides or fertilizers that may have been applied directly to the plants or through the soil.
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Alfalfa Baby's Breath Cactus, Candelabra Daffodil Easter Lily |
Elaine Ferns Geranium Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy Indian Rubber Plant Jack in the Pulpit Kalanchoe Lacy Tree Philodendron Madagascar Dragon Tree Moonseed |
Mother-in Law's Tongue Narcissus Oleander Peace Lily Red Emerald Saddle Leaf Philodendron Tansy Mustard Virginia Creeper Water Hemlock |
What are the signs of poisoning?
The signs of poisoning can vary - drooling, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sudden collapse, excessive irritation (red, swollen, blistering, or raw) of the skin, the mouth, or throat.
Skin reactions
It’s more common for plants to cause skin irritation in cats than to poison them. Contact with the leaves, stems, or sap of certain plants can cause rashes and hypersensitivity to sunlight resulting in sunburn. In cats, these plants can cause blistering or itching of the mouth and gums. Sneezing and eye problems can also be caused by contact with these plants.
What to do?
You should contact your veterinary surgeon immediately if your cat shows signs of poisoning. If you see your cat eat something that you suspect to be poisonous, don’t attempt to make it vomit. Take your cat to the vet with a plant sample or, even better, a plant label. Make a note of the time of eating and any symptoms. Several days may pass between ingesting the undesirable material and the effects.
How to prevent poisoning in cats?
You can prevent your cat from chewing on plants by misting the leaves then sprinkling them with cayenne pepper. You might also want to consider planting a container of grass (regular grass, not the drug) for your cat. If your cats are digging in your pots, go to your local hobby/craft store and buy a few pieces of plastic needlepoint canvas. Trim it to the pot's shape, cut a slit in it, and then a hole in the center for the plant. Rest it on top of the soil, and your cat will not be able to dig.
Of course, you can’t prevent your cat from coming into contact with hazardous plants in neighboring gardens, but you can note any toxic plants in their gardens. After gardening, ensure hedge clippings or uprooted plants are tidied up. Bulbs, rhizomes, and roots can be the most hazardous parts of some plants.
18 Comment(s)
I think everyone should have a list like this for whichever fur baby they have!
My mom’s yard has several sago palms and is beautiful, but worries me so much when our pets are outside. I never even knew about them being deadly until she bought the house and we looked them up.
This is a super helpful list. I'm getting married and now I know which of the floral arrangements to keep away from my fur babies.
This is so helpful to know great information. Just got 2 little kittens. Oh how this tree would love this
Everyone that has a furbaby needs to read up on this! So important! That's why I have no plants in my house.
I found this blog post to be really helpful. I'm always afraid to have ANY plants in my house for this reason. It's good to have a list of what is poisonous.
i think the salt lamps will harm pets too if licked
Onion is good to know
I love growing safe plants at home for my cat to eat. I personally don't keep any toxic plants in the house for this reason.
I had no idea there were so many. Thanks so much.
Such great information, thank you!!
A peace lily may harm a cat if eaten.
Very interesting!
This is so good to know! So much helpful and useful information here!
So many plants that I didn’t know. Now I do..
Thank you for this detailed list. I'm going to print this out. A lot of these I had no idea
I would so love one of these for my fur babies!!
Thanks for the information . This is a good reason why it is so important to keep cats indoors for their own safety.
This is a great post. Every cat owner should have this list available to them. I recently landscaped my front yard and did much research on safe plants before choosing what to plant. I have a large feral cat colony I have TNR'd and need to keep them safe too.
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