 TOXIC PLANTS |
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TOXIC PLANTS |
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Below is a list of common houseplants that can be harmful or fatal depending on the quantity swallowed. Also, remember that cats who chew plants are exposed to any chemical pesticides or fertilizers that may have been applied directly to the plants or through the soil. You can prevent your cat from chewing on plants by misting the leaves then sprinkling them with cayenne pepper. You might also want to consider planting a container of grass (regular grass, not the drug) for your cat. If your cats are digging in your pots, go to your local hobby/craft store and buy a few pieces of plastic needlepoint canvas. Trim it to the shape of the pot, cut a slit in it and then a hole in the center for the plant. Rest it on top of the soil and your cat will be unable to dig. Note that any plant that looks like a variation of grass is likely going to be considered food to a cat, so it's best to keep them in hanging pots well out of reach. Symptoms of poisoning will range from seizures and foaming at the mouth to vomiting and coma. Immediate medical attention - as soon as you see the cat has eaten a toxic substance (don't wait for symptoms to appear) - is necessary. The ASPA National Animal Poison Control Center is a 24-hour emergency service with phones manned by licensed veterinarians and toxicologists: 900-680-0000 ($20 for 5 minutes and $2.95/minute thereafter) 800-548-2423 ($30 per case) |
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Toxic Plants In most cases, if your cat has eatten any of these plants or trees, its stomach must be pumped. Induce vomiting, unless your cat is unconscious or having convulsions. Get immediate veterinary assistance. * = some cats who eat these plants will show no symptoms; others may drool, have diarrhea, vomit, swelling on side & around the mouth, or difficulty in breathing; houseplants. ** = unless otherwise noted, most of these plants cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, & cramps; outdoor plants |
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A Acrum Algerian Ivy ** Almond--difficult breathing * Amaryllis--vomiting ** American Yew ** Angel's Trumpet ** Apricot Apricot pits--stupor ** Arrowgrass--can be fatal Arrowhead Vine *Asparagus Fern Autumn Crocus Avocado *, ** Azalea B Baneberry Belladonna *, ** Bird of Paradise ** Bittersweet--the berries can be fatal ** Black Locust Bleeding Heart Bloodroot Boston Ivy Boxwood Buckthorn--vomiting ** Buttercup C Caladium--swelling Calla Lily--immediate nausea * Castor Bean--can be fatal * Cherry (Jerusalem & ordinary) Cherry (wild black) ** Cherry Tree--foliage & bark can cause cyanide poisoning ** China Berry--causes convulsions Christmas Rose Chrysanthemum Clematis ** Coriara Corn Plant * Creeping Charlie * Crown of Thorns D ** Daffodil--diarrhea Daphne ** Delphinium * Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane, mother-in-law plant)--salivation--can be fatal Dracaena Palm E * Easter Lily--nontoxic to humans but often fatal in cats *, ** Elderberry--can cause cyanide poisoning * Elephant's Ear, Elephant Ears--immediate nausea ** English Holly--abdominal pain English Ivy--immediate nausea ** English Yew Eunonymous F ** Foxglove--abdominal pain G Garden Sorrel--vomiting * Glocal Ivy Glory Lily--vomiting Golden Chain Tree H * Heart Ivy ** Hemlock--can be fatal Holly--salivation Holly Hyacinth Honeysuckle--possible nerve involvement Horse Chestnut--abdominal pain, diarrhea, immediate nausea Hydrangea I Iris * Ivy J Jack-in-the-Pulpit--immediate nausea * Japanese Yew ** Jasmine Jequirity Pea Jerusalem Cherry--abdominal pain ** Jimsonweed--can be fatal L Lantana ** Larkspur Laurel *, ** Lily of the Valley--pupil dilation--can be fatal ** Locoweed--can be fatal ** Lupine |
M Marijuana Marsh Marigold Mayapple ** Mescal Bean *, ** Mistletoe--irregular heartbeat--can be fatal ** Mock Orange--vomiting Monkshood ** Moonweed--causes convulsions Morning Glory Mountain Laurel ** Mushrooms & Toadstools--cats like to eat them; can be fatal N Narcissus * Needlepoint Ivy O Oleander--immediate nausea * Ornamental Yew P Peach Pits--coma ** Peach Tree--leaves & bark can cause cyanide poisoning Peyote Cactus * Philodendron [heart leaf]--salivation--can be fatal * Poinsettia--possible kidney involvement--leaves can be fatal Poison Hemlock ** Pokeweed Poppy Pot Chrysanthemum Potato Pothos (devil's ivy) ** Privet, Privit--delayed vomiting R ** Rhodedendron *, ** Rhubarb--diarrhea--can cause convulsions & death * Ripple Ivy Rubber Plant S Schefflera ** Skunk Cabbage--immediate nausea Snow-on-the-Mountain ** Soapberry Spathiphyllum * Spider Chrysanthemum Spider Plant ** Spinach * Sprangeri Fern T Tobacco ** Tomato Vine Tulip U * Umbrella Plant W Water Hemlock Weeping Fig (ficus) ** Wisteria--salivation Y Yew--vomiting Bibliography Bleecker, Arline. The Secret Life of Cats. Florida: Globe Communications Corp., 1995. Curtis, Patricia. No Bad Cats. Florida: Globe Communications Corp., 1993. Hemple, Toby. Cat Lover's Handbook. Florida: Globe Communications Corp., 1995. Kitten Chow Kitten Care Booklet Cat Health and Care. New York: Philip Lief Group, Inc., 1994. Rubin, Sheldon, DVM. Practical Guide To Cat Care. Publications Internation, Ltd., 1995
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Plants that should not cause concern: |
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African violet Baby tears Begonia spp. Bignonia Blue daisy Blue escheveria Boston fern Bottlebrush spp. Brazilian orchid Butterfly iris/spuria spp Camelia Canary date palm Canna lily Canterbury-bell Cape Jasmine Cape Primrose Carob Carrot fern Cast iron plant Celosia cristata spp. Chestnut Coleus Creeping charlie Creeping gloxinia Cushion aloe False Aralia Ferns Figleaf palm |
Geraniums Gloxinia Golden bells/Forsyth Grape Hyacinth Hawthorn spp. Hollyhock Irish moss
Jasmine Kentia palm Magnolia Manila palm Maranta Mistletoe cactus Mulberry tree
Neanthe Bella palm Palm lily/Yucca eleph. Parsley Peperomia spp. Redhot poker/Kniphof. Snapdragon Spiderplant(debatable) Star lily/Leucocrinum m Strawberry Summer hyacinth Sunflower Sweet william Sweedish Ivy Umbrella plant Zinnia spp. |
| Some cat owners have found that growing grass or fresh catnip in a little pot, just for their pet, satisfies the animal's desires for greenery and keeps their houseplants unmolested |
AVMA PET POISON GUIDE |
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UK ANIMAL HEALTH RESOURCES |
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CANADIAN POISONOUS PLANTS INFO |