With spring in bloom, it is important for cat owners to be familiar with potentially dangerous plants and keep them out of kitty’s reach. Some common houseplants that can pose a risk to your cat’s wellbeing include:
Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons
Plants in the rhododendron species include azaleas and various kinds of rhododendrons. If ingested, these can cause heart problems for your cat.
Lilies
Lilies are one of the most toxic plants for cats. Easter lilies, rubrum lilies, tiger lilies, stargazer lilies, calla lilies and day lilies can cause kidney failure and be fatal for felines.
Plants that contain cardiac glycoside
Plants such as oleander, foxglove and lily-of-the-valley all contain a toxic ingredient called cardiac glycosides, which can cause serious gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system issues.
Miscellaneous toxic plants
Other common household plants that are toxic to cats include: aloe, certain kinds of ivy, daffodil, hyacinth, hydrangea and tulip.
Remember that it is not necessary for your cat to consume a large quantity of a questionable plant to become ill. A small bite or nibble is often substantial enough to cause extreme health issues. It is also important to note that with most of these plants, they are poisonous in their entirety, so even if you cat only chews a leaf, it could be a hazard to his health.
If you believe your cat may have eaten part of one of these plants, seek the advice of your veterinarian as soon as possible. Also, if possible, bring a sample of the questionable plant or flower with you for identification purposes.
To keep that from happening, I’ve chosen a few highlights from the poisonous plant list created by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I highly encourage you to look at the entire list, print it out, and put it in a place that is easily visible to you and the rest of your family. | Alfalfa Almond (pits of) Aloe Vera Amaryllis Apple seeds Apple Leaf Crouton Apricot (pits of) Arrowgrass Asparagus Fern Autumn Crocus Avocado (fruit and pit) Azalea Baby’s Breath Baneberry Bayonet Beargrass Belladonna Bittersweet Black Eyed Susan Black Locust Bleeding Heart Bloodroot Bluebonnet Braching Ivy Buddist Pine Burning Bush Buttercup Cactus Candelabra Caladium Calla Lily Castor Bean Charming Cherry (pits, seeds and wilting leaves) Laurel Chinaberry Chinese Evergreen Christmas Rose Cornflower Cornstalk Plant Crown Of Thorns Cutleaf Daffodil Daphne Datura Death Camas Devil’s Ivy Dragon Tree Dumb Cane Easter lily Eggplant Elderberry Elephant Ear Emerald Feather English Ivy Evergreen Ferns Four O’ Clock Foxglove Fruit Salad Plant Geranium German Lily Giant Dumb Cane Glacier Ivy Golden Golden Glow Golden Pothooks | Heartland Hemlock Poison Hemlock Water Henbane ricane Plant Hyacinth Hydrangea Indian Rubber Plant Indian Tobacco Iris Iris Ivy Jack In the Pulpit Japanese Show Lily Java Beans Jerusalem cherry Jonquil Jungle Trumpets Madagascar Dragon Tree Marble Queen Marigold Marijuana Mescal Bear Mexican Breadfruit Mistletoe Mock Orange Moonseed Morning Glory Mountain Laurel Mushrooms Narcissus Needlepoint Ivy Nephytis Nightshade Oleander Onion Oriental Lily Peace Lily Peach(pits and wilting leaves) Pencil Cactus Philodendron Pimpernel Plumosa Fern Poinsettia Poison Ivy Poison Oak Pokeweed Poppy Potato Pothos Precatory Bean Primrose Privet, Common Tansy Mustard Taro Vine Tiger Lily Tobacco Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves) Tree Philodendron Tropic Snow Tulip Tung Tree Virginia Creeper Weeping Fig Wild Call Wisteria Yew Japanese Yew English Yew Western Yew American Yew |
