Choosing a Safe Cat Plant

If you are a pet owner but you also like plants, choosing a safe cat plant is a priority. Some plants are toxic for cats when ingested. If you have safe plants, your cat won’t be in danger of being poisoned. Knowing what plants are potentially poisonous can save you the trouble of having to rush to the emergency room to save your pet.

Poisonous Plants for Cats

There are a lot of plants that are poisonous for cats. Some of these plants cause mild allergic reactions, while others are so toxic they could kill your pet.

When choosing a plant, stay away from the followings:

• Tiger lilies are highly toxic for cats, and may lead to kidney failure within 48 hours of the ingestion of the plant
• Calla lily
• Christmas rose
• Poison ivy, Boston ivy and other types of ivy
• Chrysanthemum
• Aloe Vera
• Elephant ears
• English Holly
• Umbrella plant
• Mistletoe
• Saddleleaf
• Daffodils
• Bulb plants (i.e., tulips)
• Creeping or weeping figs
• Creeping Charlie
• Landscape plants, such as azalea
• Plants from the potato family eaten raw can be toxic for cats. If you grow these in your garden, make sure the cat doesn’t have access to these. The most toxic parts from the plants are the stems and the leaves.

Safe Plants

You must avoid plants that are toxic for your cat, but there is a wide range of other plants to choose from. Some safe plants for your pet include:

• Hanging African violet
• Shrimp plant
• Begonias
• Geranium plant
• Miniature roses
• Spider plant
• Hanging African violet
• Cacti
• Catnip

Signs of Poisoning in Cats

You must recognize the signs of poisoning in your pet, in case he ingests any toxic plants from other gardens.

A poisoned cat will be very thirsty, may vomit, lacks appetite and may experience seizures.

You need to get to the vet within 24 hours after the ingestion of the toxic plant, to eliminate the poison from the cat’s body and prevent coma or death.

Greens for Your Cat

Cats like plants because they have a different texture and also satisfy their craving for greens. If you would like to protect your plants from your cat, you should offer him grass or greens. In this way, your cat will chew on the greens and will let your plants be.

Get a grass growing kit, which will ensure that the grass you feed your cat will be pesticide and fertilizer free. If you grow grass or plants in your garden, make sure you use pesticides and fertilizers that are safe for pets. Check the labels of the products you use.

Having safe plants in your home reduces the risks of your cat ingesting poisonous materials. There are also some foods that are toxic for cats: keep them away from alcohol, chocolate, chewing gum, grapes or raisins.