What plants are harmful or toxic to cats?
Whether you’re a gardener or enjoy having fresh flowers in your house, if you live with animals, you should be aware of the plants around them. Make sure that any vegetation they may come in contact with – whether in your yard, on a walk, or in a vase on your table – is non-toxic to them.
Here are 15 common plants that are toxic to cats, based on information provided by the ASPCA. The list below is by no means exhaustive, and you can view the ASPCA’s complete list for dogs, cats, and horses by clicking here.
In an emergency, you can reach the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at: (888) 426-4435.
(Note: it’s always a good idea to program this, along with your local emergency vet’s number, into your phone.)
We all love enjoying the beautiful growth that comes with the change in seasons, and with a little precaution, everyone can stay safe!
1. Apple (parts)
While the flesh of an apple is safe for your kitty to enjoy, pet parents with apple trees in their yard should be very cautious. Parts of the fruit including the stems, leaves, and seeds contain cyanide, which is a threat if your cat starts to nibble the decaying fruit that’s fallen to the ground.
2. Aloe
While humans may use aloe gel to heal burns and scrapes, the plant can be toxic if your pet ingests it, leading to vomiting, lethargy, and diarrhea.
3. Azaleas
These flowers can cause symptoms from vomiting to cardiac failure… keep cats away! Rhododendron, a close relative, is also very toxic.
4. Lilies
These flowers are known to be particularly toxic to cats, and any part of them – even the water in the vase – can poison your kitty, causing kidney failure. Cats don’t even have to eat these to be effected – contact with the pollen can prove deadly. Keep felines FAR AWAY from these flowers.
5. Chamomile
Although we humans drink chamomile tea to relax, this plant is poisonous to our four-legged friends. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and “bleeding tendencies.”
6. Daffodils
The ASPCA explains that the bulbs contain the most poison. If too much is eaten, cats can suffer convulsions, tremors cardiac arrhythmias, and more.
7. Daisies
The ASPCA says that symptoms of ingestion include, vomiting, diarrhea, hyper-salivation, incoordination, and dermatitis.
8. Geranium
These popular plants aren’t exactly pet-friendly. Eating it can cause vomiting, anorexia, depression, and dermatitis in your cat.
9. Gladiola
Like daffodils, the most toxic part of this flower is the bulb. Symptoms following ingestion include salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, and diarrhea.
10. Tulips
Also holding most of their toxicity in the bulb, tulips can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, hyper-salivation.
11. Sago Palm
Ingestion of these plants can lead to a host of scary side effects, including vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, and death, according to the ASPCA.
12. Oleander
These flowers are known to be poisonous to humans and animals alike. If eaten, your cat may drool excessively and suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression, or even death.
13. Rhubarb
We love it with strawberries in pie, but don’t let your pet eat a rhubarb plant. Side effects include tremors, salivation, and kidney failure.
14. Philodendron
Keep your cats away from this common plant. If ingested, it can cause oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing
15. Mistletoe
Pet parents should know that this festive plant is poisonous to cats, and should be especially cautious around the holidays. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and low heart rate.
h/t: ASPCA