A-Z of Houseplants that are Poisonous to your Cats.
There are many plants you may bring into your home without realising that they are poisonous to cats. Not all of them will prove fatal if eaten or chewed, but some most definitely can kill your much loved cat. Never assume a cat will instinctively not try to eat a poisonous plant, as all too often cats end up being rushed into the vets suffering from poisoning as a result of chewing on or eating a number of different houseplants. Those of you who read my previous hub about the dangers of Lilies to your cats will know what I am talking about here.
In this article I hope to list most of the more common houseplants that are dangerous to cats so that you can either ensure you don't bring them into your home or at least you can keep them out of the reach of your pets. I am guessing that many of the plants on this list will come as quite a surprise to you.
A.
Aloe Vera. This is toxic to both cats and dogs. The signs to look out for are vomiting, depression, diarrhea, anorexia, tremors and change in urine color.
Amaryllis. (Common names include Belladonna lily, Saint Joseph lily, Cape Belladonna and Naked Lady). Toxic to both cats and dogs. The signs to look out for are vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia, tremors.
Arum Lily. (Common names include Calla Lily, Pig Lily, White Arum, Trumpet Lily, Florist's Calla, Garden Calla). Toxic to both cats and dogs. The signs to watch out for are oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Asian Lily. (Common name Asiatic Lily). Toxic to cats. Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible.
Asparagus Fern. (Common names include Asparagus, Emerald Feather, Emerald Fern, Sprengeri Fern, Plumosa Fern, Lace Fern, Racemose Asparagus, Shatavari). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include allergic dermatitis with repeated dermal exposure. Berry ingestion could result in gastric upset (vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea).
Azalea. (Common names Rosebay, Rhododendron). Toxic to cats dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, CNS depression, cardiovascular collapse and death.
B.
Baby's Breath. (Common name Maidens Breath). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea.
Barbados Lily. (Common names include Amaryllis, Fire Lily, Lily of the Palace, Ridderstjerne). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large quantities consumed cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.
Begonia. Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing. Tubers are the most toxic.
Bird of Paradise Flower. (Common names include Crane Flower, Bird's Tongue Flower). Toxic to cats dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include mild nausea, vomiting, drowsiness; caused mainly by fruit and seeds. Should not be confused with Caesalpinia or Poinciana gilliesii, which is also known as Bird of Paradise and is more toxic.
Branching Ivy. (Common names include English Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy, Sweetheart Ivy, California Ivy). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea. Foliage is more toxic than berries.
C.
Caladium. (Common names include Malanga, Elephant's Ears, Stoplight, Seagull, Mother-in-law Plant, Pink Cloud, Texas Wonder, Angel-Wings, Exposition, Candidum, Fancy-leaved Caladium). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Cardboard Palm. (Common names include cycads and zamias). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure and death.
Carnation.(Common names include Pinks, Wild Carnation, Sweet William). Toxic to cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include mild gastrointestinal signs and mild dermatitis.
Ceriman. (Common names include Swiss Cheese Plant, Cutleaf Philodendron, Hurricane Plant and Mexican Breadfruit). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Clinical signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.
Charming Dieffenbachia. Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth , tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.
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Chinese Jade. (Common names include Silver Jade Plant, Silver Dollar). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Clinical signs of poisoning include both nausea and retching.
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Chrysanthemum. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination and dermatitis.
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Clivia Lily. (Common names include Kaffir Lily, Clivies, Caffre Lily, Cape Clivia, Klivia). Toxic to cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.
Coleus. (Common names include Indian Borage, Bread and Butter Plant, Spanish Thyme, East Indian Thyme, Stinging Thyme, Country Boarage etc etc). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. clinical signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression and anorexia.
Corn Plant. (Common names include Cornstalk Plant, Dracaena, Dragon Tree and Ribbon Plant). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, dilated pupils (cats).
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Cyclamen. (Common name Sowbread). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include salivation, vomiting, diarrhea. Following large ingestion of tubers: heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures and death.
D.
Daffodil. (Common names include Narcissus, Jonquil, Paper White). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.
Dahlia. Toxic to both cats and dogs. clinical signs of poisoning include mild gastrointestinal signs, mild dermatitis.
Desert Azalea. (Common names include Desert Rose, Mock Azalea, Sabi Star, Impala Lily, Kudu Lily). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, depression, irregular heart beat and death.
Devils Ivy. (Common names include Pothos, Golden Pothos, Taro Vine, Ivy Arum). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Dieffenbachia. (Common names include Charming Dieffenbachia, Giant Dumb Cane, Tropic Snow, Dumbcane, Exotica, Spotted Dumb Cane, Exotica Perfection). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth , tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
E.
Easter Lily. Toxic to cats. Symptoms of poisoning include Vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible. Cats are only species known to be affected.
Everlasting Pea. (Common names include Sweet Pea, Perennial Pea). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning include Weakness, lethargy, pacing, head pressing, tremors, seizures and possibly death.
