Pretty Deadly for Your Cat: 8 Toxic Plants

Houseplants and gorgeous gardens are the pride of many homeowners. We spend hours and lots of money selecting the perfect plant, tilling the soil and helping them to flourish. Plants inside the home have been shown to reduce indoor pollutants and freshen the air. Cut flowers from the florist can show someone that you care and can brighten up the room. But all of this beauty can be deadly... if you have a cat.

Many houseplants are toxic to both cats and dogs. Some can cause mild digestive upset while others can cause irreversible organ damage and death. It is important for all pet owners to be aware of these toxic plants and avoid having them in your home. Cats are especially at risk for poisoning, as they are very curious creatures and can jump up high to reach almost any plant for tasting.

8 Common Toxic Plants:

Lily

Lilies are beautiful and many varieties make beautiful bouquets and houseplants. Easter lilies are popular during the spring and Tiger lilies make their debut in the gardens all summer long. If your own a cat, think again before introducing any variety of lily into your home or garden. All parts of the lily are deadly if eaten by cats, including the pollen! Pollen from cut lilies in floral arrangements has been known to cause death in cats. The toxic principle is still unknown to science but something in the lily causes acute kidney failure in cats. If you have lilies nearby and your cat begins to show signs such as vomiting, anorexia, lethargy and less urination - seek veterinary medical care immediately.

Amaryllis

The amaryllis plant has large, showy blooms in red, white and other colors. It is a common gift around Christmas and Easter each year and bloom indoors and outdoors. The leaves and blooms are toxic to both cats and dogs, causing diarrhea, depression, vomiting, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, anorexia and seizures.

Oleander

Oleander plants are common in subtropical and tropical areas as outdoor ornamentals. They have long, slender leaves and pink to purple blooms. Outdoor cats and dogs can be exposed to oleander poisoning if they decide to take a quick bite of a bright bloom or clippings from landscaping crews. Signs of toxicity include heart arrhythmias, lethargy, hypothermia, vomiting, diarrhea and even sudden death.

Aloe Vera

Aloe is a popular plant to keep at home as a remedy for minor cuts and burns. Just snip off a portion of the plant and rub it on your skin... if you're a human! Aloe plants are toxic to cats and dogs, causing vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, seizures and change in urine color.

Baby's Breath

A popular tiny white flower often used in floral arrangements, baby's breath is bite-sized for your curious kitten. Baby's breath's toxic principle causes vomiting, diarrhea and possibly dehydration in cats and dogs.

Diffenbachia

Diffenbachia, also known as "dumb-cane" is a popular houseplant. It is easy to care for and grows attractive tall, slender and sometimes striped leaves. It also contains a very irritating substances called calcium oxalate. Cats and small children often like to nibble on the leaves, causing numbness of the mouth and ulcerations if a large quantity is eaten. Other signs include excessive salivation, pawing at the mouth, difficulty swallowing, anorexia and vomiting.

Mistletoe

Christmas just isn't Christmas without hanging mistletoe. Even if it hangs high in your home, leaves can fall to the floor where dogs and cats can take a nibble. Kissing under the mistletoe may make your heart race, but it can cause just the opposite when eaten by your pets. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, low heart rate, erratic behavior, diarrhea, low blood pressure and difficulty breathing.

Cyclamen

These hardy potted plants are common gifts and are easy to care for. Their bright blooms, leaves and especially roots are toxic to dogs and cats. After ingestion, intense vomiting and diarrhea occur and some deaths have been reported.

"Curiosity killed the cat" and that is often what happens when cats are around the wrong plants. Taking a nibble here and there is annoying but can also be deadly. 

Do your pets a favor by doing a quick inventory of plants in your house and garden - it could save their life!

Credit: Deborah Shores

Cat Signs

Cats have a reputation for being a bit mysterious, but devoted owners often come to love their kitten's quirks and personality. Understanding their way of communicating with you is the best way to appreciate their love!

Cats communicate with each other using voice, smell, movements and pose. Their language is universal, just like love. A cat from China can easily understand a cat from Germany. So here are some ways of how they express their feelings to you.

