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Plants poisonous to cats |
Well, we used to have houseplants, and some years, if we don't have little kittens, we decorate the house for the holidays in December. But both plants and decorating change when you have cats in your home.
A lot of our plants and holiday decorations live outside now where the cats can't reach them. Even if someone sends us a beautiful bouquet, we place it outside and look at it through the window, (note Windwalker Kiva's demolition job on her owners' bouquet in the picture above).
Below is a list of plants that must be avoided if you have cats. Note that lilies are very dangerous to cats. Be especially careful of bouquets that may arrive with beautiful lilies.
While in some cases, just parts of a plant (bark, leaves, seeds, berries, roots, tubers, spouts, green shells) might be poisonous, you can't have any plant that's on this list anywhere that your cat might have access to it. If you must have any of them, keep them safely out of reach.
If your cat eats part of a poisonous plant, rush him or her to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can, take the plant with you to help identify it
(No cats were harmed in the incidents depicted in these photographs.)
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Windwalker Tecumseh ("Moose) and Windwalker Roman Coliseum ("Romi") examine the plant they have just demolished.
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Romi's owner says she is sure he looks a heck of a lot better than the plant he's sitting on.
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Almond (Pits of)
Aloe Vera
Alocasia
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apple Leaf Croton
Apricot (Pits of)
Arrowgrass
Asparagus Fern
Autumn Crocus
Avocado (fruit and pit)
Azalea
Baby's Breath
Baneberry
Bayonet
Beargrass
Beech
Belladonna
Bird of Paradise
Bittersweet
Black-eyed Susan
Black Locust
Bleeding Heart
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Box
Boxwood
Branching Ivy
Buckeyes
Buddhist Pine
Burning Bush
Buttercup
Cactus, Candelabra
Caladium
Calla Lily
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Charming Dieffenbachia
Cherry (pits, seeds & wilting leaves)
Cherry, most wild varieties
Cherry, ground
Cherry, Laurel
Chinaberry
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Cineria
Clematis
Cordatum
Coriaria
Cornflower
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Croton
Corydalis
Crocus, Autumn
Crown of Thorns
Cuban Laurel
Cutleaf Philodendron
Cycads
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Daphne
Datura
Deadly Nightshade
Death Camas
Devil's Ivy
Delphinium
Decentrea
Dieffenbachia
Dracaena Palm
Dragon Tree
Dumb Cane
Easter Lily *
Eggplant
Elaine
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Elderberry
Elephant Ear
Emerald Feather
English Ivy Eucalyptus Euonymus Evergreen
Ferns
Fiddle-leaf fig
Florida Beauty
Flax
Four O'Clock
Foxglove
Fruit Salad Plant
Geranium
German Ivy
Giant Dumb Cane
Glacier Ivy
Golden Chain
Gold Dieffenbachia
Gold Dust Dracaena
Golden Glow
Golden Pothos
Gopher Purge
Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy
Heartland Philodendron
Hellebore
Hemlock, Poison
Hemlock, Water
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horsebeans
Horsebrush
Horse Chestnuts
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian Rubber Plant
Indian Tobacco
Iris
Iris Ivy
Jack in the Pulpit
Janet Craig Dracaena
Japanese Show Lily *
Java Beans
Jessamine
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Jungle Trumpets
Kalanchoe
Lacy Tree Philodendron
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily Spider
Lily of the Valley
Locoweed
Lupine
Madagascar Dragon Tree
Marble Queen
Marigold
Marijuana
Mescal Bean
Mexican Breadfruit
Miniature Croton
Mistletoe
Mock Orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning Glory
Mother-in Law's Tongue
Morning Glory
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms |
Narcissus
Needlepoint Ivy
Nephytis
Nightshade
Oleander
Onion
Oriental Lily *
Peace Lily
Peach (pits and wilting leaves)
Pencil Cactus
Peony
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Pimpernel
Plumosa Fern
Poinciana
Poinsettia (low toxicity)
Poison Hemlock
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pokeweed
Poppy
Potato
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Primrose
Privet, Common
Red Emerald
Red Princess
Red-Margined Dracaena
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Plant
Rosemary Pea
Rubber Plant
Saddle Leaf Philodendron
Sago Palm
Satin Pothos
Schefflera
Scotch Broom
Silver Pothos
Skunk Cabbage
Snowdrops
Snow on the Mountain
Spotted Dumb Cane
Staggerweed
Star of Bethlehem
String of Pearls
Striped Dracaena
Sweetheart Ivy
Sweetpea
Swiss Cheese plant
Tansy Mustard
Taro Vine
Tiger Lily *
Tobacco
Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)
Tree Philodendron
Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia
Tulip
Tung Tree
Virginia Creeper
Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wild Call
Wisteria
Yews --
e.g. Japanese Yew
English Yew
Western Yew
American Yew |
Reprinted from PET Magazine's Cat Care Guide, Summer 1987
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Holiday dangers |
Helpful hints to keep your cat happy and healthy during the holiday season.