F.
Fig. (Common names include Weeping Fig and Indian Rubber Plant ). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs to look for include: contact with the skin can cause dermatitis and ingestion can cause oral irritation, salivation and vomiting.
Flamingo Flower. (Common names include Flamingo Lily, Tail Flower, Oilcloth Flower, Pigtail Plant and Painter's Pallet). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Florida Beauty. (Common names include Gold Dust Dracaena and Spotted Dracaena). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include In cats: dilated pupils, breathing difficulty, abdominal pain, increased heartrate and drooling. In both cats and dogs: vomiting, depression, inappetence, drooling, incoordination, and weakness.
G.
Garden Hyacinth. Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis and allergic reactions. Bulbs contain highest amount of toxin.
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Giant Dracaena. (Common names Palm Lily, Grass Palm). Signs of poisoning include vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, dilated pupils (cats).
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Gladiola. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include salivation, vomiting, drooling,lethargy, diarrhea. Highest concentration in corms (bulbs).
H.
Hellebore. (Common names include Christmas Rose, Lenten Rose, Easter Rose). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs to look for are Drooling, abdominal pain and diarrhea, colic, depression.
Hosta. (Common names include Plantain Lily, Funkia). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms include Vomiting, diarrhea, depression.
I.
Indian Hemp. (Common names include Marijuana and Hashish). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Clinical signs include prolonged depression, vomiting, incoordination, sleepiness or excitation, hypersalivaton, dilated pupils, low blood pressure, low body temperature, seizure, coma, death (rare)
J.
Jade Plant. (Common names include Baby Jade, Dwarf rubber plant, Jade tree, Chinese rubber plant, Japanese rubber plant). Toxic to both cats and dogs. clinical signs of poisoning include vomiting, depression, ataxia and slow heart rate (rare).
K.
Kiss-me-quick. (Common names include Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, Lady-of-the-Night, Morning-Noon-and-Night, Fransiscan Rain Tree). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include Tremors, seizures (for several days), diarrhea, vomiting, hypersalivation, lethargy, incoordination and coughing.
L.
Lacy Tree Philodendron. Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty in swallowing.
Lily. Toxic to cats. Clinical signs of poisoning include kidney failure.
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Lily of the Valley. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include Vomiting, irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma and seizures
M.
Mistletoe "American". (Common names include American Mistletoe). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning include Gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular collapse, dyspnea, bradycardia, erratic behavior, (hallucinogenic in humans). Vomiting, diarrhea and low blood pressure (rare).
N.
Nephthytis. (Common names include Arrow-Head Vine, Green Gold Naphthysis, African Evergreen, Trileaf Wonder). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Clinical signs of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
O.
Orange. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include Vomiting, diarrhea, depression; potential photosensitivity.
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Orange Day Lily. Toxic to cats. Signs of poisoning include Vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible.
P.
Pencil Cactus. (Common names include Crown of Thorns). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity.
Poinsettia. Toxic to both cats and dogs. Signs of poisoning include irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity.
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Primrose.Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Clinical signs include mild vomiting.
S.
Spring Parsley. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Symptoms of poisoning include photosensitization (ulcerative and exudative dermatitis) and ocular toxicity.
Stargazer Lily. Toxic to cats. Signs of poisoning include Vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure and death is possible. Cats are only species known to be affected.
Sweetheart Ivy. (Common names include English Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy, Branching Ivy, California Ivy). Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Clinical signs of poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea. Foliage is more toxic than berries
T.
Taro. (Common names include Caladium, Elephant Ears, Pai, Ape, Cape, Via, Via sori, Malanga). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning to look out for include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty in swallowing.
Tiger Lily. Toxic to cats. Clinical signs of poisoning include vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible. Cats are only species known to be affected.
Tomato Plant. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning include hypersalivation, inappetence, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, CNS depression, confusion, behavioral change, weakness, dilated pupils and slow heart rate.
Trumpet Lily. (Common names include Calla Lily, Pig Lily, White Arum, Arum Lily, Florist's Calla, Garden Calla, Arum Lily). Toxic to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Tulip. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Clinical signs of poisoning include vomiting, depression, diarrhea, hypersalivation. Highest concentration of toxin is in the bulbs.
W.
Water Hyacinth. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Clinical signs include vomiting and anorexia.
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Wood Lily. Toxic to cats. Symptoms of poisoning include Vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure and death is possible. Cats are only species known to be affected.
Y.
Yucca. Toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Signs of poisoning to look out for include vomiting, diarrhea -- dogs, cats. Liver disease, secondary photosensitivity -- grazing animals.
Useful Links
- ASPCA | Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants
This site has an extensive list of plants both toxic and non toxic to a variety of pets, including dogs, cats and horses. - Poisonous Plants to Cats
List of poisonous plants to cats
Mistyhorizon's Article on the Dangers of Lilies to Cats
- Lilies can kill your cat within hours!
