Our loved cats can often be also the type that chew on all sorts of plants. That’s the reason we do not have many plants in our house. Plants can be nice in our garden or in the house, but there are however a number of poisonous plants for cats.
What Effects Do Poisonous Plants Have On Cats?
When a plant is poisonous, usually all parts of the plant are poisonous. So the flower, the stem, the leaves, simply everything. Sometimes some are more poisonous than others, but generally it will mean you need to pay a visit to the veterinarian, if your cat ate from it.
Many of the plants are however irritants, meaning they will cause irritations and inflammation to the skin, mouth or stomach. Some other plants might have more serious reactions however, to certain organs such as the heart or the liver.
You will notice irritations and inflammation by redness, swelling and itchiness.
Toxins that attack certain organs will give the following effects:
- Breathing difficulties (airways)
- Drooling or difficulty swallowing (mouth, throat)
- Vomiting (stomach and intestines)
- Diarrhea (intestines or colon)
- Drinking and urinating excessively (kidneys)
- Fast, slow or irregular heart beat (heart)
- Acute kidney failure
Which Plants Are Poisonous To Cats?
The ASPCA have published a HUGE list on poisonous plants to Dogs, Cats and Horses.
But to cut it short a bit, most people have Aloe Vera against burns and bites in their house. It is however a dangerous plant for both cats and dogs. Lillies just as well. Lillies are usually found in people’s houses around Easter celebration time, but can generally be found in houses all year round. Lillies are highly toxic to both cats and dogs and can cause acute kidney failure to them. So keep these plants away. I simply have stopped having plants inside. For one I have many cats and I don’t want them ill, they simply keep on nibbling on stuff and I cannot risk them to get ill or worse. For another plants do not survive too well with me. It’s not just the cats, but also me having to take care of these.
Note though that not only inside plants are dangerous, the ones in your garden can also be dangerous to your cats. There are however a couple of plants that are safe for your pets, catnip and cat grass and your cats will just love it if you will add this to your indoor plant collection.
Below we have posted a list of the most common poisonous plants, seen often in-house:
| Aloe Vera (Aloe) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate – Strong. Signs of ingestion: Vomiting, depression, diarrhea, tremors, change in urine color. |
Angel Wing Begonia (Begonia coccinea) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate. Signs of ingestion: Oral irritation and burning – any part of the mouth, drooling, vomiting. |
| Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate – Strong. Signs of ingestion: Vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, tremors. |
Belladonna Lily (Amaryllis belladonna) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate – Strong. Signs of ingestion: Vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors. |
| Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate. Signs of ingestion: Oral irritation and burning, drooling, vomiting. |
Flamingo Flower Plant (Anthurium scherzerianum) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Moderate. Signs of ingestion: Oral irritation and burning, excessive drooling, vomiting. |
| Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Strong. Signs of ingestion: Irritation, intense burning of mouth, drooling, acute kidney failure |
Ornamental Pepper Plant (Capsicum annuum) Toxic to: Cats and Dogs. Toxicity: Strong. Signs of ingestion: Gastrointestinal disturbances, seizures and others. |
What is your experience regarding poisonous plants and your pets at home? Please share in the comments below.