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Identifying Common Indoor Plants Toxic to Cats

Learn to spot common houseplants that could harm your cats and keep them safe.

By: THURSD | 23-04-2024 | 4 min read
Garden Plants Indoor Plants
Plants Toxic to Cats

When you notice that your cat is behaving strangely, and you don’t know why that is, it might be because it ate something bad, or it might behave strangely because it ate a part of one of your houseplants which you didn’t know were toxic to cats.

Cats don’t tend to be poisoned by toxic indoor plants that often, but if you have one of the plants mentioned in this article at home, you might want to move them to somewhere where your cat can’t reach them. But, let’s first see what breeds can endure something like this.

Resilient Cat Breeds

We can’t be sure that there are breeds of cats that are more resilient than other cats, but as we can observe in dogs, birds, and even cattle, there are some healthier than others and with inherently better immune systems.

So, the Maine Coon, and the Siberian cat are well-known for their robust immunity. They might not be directly immune to the toxicity of indoor plants, but their robust immune system might help them recover faster.

Cat DNA analysis can tell you if your cat is a more resilient breed according to these observations. But, it can also vary according to the age of the cat, the overall health, and the general genetic predispositions. Nevertheless, let’s see which plants are toxic.

 

lady holding cat
Picture by @Sam Lion

 

The Most Toxic Lily

It certainly is a beautiful flower, but it is highly toxic to cats. The Lilium Longiflorum affects the cat’s kidneys. If your cat ingests any part of the plant or even takes a few sips of water from the vase, it may suffer severe kidney damage and even fatal kidney failure.

If you notice your cat vomiting, being lethargic, having a loss of appetite, urinating more frequently, and being dehydrated, check your plant, and take it to the veterinarian’s as soon as possible. An early intervention might help prevent more serious conditions.

Tiger Lily

It’s best to avoid these Lillies as well because they’re as toxic as the Easter Lily. They cause kidney failure as well if the cat ingests any part of the plant and is not admitted to immediate care by the veterinarian as soon as you notice strange behavioral patterns and symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, and increased urination.

Philodendron

This is one of the more popular houseplants, a very common one indeed. But it has calcium oxalate crystals, and these crystals can cause terrible issues if a cat ingests them. The crystals are microscopic, and they can be found in all parts of the plant. So, if a cat eats it it will feel:

 

lady caring beautiful cat
Picture by @Sasha Kim

 

Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is a very common plant as well, and it contains the same oxalate crystals as the Philodendron. So, the symptoms will be the same, and if you notice any of them, call a veterinarian.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is known for all of its health benefits, and it’s used to treat the skin and conditions like burns. But, it can be very toxic to cats. The toxic part is the latex beneath the outer skin of the leaves.

So, if you have this plant, and you have a cat, watch out for symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite. If you notice any of these, go to your veterinarian as soon as possible before it becomes too late.

Conclusion

There are very common indoor plants that are toxic to cats, and there’s a good chance that you have one of these at home. Be sure to watch out for symptoms like vomiting, loss of appetite, and increased urination in your cats. If you notice it, take your cat to the veterinarian.

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