Cats are the cutest little beings that bring us immense joy. They have a curious look and make great companions. Cats are also adorable with their meows, even when they’re annoyed. When they bring so much love into our lives, it’s only fair to reciprocate.
Some toxic plants for cats may them their lives. But which plants are toxic? Many common plants are harmful to cats. So, if you are a cat owner, you should know what’s great for cats and what to avoid because it is not the best for them.
Some seemingly beautiful and harmless plants can be not so friendly for your cat. Here’s a list of 10 poisonous plants for cats:
1. Sago Palm
Image credits - Rumman Amin, Unsplash
Sago Palm is a beautiful plant with plenty of prickly fronds. Although this palm plant looks great, it’s highly poisonous for cats, even in small concentrations. The seeds of this plant contain the most amount of toxins of all its parts. The contaminant present in the Sago palm plant is called cycasin, which causes liver damage and even liver failure in extreme cases.
2. Daffodils
Daffodils are a treat to our eyes, but they’re very harmful to our feline friends. The whole plant is poisonous, but ingesting the bulbs would cause severe damage to cats. If your pet eats a lot of it, there may be face seizure (similar to epilepsy), a drop in blood pressure, and cardiac arrhythmia.
3. Tulips
From petals to stems and leaves, tulips are extremely toxic plants for cats. The most quantity of toxic compounds is present in tulip bulbs. If your cat eats a bulb or two, it may experience diarrhoea, vomiting, hypersalivation, etc. If you suspect tulip poisoning, get your cat to the nearest vet as soon as possible.
4. Aloe Vera
While aloe vera is a miracle plant for humans, it’s moderately poisonous for cats. Pure aloe vera contains saponins, putting it on the list of toxic plants for cats. But the interesting thing here is that the gel is safe for cats. It’s the outer white waxy coating that’s the problem. So keep your cat away from aloe vera plants in your home.
5. Hyacinths
Hyacinths have gorgeous flowers that grow tall and bunchy. They’re found in several shades, like pink, purple, white, yellow, red, and more. Their fragrance is almost addicting. But they’re not cat-friendly at all and are toxic plants for cats. Cats can experience issues even if they sniff a hyacinth flower. This happens due to the high level of toxins like allantoin present in hyacinths. These toxins can cause intense diarrhoea and blood vomiting.
6. Lilies
Lilies are easily found in living room vases, gracing the room with their ethereal beauty. However, they’re very harmful to cats. All parts of the lily plant, stems, flowers, leaves, and pollen can be fatal to your cat, even on contact. Consider this example to get an idea of how dangerous lilies are for your cat. Say your cat drinks or licks some of the water in which the lilies were kept. It would most likely die of kidney failure. Hence, lilies are one of the most toxic plants for cats.
7. Cyclamen
Cyclamens are mild to moderately toxic for cats. The tubers are more toxic than the flowers and leaves. So, if your cat chews any of these parts of the cyclamen plant, it might get diarrhoea, vomiting, and hypersalivation. If the cat eats a small quantity, you can rinse the mouth with water to help ease any irritation.
8. Autumn Crocus
Various autumn plants are harmful to cats, and the crocus is no exception. All parts of this plant can cause serious trouble for pets if they bite or chew them. Crocus can cause vomiting, digestive issues, and episodes of seizure for your cat. Watch out for these signs in your cat during the autumn season.
9. Azaleas
Azaleas are moderately toxic in common cats, but they usually don’t cause fatal effects. If your cat chews a couple of azalea leaves, it may experience loss of appetite, an upset stomach, or vomiting.
10. Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia is commonly called a ‘dumb cane.’ It’s a common house plant known for its lush, dark green leaves with white patterns on them. It can instantly brighten up the appearance of any room. Dumb canes possess a peculiar property of causing burning sensations in your cat’s mouth if it eats some leaves. There could also be swelling, drooling, and breathing difficulties. Therefore, keep these plants where your pet can’t reach them.
You know what they say, ‘better safe than sorry.’ Avoid getting the above plants for your house if you have a cat. And if you do have some of these in your home, remember to keep them away from your cat’s sight or reach. Another great thing could be to buy pet friendly plants. Ugaoo has a wide selection of pet-friendly plants to choose from. You can check it out at Ugaoo.com.
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