It probably will come as a surprise to many cat owners that something as beautiful as a lily could potentially kill their beloved pet cat within hours, but this article explains how, and why it is so important that you make sure you never have lilies
Comments
This is great. My cats love to chew on one of my plants. Now I just have to figure out what the plant is. My sister bought it!
You are a cat rockstar for publishing this essential information.
Thanks so very much!
I can just agree with lorlie6`s comment. This is excellent Hub. Immediate bookmark. Thank you so much, Cindy!
I can name several of these plants that I've had in my garden, without knowing that the neighbour's cat might get sick if she eats them! The neighbours let their cat wander the neighbourhood during the day while they're at work. Perhaps I should try to plant friendlier flowers next spring! (Although if she didn't eat them this year, what are the chances she will do so next year?)
Thank you for your good advice.
This is another good hub for the protection of cat.
Had no idea there were so many poisonous to cats. Surprising really as carnivores don't target plants, yet they have all these effective defences againsst them.. Interesting hub, Misty. I had a cat very sick with a liver prob. 2 years ago, it may well have been a plant, but the vet. didn't say anything (He's OK now). Bob
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Hi Bieberella, hopefully you will find out it is not one of the poisonous ones. Thanks for commenting :)
Hi Lorlie, I just hope it helps as people often don't realise that their cat chewing on their houseplant is potentially dangerous. Cheers for the great feedback.
Thanks Tatjana, glad you too enjoyed this article.
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Hi Suiiki, These poisonous plants are just the ones used as houseplants either always or sometimes. There are many more plants that are outdoor plants that are also poisonous. You will find a far more comprehensive list on the ASPCA website. It sounds as if your neighbours cat is unlikely to try and eat the dangerous plants if she hasn't done so already, and it would seem the cats most at risk are the housecats who get bored and decide to chew on the houseplants.
Hi Hello Hello, Thanks for the good feedback.
Hi H P. I hope it helps to prevent many cats from inadvertently being poisoned. Thanks for the feedback.
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Hi Bob, well I am not so sure that all of the plants actively developed these poisons purely to protect themselves against cats or dogs, and am more inclined to think it is purely a coincidence that they are poisonous to cats. I am glad your cat is okay now though, and yes, it could have been a plant that caused it.
Thanks for the feedback as always :)
Holy smoke! All those plants are bad for cats! Who knew? I must print this list out and send it to my sister. Thanks again, Misty!
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Good idea Paradise, this could prevent an untimely death or extreme suffering for her cats.
Misty, thanks for the great information! I had no idea these were poisonous to cats - every year I get amaryllus and I'm grateful my cat never tried eating it!
This is a great article, very much appreciated by someone like me who has four cats, and two dogs.
*Great hub* Misty! I love plants and pets--so I definitely need to bookmark this one. Thanks for your efforts on this one.
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Thanks Kartika, I have three cats, but luckily they leave my houseplants alone as far as chewing on them goes. However, I do refuse to risk bringing Lilies into the house as these can be so rapidly lethal and even the pollen alone is enough to cause renal failure.
Thank you Hypnodude, we all tend to love our pets like true family members, so if this saves a family from the avoidable heartache of losing a pet due to poisoning then this hub was worth writing.
Hi Linda. You are more than welcome, it is always worth being that extra bit careful where our pets and plants are concerned. Thanks for commenting :)
this is good to know although my two cats seem to prefer my artificial flowers!!!
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LOL, well, so long as they don't swallow them they should be pretty harmless :)
Thank you very much. It was very helpful.
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Thanks for commenting Eva, if this article helps to save cat's lives it is well worth it and I hope it saves loads.
Thank you for this list, including photos. I had no idea there are so many poisonous, yet common houseplants. Every single one I own are on the list. Off to Michael's to buy some silk plants.
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In that case I am really pleased you found and read this hubpage article Nan. Thanks for commenting.
this is great my aunt's cat is coming to stay at my Gramma's and she has some different plants so we wanted to make sure the cat was safe thank you so much you are so great for doing all the reasearch and what not thanks again! :D
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You are very welcome saturnagirl, I hope your Aunt's cat stays safe :)
Thank you very much, I did not realize how many house plants dangerous to cats there were. Now if only stores would warn pet owners of the danger.
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You are welcome Fred. I agree that all pet stores and vets etc should provide some kind of booklet on these plants to new pet owners.
Hi Misty,
If I see my cat playing with, but not really chewing or eating, do I need to be concerned with removing these plants from my home? I have a few on the list, Jade, Asparagus fern... If he makes himself sick on them unbeknownst to me, will he eventually stop eating them by realizing at some point that they are doing so?? And how do I know exactly how toxic each plant is?
Thanks.
