The plant’s pollen, rhizomes, seeds, flowers and leaves can all be toxic to cats. Pollen or seeds can become lodged in a cat’s fur or paws, causing the cat to inadvertently ingest toxic substances while grooming. Plus, cats naturally like to jump and explore, so placing a potted plant out of reach of your cat isn’t a surefire way to be safe. Cat owners are advised to help their cats out of hidden dangers in their homes as much as possible, or move them to rooms where cats are prevented from entering.
To help protect cats’ future health, it’s worth learning about some common plants that are poisonous to cats. Different plants also pose different dangers to a cat’s health, ranging from inflammation from skin irritation to kidneys or heart at worst.
Be vigilant when your cat exhibits the following symptoms:
Irritation: Itching , scratching, swelling, redness and irritation of the eyes/mouth
GI symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea
Other serious symptoms: difficulty breathing, drooling, difficulty swallowing, frequent urination
If you know the symptoms of what plants your cat has eaten, remember to bring a plant sample to the veterinarian. If your cat has symptoms of poisoning due to eating an unknown plant by mistake, please bring cat vomit containing plant ingredients, so that the veterinarian can confirm the cause of the plant in time, which can shorten the diagnosis time and provide timely treatment.
If you are unable to provide your veterinarian with the name of the plant or a sample of the plant your cat ingested, the veterinarian will need to perform a series of tests to identify the type of poison ingested so that appropriate treatment can be provided.
Some common plants that are poisonous to cats are listed below:
Bulbs, Araceae, Euphorbiaceae, Green basket, Amaryllis, Autumn Crocus, Rhododendron , castor bean, chrysanthemum, daffodils, evergreen, ivy, hyacinth, carancho, liliaceae, oleander, iron tree, Spanish thyme, tulip, yew, hydrangea, agave, iris, etc.
Listed above are just some of the more common houseplants, others can be toxic to cats as well. Before deciding to plant potted plants, it is recommended that owners learn more about the plants to see if they are safe for cats, and then decide whether to plant them. In order to satisfy the psychology of cats wanting to gnaw on plants, it is the best choice to grow some cat grass
at home.
Cats will nibble on cat grass when needed to help spit out the hairballs in their stomachs. Cat grass is also easy to grow, either using wheat seeds, or buying seeds online and following the planting instructions.