If you are a cat owner, then you want to do everything you can to keep your cat safe and healthy. You might buy them a specific brand of food because they have an allergy to certain ingredients. When their litter box gets dirty, you change it, so your cat has a clean place to go potty. Another way that cat owners can keep their cats safe and healthy is by keeping poisonous indoor plants out of their homes. Many cat owners don’t realize that some plants can be fatal to cats. As cat sitters we are available to not only watch your cats but to help you keep them safe, as well. Keep reading here to find out more about poisonous indoor plants for cats.
1. Peace Lilies or Spathiphyllum
One of the most poisonous indoor plants for cats is peace lilies. Many people have these plants in their houses around Easter time or in the spring. They have white flowers, dark leaves, and don’t require much maintenance. This is why they are such a popular indoor plant choice for many homeowners. However, these plants are poisonous to cats. They have calcium oxalates in them. Calcium oxalates can cause cats to:
- Vomit
- Have mouth irritation
- Drool a lot
- Have trouble breathing
- Have trouble swallowing
It is important to note that these plants are safe for cats to touch. However, if they ingest them, this would be the problem. It is best not to have peace lilies in your home if you have cats.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera plants have succulent-like, thick leaves. These leaves have jagged edges. Many people think that aloe vera is completely harmless. In fact, they can be used for healing and offers some other benefits to humans, as well. However, it needs to be known that these plants can be very poisonous to cats. Aloe vera plants have saponins and anthraquinones in them. These properties can cause your cat to:
- Become lethargic
- Vomit
- Have diarrhea
If too much aloe vera is consumed, your cat can become extremely ill.
3. Devil’s Ivy
Devil’s Ivy is a viny plant that can grow to be quite big. Many homeowners like this plant. The vines have foliage that is heart-shaped. However, this is one of the most poisonous indoor plants for cats. If you have devil’s ivy in your home and your cat eats it, it can cause the following:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Cramping
Depending on how much of this your cat gets, they can get very sick.
4. Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa is another indoor plant that is toxic for cats. Many people enjoy the look of this tropical plant. They don’t require much maintenance, so they are very easy to care for, as well. Unfortunately, this houseplant has insoluble calcium oxalates in it. This can cause your cat to:
- Have burning on their lips and inside their mouth
- Drool excessively
- Have swelling of the mouth
- Vomit
If you currently have any monstera deliciosa plants in your house and you have cats, it would be best to remove these plants from your home. You can replace them with a plant that is safe for cats.
5. Chinese Evergreen
The majority of Chinese evergreen plants have leaves that are green with patterned silver across them. They can have blooms on them when they get enough light. These plants are quite small. However, they are poisonous to cats. If your cats eat this plant, the following could happen:
- Pawing their face or body
- Foaming at the mouth
- Vomiting
- Swelling of their mouth
- Difficulty breathing and/or swallowing
These things might not happen immediately after your cat gets into the Chinese Evergreen. This is why some cat owners don’t realize the plant is what caused their cat to get sick. It is best not to have Chinese Evergreen in a house where there are cats.
6. Sago Palm or Cycas Revoluta
Sago palms are fun to have in your home. They make some people feel more like they live in the tropics. However, the cycasin in these plants makes them extremely toxic for cats. Some of the ways that cycasin affects cats include:
- Causing vomiting
- Causing diarrhea
- Leading to liver failure
- Fatal reactions
If you have cats in your house, sago palms should not be in the home.
7. Chives
Chive plants have slender, small clumps of bulbs on them. They also have bluish-green leaves. When fully grown, these plants are usually between 10 to 15 inches tall. Some people think that these plants are edible. For humans, that might be true. However, cats should not eat these. They are very toxic for them. Some of the things that could happen if your cat eats chive plants include the following:
- Damage to their red blood cells
- Weakening of the body
- Not able to move well
If you notice these things happening with your cat, they might have eaten a chive plant. You should have them see a veterinarian right away.
8. English Ivy or Hedera Helix
The English ivy plants have pointed, small leaves. They look very pretty. Many homeowners have these plants in their houses. However, because cats are often attracted to plants, they may eat them. If your cat were to eat an English ivy plant, it would be toxic for them. This is because there are triterpenoid saponins in these plants. The triterpenoid saponins can cause your cat to experience:
- Weakness in their body
- Vomiting
- Drooling excessively
- Swelling of the throat
- Rash
- Dermatitis
- Ataxia
If you have these poisonous plants in your house, be sure to get them out before your cat gets into them.
9. Asparagus Fern
Asparagus fern plants are tall with branches falling downward. They have thin, tiny leaves that make the plant look fluffy. The asparagus fern plants can have small berries or flowers on them. Some of the other names for this plant is lace fern, emerald feather, or emerald fern. It is important for all cat owners to know that asparagus fern is toxic for cats. Mostly, it is the berries on these plants that are toxic. Some of the things that your cat might experience if they eat asparagus fern include the following:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Stomach cramping
If your cat has any of these symptoms, it is best to have a veterinarian take a look at them. There are numerous things that can cause these symptoms and eating asparagus fern berries is one of them.
10. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Do you have any mother-in-law’s tongue plants in your house? These plants have long, green leaves on them. There are golden yellow edges on the leaves. There are different sizes and shapes of these plants, as well. Some of them are braided or fan-shaped. Those plants have grey or green leaves. There are some smaller and thinner mother-in-law’s tongue plants, too. No matter which type of this plant you have, they are all toxic for cats. If your cat ingests this plant, some of the things they might experience include the following:
- Drooling
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If your cat is experiencing these things, you should have a veterinarian examine them. No matter how much of this plant your cat ingested, they could get very sick from it. Even if you think your cat is going to be fine, it is best to have the veterinarian examine your cat just to be sure.
Let Our Cat Sitting Professionals Help to Keep Your Cat Safe
These are just some of the poisonous indoor plants for cats that you need to know about. As a cat care business, we want to help cat owners keep their cats safe at all times. When providing cat sitting services, we watch your cat while you are away. If we see poisonous plants for cats in your home, we can let you know.
Contact us to learn more about our cat sitting services. We would be happy to help you find out if you have any plants in your house that are poisonous to your cat.
