Now that the Christmas tree has left the house, a bare space has emerged. You long for new green and color in your home. But, beware, some plants and flowers are (just like the Christmas tree and the poinsettia) poisonous for a cat.
By the way, most cats stay well away from the plants or flowers. However, if a cat has a fur ball in its abdomen, it has a natural tendency to eat grass to cause it to vomit. Grassy plants therefore pose a greater risk to the cat than a succulent plant.
We will gladly give you a list of which plants you should not put in the house if you have a cat. In the list we have indicated in bold type and with exclamation marks plants with a high risk. These plants can cause acute kidney failure, with a serious decrease in the prognosis for survival.
- Agave
- Allamande
- Alocasia
- Aloe vera (!!!!)
- Amaryllis
- Anemone
- Azalea
- Exacum Affine
- Caladium
- Calla
- Chrysanthemum (!!!!)
- Croton
- Cyclamen
- Dieffenbachia (!!!!)
- Ficus
- Hedera
- Hortensia / hydrangea
- Ilex aquifolium / holly
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Genista (Broom)
- Areca
- Clerodendrum trichotomum
- Primula obconica
- Christmas Carol
- Poinsettia
- Lathyrus
- Lilium (!!!!)
- Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Spathiphyllum
- Vinca
- Viscum album
- Narcissus
- Nerium
- Winter cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
- Yucca filamentosa
- Philodendron
- Sansevieria (!!!!)
- Capsicum annuum
- Natal lily or bush lily (Clivia)
- Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)
- Fatsia
- Wax plant (Hoya carnosa)
- Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
What can you do to prevent your cat from touching / eating the plant?
There are several things you can do to prevent your cat from touching the plant.
- Put the plant out of reach from the cat
- Punish when the cat approaches the plant (with spray of water or compressed air, for example)
- Place the plant on aluminum foil (cats don’t like to touch this)
- Surround with scents such as: lavender, lemongrass or nettle
- Mixing Lion poop in the sand (fable or truth?)
What symptoms does a cat with poisoning show?
It is not always clear that a cat has ingested a poison. It is often the case that the symptoms only come up late when the poison has already been absorbed into the blood. Or it is not clear that the disease actually comes from the poison of a plant. Pay attention to the following symptoms in any case:
- Weakness
- No appetite
- Vomiting
- No / little activity (much sleeping)
What should you do if you think the cat has touched / eaten a poisonous plant?
For example, if you see the pollen from the plant on the fur of the animal, make sure you clean it well (preferably with water). If you notice any of the symptoms or the animal is sick, contact your veterinarian.
Your veterinarian will try to induce vomiting and try to dilute the poison in the blood with a drip and help the kidneys to process / excrete the poison.