If you get a cat and you also have some plants in your home or would like to get some plants, you need to bear in mind that there are a few plants that are toxic for cats. There are a number of plants for cats that are safe, so you need to know which these plants are.
Cats enjoy chewing on plants, as these have a unique texture. Having toxic plants in your home exposes your pet to great risks.
Safest Plants
Even if you don’t buy a plant for your cat to eat, you have to keep in mind that your pet may eat a few leaves out of curiosity or boredom. This is why you need to choose some plants that are not toxic. Some of the safest plants for cats include the followings:
- Catnip
- Grass
- Cacti, but ensure that the plant is a real cacti and not just a succulent plant
- Geranium plants
- Begonias
- Hanging violet or other violets
- Miniature roses
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- Mint
- Oats
- Parsley
- Roses
- Spinach plant
- Petunia
- Daisies
These plants may be ingested by your cat without any digestive problems and none of components of the plant are toxic. You can keep these plants in your home or your garden, without having to worry about cat repellents. However, you have to make sure the pesticides and fertilizers you use are not toxic for pets; check the label before buying any gardening products.
It is also recommended to grow grass or catnip especially for your cat and administer a daily portion of green plants. This will keep your cat away from inspecting the other plants.
Toxic Plants to Felines
There are a number of plants that can be fatal for your cat. Keep a list of these and remove them from your home or garden in case you have them or place them in an area where your cat doesn’t have access.
The most toxic plants for cats include the lilies, all species of ivies, the chrysanthemum, the Christmas rose, mistletoe, all types of figs, daffodils, aloe vera, bulb plants, azalea, the potato family plants, the umbrella plants or the English Holly.
These toxic plants can cause a lot of irreversible kidney damage and the ingestion of these plants can be fatal.
Some common poisoning symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of balance, lack of appetite, increased thirst or seizures and even coma, in advanced stages of poisoning. In case your cat is poisoned, you have to hurry to an emergency vet clinic.
In case you are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, you should ask your vet or get some cat repellents. There are artificial and natural cat repellents that have a smell cats don’t like and these will keep your cat away from the plants. The repellents are available as powders or sprays and you need to use these regularly to keep the cat at a distance.