Body Language

Active, quick, muscular, graceful, with athletic body - all these words can be said about healthy cats. They use their bodies in extremely expressive manner. Cats might be the experts at reticence. If a cat sprawls before you, that means she feels comfortable and confidently. If she turns over to the back. that, probably, means she is in good spirits and feels slack and playful.

Eyes meet eyes!

Eyes are the mirror of the soul and it is quite true for cats. Cats will never delude you. Each time you cat is looking at you to understand what you want. If your cat has been looking at you for some seconds, then blinks and turns away, that means it recognizes you but doesn't invite you to communicate with it. Don't worry it's not rude! The pupils of the eye will say more. If they are dilated they seem to cry with fear. If you are not sure whether your cat is frightened or not, look at its pupils. Wide open eyes and dilated pupils mean that something awful is coming. If you cat acts aggressively, its pupil may turn to narrow slits.

Tail tells!

If you can read what the cat's tail is telling you, you will know what is on its mind. The tail could stick straight up. In this case it is used to demonstrate self-confidence and a sense of pride. Cats that carry their tails this way walk very pompously. When your cat is frightened, its tail looks like a bottle brush. If the tail is fluffy and looks bigger that it is, it signifies the mixture of false courage and fear.

Quick swings of the tail is a joyous greeting, the cat rubs against your legs, purrs showing its joy about your coming home.

 Sounds Purr-rrrfect!

Purring is the most mysterious process that you may imagine. Most cat owners think cats are purring when they're satisfied. It's true but not the only condition under which cats purr. However, It also happens when cats are feeling pain.

Purring means you are spending time together with harmony. That means to stretch your hand to your best friend at night. These are moments when your cat pushes its head and your chin when you are sad. Whatever it means, in such a way cats express bliss as well. There is no doubt that this is the most beautiful sound among those cats utter.

What greater gift than the love of a cat?

Credit: Kamran Awan

Avoid Making Your Cat Anxious

Some people use punishment as a way to discipline their cat. This is certainly not the solution, as there are other ways to correct a bad behavior. While punishment could lessen the problematic behavior, it does not resolve the underlying problem. Since your cat is not aware of her wrongdoing, she does not know what to do next. Your feline pet does not understand that some behaviors are not pleasant; punishment will only be casual and meaningless to her. She will just become anxious and cautious. Also, she may associate some unrelated parts of the situation like people or pets with the reason for punishment.

You bring out the crate only when it is time to go to the vet.

Most cats are placed inside the crate during stressful circumstances, like going to the vet or groomer. They may learn to hate their crate, and some will even hide or struggle just to keep them from going inside. You should encourage your cat to go inside her carrier and have fun everyday, so that it would be less stressful for both you and your cat to take her to the vet, grooming place or other places, in which she needs to stay insider her carrier.

You think it is amusing and harmless to scare your cat.

There are videos showing cats frightened by cucumbers. You may find it hilarious, but it is not so for a cat. Surely, people do not intend to cause any harm to their cats when scaring them. However, they are not aware of the problems resulting from this so-called "funny" behavior. Cats that get startled repeatedly can become neurotic and cautious or even refrain from venturing into places that used to be safe to them. It is even particularly dangerous to scare cats in places where she usually eats or drinks, since she will avoid going to these areas. So, she may not get the right nutrition she needs, which may lead to health problems. This is certainly no joke.

You think your cat is contented about sleeping the whole day.

Cats are naturally born hunters, but may not have the chance to hunt in a way that is acceptable to us. Usually, cat owners think that their pets have lost their desire to hunt and just like to bask under the sunlight the whole day. However, when her hunting instincts are not used in a constructive manner, she may turn to scratching fixtures, climbing up curtains and running after other cats. Otherwise, she could sleep the whole day and miss out on the exercise needed to maintain her ideal weight and good health. The best way to address this concern is to let her "hunt" for her own food. Serve portions of her food in food puzzles or else, place kibble in different spots of the home where she usually goes to, such as her perches, to find food by herself. You can play a hunting game and in the end, give her a treat or cat meal.

Credit: Matt McWilliam