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These are questions I cannot answer to the level you ask Tracey. The best best is to exclude these plants from your home completely, rather than allowing your cat to eat ANY of them, even in small amounts. The toxicity level will vary from plant to plant, so better to be safe that sorry. You cannot rely on him eating a small enough amount to make himself sick, and then not touching the plant again. He might end up dead on the first attempt! If your cat is simply 'playing' with the plant I would not worry too much, but watch carefully to make sure he is not 'nibbling' when you are not looking.
Before I bought some garden plants, I did a quick search and found Dahlias on the safe lists. I was gifted Basil and Thyme seedlings by the lady I bought catnip from, and decided to do another check, and came across this page as well as the ASPCA (I'm in the UK, we have RSPCA) website saying DAHLIAS are toxic. Now I am freeakingg out, cuz some of the dahlias are in my neighbour's pots and i help her with her little garden as she is blind. I told her that they were safe, now I don't wanna tell her they aren't and I'm afraid that I will bring pollen or something indoors to my indoor only ktties...HELP ME. Do they just have to eat it, or will even a tiny bit on my hands/clothing harm them??? HELP!!! :(:(:(
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First of all, don't panic Annalisa. I live in the UK too by the way (Channel Island of Guernsey). I very much doubt you could bring in enough pollen on clothing etc to harm your cats. The problem with most of these plants is if the cats ingest a reasonable amount of the pollen or plant matter. A few grains of pollen on your clothing is unlikely to be a risk. If you left a plant 'lying around' in your home, your cats could be at risk, but only if they attempt to ingest it, or rub up against the plant, pick up pollen on their coats, and then wash it off afterwards.
To be absolutely on the safe side, make sure you wash your hands before returning home from your neighbours, and change as soon as you get in.
All in all the risks are negligible unless the cats have direct contact with any of the plants or flowers listed in this article, and in many cases unless they attempt to ingest them.
THANK YOU!!! I will definitely change and wash or even get a hazard suit!!! :D Also, could you let me know if these plants are ok, as the lists are all different and some are not as explantory as yours. Oregano, Coriander, Thyme, Basil, Garlic Chives, Parsley, Miniature Roses, Celosia, and unidentified succulents (definitely not Kalanchoe). These are the indoor ones they sniff alot. A WHOLE LOT. No eating or rubbing, yet. Outside, I have Petunias, Forget me Nots and Pansies...the other places I checked said these were safe, so it would be awesome to have your feedback :) I forget to say awesome post before, as I was in a right old state. *Awesome Post* It's good finding someone close to home and not just generated lists and unchecked regurgitated 'facts'. THANK YOU LOTS :D
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LOL, thanks Annalisa, well firstly don't worry about the herbs at all ...Oregano, Coriander, Thyme, Basil, Garlic Chives and Parsley. I very much doubt miniature roses would be of interest to your cats, and have not heard of them being poisonous, (my own cats ignore them). I would be careful of succulents if your cat is chewing on them, but wouldn't worry otherwise. I doubt Petunias, Forget-me-Nots and Pansies are a problem as outdoor plants seldom are, or cats ignore them anyway.
Do bear in mind that not all of these plants will 'kill your cat' and many of them may just cause an upset stomach of your pet ingests them. Not ideal, but better than it killing them.
Thanks again!
They have four containers of cat grass in various places to deter them, and catnip, so they *may* not eat anything, maybe! I was concerned about having those plants in their environment as a whole, too. Thanks again!
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You are very welcome Annalisa, I am sure they will be fine with all that Catnip to distract them :)
Wow I had no idea lilies could be so toxic! Although my favourite flowers, it is a small sacrifice to give them away for the sake of my cat!! Thanks!
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I agree Steph, it is a small price to pay to keep a much loved cat safe :)
This is very helpful.I just lost my yellow tabbie his organs shut down due to poison. I know know it was my plants. I can prevent harm to my other pets.
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I am so sorry to hear about your tabby cat Fatima, and I really hope this does help you to protect your other pets.
Thanks for making this HUB! Now I know why my kitten is sick! Please tell me what I can do for her to stop the diarrhea and make her well??? Home remedies or do I have to go to vet?
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Hi jadednae, always go to a vet if in doubt, home remedies are always a last resort and should never be used in poisoning cases. I hope your kitten will be okay.
Very well written, concise and helpful article. Featuring the photos is a fantastic plus. I have lost two young cats in the last year due to mysterious circumstances, I am now wondering whether it was due to poison possibly from devil's ivy-what an apt name if so. I am in shock right now, my Tessa died suddenly with no signs of any trauma whatsoever. She did have a strange habit of gnawing on the wood of my dressers in the bedroom, wondered if it could be something toxic in the finish...thank you so much for such a helpful article though. Bless you!
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Thank you cleowolf, I am so sorry you lost your two cats as I know how devastating it is to lose a pet under any circumstances, but not to know why is even worse. I so hope this article helps you and others to prevent the death of their cats (present and future) through the simple mistake of having the wrong houseplants
Great info, thanks!
