Written By: Rachel Holly
You’re diligent about keeping the medications hidden and the garlic and xylitol products out of the way of your pets. But there may be a potential toxin in your home that could harm your cat that you’d never think twice about: your houseplants. In fact, plants rank among the top five toxins on the annual ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s Top Ten Toxins.
While some plants can make your cat mildly sick, other plants can kill. The ASPCA has a comprehensive list containing hundreds of poisonous plants including links to each detailing the symptoms they can produce. Also included is a list of non-toxic safe plants on the same page. We encourage you to have a look at the entire list to see if any of them are in your home but here are some of the most common plants that are toxic to felines.
Common Toxic Plants:
Aloe
Amaryllis
Asparagus Fern
Begonia
Bird of Paradise
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Cut leaf Philodendron
Cyclamen
Daffodils
Elephant’s Ear
Ferns
Gardenia
Herbs- mint, alloums, oregano
Holly
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Ivy
Jade
Lavender
Lily
Mint
Mistletoe
Oleander
Poinsettias
Rhododendron
Sago Palm
Snake Plant
Tulips
Yews
Symptoms of Plant Toxicity:
The severity of the symptoms depends on a number of factors. What your cat may exhibit depends on the specific plant and the amount, as well as the part of the plant your cat has consumed. Your cat’s size and overall health will also influence how your cat responds to the toxin and treatment.
Symptoms include :
difficulty breathing
vomiting
diarrhea
excessive drinking
fast/slow/irregular heartbeat
drooling
tremors
What to do if you suspect your cat has eaten a poisonous plant:
Try to identify what plant was eaten. If you don’t know what it is, take a photo or a sample which a vet can see. While “toxic” has a wide definition of being “harmful” and some plants only cause mild sickness, others are deadly. Knowing which plant your cat ate will help tremendously. Contact your vet as soon as you suspect your cat has eaten a toxic plant. For off hours, head to your local animal hospital. You can also get help from the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.
To avoid a tragedy that doesn’t need to occur, remove any potentially toxic plants from your house or yard ( if your cat goes outdoors). While you might think hanging plants are inaccessible to your pets, cats have a great ability to climb or jump their way to their desired target. Given enough time while you’re out on an errand, your cat can find a way to that hanging lily plant. Best bet: Just get rid of any toxic plants. The ASPCA list of non-toxic plants gives you a large selection of safe alternatives to choose from.