- Don't use tinsel on your tree! Decorate your tree with animal safe ornaments such as dried non-toxic flowers, wood, fabric or pinecones. If ingested, ribbons or tinsel can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction. This is a very common problem with kittens.
Keep aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers away from pets. They can cause vomiting and intestinal blockage.
- Be careful with holiday floral arrangements. Lilies are commonly used and many varieties including Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Stargazer and Casa Blanca can cause kidney failure in cats. Safe alternatives can include artificial flowers made from silk or plastic.
Common Yuletide plants such as mistletoe and holly berries can be toxic to cats. If your cat eats mistletoe, he or she could suffer gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. Holly can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and lethargy if ingested.
Poinsettias are considered to be very low in toxicity, however, they could cause mild vomiting or nausea if ingested by your cat.
- Christmas tree water may contain dangerous fertilizers, which if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can also act as a breeding ground for bacteria and if ingested your cat could end up with nausea and diarrhea.
Chocolate poisoning does not seem to be a problem in cats, although it could be possible if enough is ingested.
- Boiled or grilled meats can be offered as a healthy alternative, but don't give pets holiday leftovers and use tightly-covered garbage containers. Cooked poultry bones can splinter and cause blockages. Greasy, spicy and fatty for spoiled foods can cause stomach upset and moldy foods could cause tremors or seizures.
Older cats have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements, so it's best to keep them on their normal diet. Any change of diet, even for one meal, may give them severe indigestion and diarrhea.
- Alcohol and pets do NOT mix. Place unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot reach them. If your cat drinks it, he or she could become very sick and weak and may go into a coma.
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| What would you do if you had to evacuate |
We all need a disaster plan. Neighborhood and community groups and city fire departments offer classes so you can develop a plan for your family, and pets are often part of the plan. Whether you must evacuate or shelter in place, you're supposed to plan on having what you'll need for three days, and assume no utilities (including water).
- The "blue bags" from Ikea a great for organizing items that you might need to "grab and go" quickly -- they are about $2 each, very sturdy and hold a large amount (they are "square" at the bottom, so they pack like a box or a bin, but are more flexible than a box so are easier to stuff into a car or van).
The pre-packed bags are on shelves in the garage next to the door, so they are easy to "grab and go". They contain the following items:
- 12 disposable litter pans
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5 pop-up kennels
- 12 large plastic bowls for water
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a large package of small paper plates (a hundred or so)
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a litter scoop
- a dozen small bags of silica litter (available at Walmart). Even if you don't use this litter, it's much lighter than regular or clumping litter, and one small bag will last one cat for a few weeks.
- two bags of dry food. I replenish this supply, so it's always fresh.
- two five gallons jugs of water
Hopefully this list will help you get a bit more organized, as it is very, very important to have a plan in place. Our camper van is our emergency escape vehicle, so much of what WE need is already in it.
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DISCLAIMER
The information on this website is NOT intended to replace
the advice of a Veterinarian.
If your cat is displaying symptoms of illness or discomfort,
seek the medical advice of a Veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
Windwalker Maine Coon Cats accepts no responsibility for the accuracy
and content of the information provided by this website.
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