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You are welcome gryphin423 :)
I have a devil's ivy plant, it is up high, but now my kitten found out how to get up there. She seems to want to nibble on it but now eating it. Is this ok or should I just get rid of the plant?? Thanks!!
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To be honest I would get rid of it as it will cause oral irritation and intense burning to both the mouth and lips, even if your kitten doesn't swallow it (see 'Devil's Ivy' in the A-Z list above).
My three year old cat is in hospital as we speak with Kidney failure. The vet thinks it is the result of her eating from the 'Orange Lily' plant. I cannot see any evidence that she has eaten from any of my plants and I have never seen her eating any either but I have to consider this as being a possibility. Having had cats all my life and also being an avid gardener, I never realised the potential risks. Now after seeing this site, it seems I am going to have to rip up my whole garden and replace everything with cat 'friendly' plants. It should be mandatory that the labels that come with the plants advise whether they are poisonous to our beloved pets or not because if they did then my little girl wouldn't be in hospital fighting for her life right now!
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Hi Indi, I am sorry to hear about your little girl. It is important to remember that with lilies the pollen only has to get on the cats fur and the cat wash it off in order for it to cause kidney failure, and this happens very quickly. She doesn't need to have intentionally chewed on the plant itself. You might want to read my other article on this called 'Lilies can kill your cat within hours' (link below):
https://hubpages.com/animals/Lilies-can-kill-your-...
I agree plants should come with labels that say if they are dangerous to pets.
I hope your little girl does recover. Good luck.
wow, this is incredibly detailed with the pictures. Thankyou very much!
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Thanks Dan, I am hoping it saves many cat's lives and was therefore worth the time it took to compile all the information.
A week ago, my cat died. He was drooling excessively and having seizures. I wish I found this page a long time ago. I have an arum lily plant, after viewing this page, i went to see the plant and sure enough, his little bite marks were all over the leaves and on the flower. Please, everyone, check your plants.
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I am so sorry for your loss Vanessa, at least you can now spread the word to other cat owners, and the more of us that do this the more cats we can save.
Appreciate the info. Which houseplants CAN we have?
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I wish I could answer that one in a comment blondie, but that would require a whole article in itself, plus hours and hours of research. The best bet is to find a list of plants you would like to have by name, and then check them out one at a time online to see if they are poisonous to cats or dogs. Alternatively go for plants you can eat such as vegetables grown indoors e.g. indoor tomatoes, chili peppers, salads etc. You could also buy fake plants too.
I am confused by the last comment. tomato plants on included in the list but you mention indoor tomatoes. are some tomato plants toxic and other not?
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Whoops good point bellagirl61, I must have had a blonde moment (or a glass of wine) when I suggested indoor tomatoes, although my own cats ignore my outdoor ones, and would probably ignore any indoor ones. The way around the problem would be to have them in a container suspended from above, (like some people do with spider plants). So long as the foliage etc is out of reach of the cats there should not be a problem.
My cat ate something that made her very ill and had to be taken to the vet. After reading this article I saw coleus in your article I have this plant so this must be the plant that my cat has eaten. Now I will get rid of this plant. Thanks a lot for this very useful information
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Glad to be of help Patricia, and glad your cat is okay now :)
There's nothing her that helps once I bring my cat home from an overnight stay- with length of illness, long-term neurological affects- blindness, etc
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No Valerie, this list is not a list of plants that cure problems, it is a list of plants that can cause problems. Only your vet can tell you a cure or what could have caused the problems your cat has had. Hope you do find a cure.
I recently put feather grass in my garden & my cats immediately were drawn to it.
Could this be harmful, as it's a decorative plant?
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I am honestly not sure on this one kenzie, but if by 'feather grass' you mean Pampas grass I have never heard of it being toxic to cats. In general grasses do not seem to be a problem as far as I am aware but best you check this out with your vet.
I'm really curious where you got your info on the Orange plant being toxic to cats. I think I have seen this on ONE website and other than that read somewhere that a "decorative" orange plant was dangerous.
Re my last comment: I did find info on the ASPCA website that said that the Essential Oils and some Chemical compounds of the Orange plant can be toxic to cats.
Essential Oils are usually very highly concentrated. It's hard to know what the ASPCA means by that general and somewhat vague description so I am not sure if a nibble on a flower or leaf would make the cat very sick, or kill it. I want to be certain, so I guess this is a good question for a vet. :)
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Golly Kathleen, I wrote this article 2 years ago, and I have written loads more since. I did a whole load of research at the time, but cannot answer you as to where the one piece of info relating to the Orange plant came from without spending more time tracking it down again. I know I didn't imagine it and I have worked for two vets surgeries in my time. This article is simply a guideline, you would need to check it out with your vet or the ASPCA directly. Looking again at what I wrote I did not say it would kill your cat, the symptoms I list do not include death. Poisonous does not always mean it will be terminal as opposed to uncomfortable or requiring a vets attention to make your pet feel better.
Sorry I can't answer in more detail!
Thank you so much for the pictures & various names used for the same plant. My boys will be safe now & my boys are very curious. I have you in favorites & will be referring back to your site on a regular basis. Again, thank you very much.
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Glad to be of help Catherine, and pleased you will be able to use this in the future as well :)
Great list, very helpful, esp since 2 flowers on here are ones my girl kitten has taken to chewing on (carnation & primrose) which i hope wont be fatal (she seems fine though thankfully) but i am definitley bookmarking this for future reference! :)
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Do be careful though Ravenpaw. my Mum had a Yorshire Terrier dog years ago that died after eating the neighbours Primroses from her garden. All the symptoms were there, convulsions/fitting etc.
I hope this comes in useful to you in the future too :)
Cannot thank you enough for taking the time and trouble to compile this excellent list with clear pictures. It is so helpful and some garden plants need to be evicted now.
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Glad to be of help Daniella :)
I have been nursing 2 of my babies back to health for 5 days now. Both ate on my devils ivy. I didn't not know this at first because the first one to show signs of illness was one that I have a chronic constipation problem with. I thought was was constipated at first the first day I just watched him, well as a result I almost lost him. He had not ate in 2 days and not drank for a day and a half before I realized something was terribly wrong. I gave pedialyte around the clock for 3 days. He litterally did not move for 3 days. In the meantime I started noticing the other one showing signs and now I am forcing pedialyte down her. My male is better,he is eating on his own but he still will not drink very much. I am still forcing pedialite but he is up and walking and even had 2 bowl movements. Now my female is constipated on top of everything else. She ate a little this morning but will not drink. I knew the devils ivy was poisonous but did not know the signs, thank you. Oh, and just to let you know I am working very closely with my vet on this.
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Hi Lori, I am so pleased your babies are safe and that you are a responsible owner who does get veterinary treatment for her pets. I am so glad I wrote this article when I did as the amount of positive comments on it show that it really does make a difference to saving lives.
Thank you for your post! It was so helpful to me. My cat used to vomit and had diarrhea, but it never came to my head that it was because of the plants. We would blame food or her old age until last week when I suspected she tried Sweet Pea that I started growing at home, and she vomited some blood... But she is well now, and I got rid of all the suspicious plants.
One note though, it might be helpful: Muscari Mill is also poisonous. I cannot find any information about this plant, but I checked my notebook and noticed, that after a couple of days when I'd bought this flower, my cat was vomiting and had some sort of anorexia. Your post mentions Hyacinths - and Muscari Mill comes from this flower group; it surely is dangerous for cats, too. Sadly, it was my favourite flower, but I'm happy I wasn't too late to get rid of it, and this last week my cat was healthy and eating well again. Thank you once again!
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I am glad your cat is so much better now Kora, it is good to know this article has made a difference to her well-being. Also appreciate you adding the info about Muscari Mill. I am not familiar with the name, although the Muscari part does sound familiar to me from years ago when I grew Hyacinths.
Unfortunately I don't have the label which was together with the flowers when I bought them, so I might be wrong, but I think the Latin name for this flower was Muscari neglectum.
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Ahh, of course, I just checked this out and it is the 'Grape Hyacinth'. Thanks for the extra info :)
I brought a lily home yesterday not knowing it was poisonous and my kitty was smelling it and I think had some pollen residue on her nose. She did not eat any of it though. How long does it take for the side effects to happen if they do??
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Usually within a matter of a few hours, probably maximum of five or six hours. So long as she didn't wash it off herself she should be okay, but in the meantime please get rid of this plant as the pollen from lilies will readily drop on to surfaces where a cat could walk and get it on their paws etc. If your kitty looks at all unwell get her to a vet asap and tell him about the lily pollen on her nose.
Thanks for the information, mistyhorizon2003. I just responded over on your article about community/urban gardening and mentioned I am planning indoor gardening to compensate for rising food costs and the short grow season where I live. I haven't taken enough precautions in my planning to know what plants to keep out of reach of my cat! This is a good list - and I'm glad you included your source (which lists more garden/vegetable plants). Luckily, I haven't planted anything I needed to deter my cat from snooping in (whew)... he's a snoopy, persistent li'l guy! :) Voted up - a very useful hub. Thanks again!
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You are welcome Mythbuster. So pleased you found this in time (prior to your planting). I am really glad you found it helpful and also wish you well with your 'indoor gardening' which will definitely help to extend your growing season :)
Thanks so much for this information. I didn't know that lilies in particular were so toxic. I had an indoor/outdoor cat who lived for 21 years exposed to lilies, but I spent the last three years of his life hydrating him for failing kidneys. My last (and final) indoor/outdoor cat died suddenly without apparent cause, and I wonder if it was his favorite hunting ground under the orange daylilies. Most of my plants are succulents, and it is really grieving me to get rid of them, but now I have two inquisitive indoor kittens, so I guess I have to let them go. Their poisons, or acids are what help succulents survive in the wild, but I would rather it be my kittens. Thanks again for your hard work in putting together this page.
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You are very welcome LakeCabin. I am glad you found this page before it was too late for your two kittens. You might also find my article on Lilies being capable of killing your cat within hours interesting.
Amazing, truly amazing hub. For one, I didn't realize that Aloe Vera and daffodils, in particular, are toxic to cats and dogs. This work of yours is truly an exhaustive effort worthy of Pinning and sharing with my friends. Thank you for doing this.
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Thank you RichieMogwai, that is an awesome compliment :)
I had no idea so many plants were poisonous to cats. this explains why one of my cats was vomiting recently. I kept adjusting her diet but now I am convinced it must have been chewing plants. I noticed she was venturing further afield when I let her out by the front garden. Voted up.
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Thanks seanorjohn, I am delighted you enjoyed this and I hope your kitty stops being vomiting soon.
I was told by my vet that poinsettas and aloe vera would not hurt my cat or my dog
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I would not expect a Vet to know from memory every single plant that can cause your cat or dog a problem. Surprising as it may seem Vets do not know everything, and to be honest, in my experience of working in Vet's surgeries quite often I have seen the senior nurses know more than the vets do about things like this. Even vets frequently refer back to text books to check things out. I even had to explain to one vet I worked for that guinea-pigs can and do eat the flower as well as the stalk of dandelions (and he was generally a very good vet).
Don't take my word for the poinsettia and aloe vera statement, Google it and you will see it is confirmed on many sites. (Note I did say here in the article that Poinsettia is not too bad, although it can cause some problems). Aloe Vera is the one I would be most concerned about for the reasons listed.
What a fantastically helpful page. Especially helpful having pictures alongside names too. Excellent symptomatic breakdown and alternative names for plants. SO grateful for the reassurance this page has given tonight. Thank you so much.
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Glad this was so helpful to you Rachel :)
My cat ate the tiniest piece of a hyacinth leaf earlier today was was found unresponsive later on tonight. Can hyacinth kill that fast?
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It sounds rather an nasty reaction if your cat only ate a 'tiny' piece of Hyacinth. I would be inclined to assume she either ate more than you realised (possibly including the bulb) or that she had an allergic reaction to it over and above the basic poisoning effects or that something else completely caused this. Certainly if this is as a result of an allergic reaction then it could definitely happen 'that fast', sometimes allergic reactions happen within minutes depending on what causes them and the level of reaction the animal in question has, (think of how quickly a person allergic to bee stings can react). I hope your cat survives this assuming she has not already died. Your vet will do his best to save her I am sure.
Good Luck.
Marley didn't make it and my heart is absolutely broken. I will always carry the guilt of buying the f@@@!!! Plant that took his life
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I am so sorry to hear this Cami1565, you must be heartbroken, but please don't let the guilt haunt you, it could have happened to anyone, and it could have been any plant, or some other cause of death completely. You now have at least got the chance to warn other cat owners of the risks, friends, family etc. You might find my article on coping with the loss of a pet helps a little bit: https://hubpages.com/animals/How-do-you-get-over-t...
Again I am really sincerely sorry for your loss.
I have a 9 year old cat that has been chewing on my aloe plant for about 3 years and has never gotten sick from it. My other 2 cats won't touch it.
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Hi There, sounds like you might have an Aloe Vera that is one of the less toxic varieties (there are many variations). Generally they won't kill your cats, but can make them very unwell.
I must ask about your name 'Cassaday' as my Step Father (now in his late 70's) has this name, and his sisters have been trying to trace the family tree for some time now. The name (spelt this way) is quite rare, so if this is your surname I would be very grateful if you could contact me either here in the comments, or via a private message sent through my Hubpages profile page (see fan mail, then select 'email', no need to join the site) and give me a bit more info about where you live, family background etc so I can pass it on. You never know, you could be related to my Step Father and his family!!
Do I have to sign up to ask a question?
Would greatly appreciate any help/info you can provide. My nine year old girl cat has been completely listless for two days, with frequent vomiting of frothy and mucous yellow liquid only; no food interest but has had water, keeps visiting the litter box and straining to evacuate but unable to. Took her to vet today; he checked her blood levels: everything in normal range; gave her an enema and she had a partial evacuation but vet said he could still feel a stool in her intestines; gave her an appetite stimulant and a valium. As soon as I got her home she kept going to the litter box with no results for passing stool even with her straining to go. Still won't eat and she vomited again shortly after I got her home. I checked the few houseplants in the toxic list you provide (thank you) but found no signs of any having been chewed and I don't have any lilies of any kind. She does not have any diarrhea, which seems to be a symptom in plant poisoning. Called the vet back and he doesn't know what is wrong with her but said the next step would be x-rays of her intestines and possibly more enemas. Says she won't be able to have a bowel movement until she eats enough to push the stool through. Should I take her to a different vet? He is very experienced but isn't helping. He said maybe she got into something that upset her. She is strictly and indoor cat and could not have picked up or eaten anything from outdoors. Because she can't defecate, I am worried about possible bowel blockage and need to know how immediately this needs to be checked. Thank you again for any help you can give me to help her.
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No you don't need to sign up to ask a question Susie as you have now found out.
I would recommend (from having worked in two vets surgeries) an x-ray to make sure she hasn't swallowed a foreign object that is blocking her intestine (I have seen this before in both dogs and cats, and it can be anything from a small toy, a needle, a cork, pen lid or whatever, only an x-ray can determine this).
I would suggest a second opinion personally as I am surprised your vet had not already done an x-ray after the first 24 hours with no change.
Please let me know what happens.
Good luck
Thank you so much for your reply. After I sent you the above post, the vet called me and asked how she was doing and when I told him that nothing had changed he said I should bring her right back; he wanted to x-ray her for foreign objects asap. I took her immediately and waited for the results, which were negative. He suggested leaving her overnight so they could treat her some more. It's now Sunday morning and he has called me; they gave her a mineral oil enema and she passed some stool but he can feel a bit more in upper part of her intestine. They are going to force feed her some soft food by mouth and see if she can evacuate. He still can't diagnose her, said it could be an intestinal virus, which the body has to fight on its own, or it could be something toxic she ingested, which also is a matter of time to be eliminated from her system. His main concern is to get food into her; that she needs food into her digestive system in order to be able to evacuate. So far she has not vomited again. Do you think this vet is on the right track? I am very concerned, needless to say. I have a hunch that she may have picked up a rubber band on the floor somewhere (which I have to keep shut up in a drawer because she will chew them but maybe one had somehow slipped onto the floor without my knowing) and it's not showing up on the x-ray. The vet did say that was possible, if it was scrunched up enough in her intestine that it couldn't be seen. If that's the case, I'm hoping that it will finally be passed when she defecates again, but who knows how long that could take? I'm feeling a bit helpless, to be honest.
Susie
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Right now it sounds like your vet is doing the right thing. It is important she keeps taking in food to keep her system active and see if things are passing through okay day by day. A rubber band is a possibility (I have seen this happen before). I would hope that if there is no change in a day or two he would operate to investigate further and ensure nothing is blocking her intestine that is not showing up on the x-ray due to the nature of the object in question.
I am enraged at the fact that florists and other retailers do not have to label flowers as toxic to pets and children. Pet owners should get together and fight for change. I would be more than happy to start a petition (with supporters)to make this happen. My ginger ate some of the leaves in a Lilly assorted arrangement i was frightened to learn that she might die from this. Hopefully we caught it in time with induced vomiting and charcoal. She will be hydrated for the next three days. Needless to say i feel that the Sellers of such deadly plants should be held accountable for not labeling "toxic to Animals
and children"pray with me that my ginger survives..thank you
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I hope Ginger will be okay. So long as there was no pollen on the leaves she should be hopefully. It is the lily pollen that is dangerous. Good luck.
How can one even plan a garden if all these plants are poisonous? I'm sure I have had several plants for ages that are but my cat hasn't suffered. I agree about lilies but surely most cats are not out there eating plants all the timer.
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Hi shebacat, the title of this hub is A-Z of Houseplants that are Poisonous to your Cats. The key is in the word 'Houseplants' as these are the ones your bored cat is most likely to come into contact with or even chew on them. In the garden they are probably more interested in chasing mice, birds etc than they are in chewing on random plants (which is not to say they won't, only that it is less likely than in the house).
Hello, i am thinking about getting a cat and i realized i have poisonous plants like philodenrons, pathos, asparagus fern, arrowhead, aloe. Would i have to get rid of these plants? Also is a spilt leaf, purple passion and an african mask poisonous to cats?
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I would advise you to err on the side of caution Heather and get rid of any house plants just in case. I can't comment on the purple passion and the African mask as I am not familiar with them.
my cat ate 3 tomato plants, leaves and stems,
and didn't even slow her down
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Sounds like you were lucky this time Deb. Maybe they weren't big enough to do her any noticeable harm due to lack of volume of foliage and stem consumed.
Greetings. I was just wondering if Boston Fern is toxic to cats. It looks a lot like an Asparagus Fern. My cat has been chewing on it but she seems to b ok. Thanks for any information
My cat died very quickly from eating a poinsettia leaf. I even tried to give him CPR but he was gone in 5 minutes. How is it you list it as "generally over rated in toxicity?"
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So sorry for your loss Jake. I can only say that the general consensus based on cases has caused the Poinsettia to be listed as overrated in its toxicity. The sad thing is that not every cat will react the same to the toxins, so the overall scientific conclusions are based on the majority, not the minority of cases. It sounds like tragically your cat had a particularly bad reaction to the toxins, so is the exception to the rule.
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