• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Subscribe
Pawesome Cats helping cats live happy, healthy lives

Pawesome Cats

helping cats live happy, healthy lives

  • Home
  • Cat Health
  • Cat Behaviour
  • Life with Cats
  • Raw Feeding
  • Cat Breeds
You are here: Home / Cat Health / Poisonous Plants for Cats

Poisonous Plants for Cats

By Pawesome Cats | Updated on 25/03/2023

152 shares
  • Share152
  • Tweet
  • Email

This article may include affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

You’ve been given a beautiful bunch of flowers or a lovely house plant, and you want it to have pride of place in your living room…but, do you know the possible consequences if your cat decides to take a nibble? There are a number of flowers and plants that can be poisonous to your cat if he ingests them, so it pays to be aware of what those plants are and to remove them from your home.

Lillies are extremely toxic for cats | Poisonous Plants for Cats

Poisonous Plants for Cats

There are a wide variety of plants that can prove harmful to your cat, some may only cause a stomach upset and vomiting, but others, like lilies can be fatal (as one of my work colleagues tragically discovered last month after her cat ate the leaves of the flowering lily in her garden). This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some of the most common plants and flowers that can be poisonous to cats.

  • Lilies (note: lily toxicity is one of the most dangerous for cats)
  • Daffodils
  • Mistletoe
  • Yew
  • Hyacinths
  • Chrysanthemums
  • Poinsettias
  • Irises
  • Lupins
  • Oleander
  • Tomato plants
  • Potato plants
  • Tulips
  • Aloe vera

For a comprehensive list of poisonous plants for cats and other animals, please refer to the ASPCA’s Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants Database.

Signs Your Cat Has Eaten a Poisonous Plant

There are a number of symptoms that could indicate your cat has eaten a toxic plant – the most common signs of poisoning are vomiting, diarrhoea, fitting, staggering around, lethargy, difficulty breathing or drooling. Even if you don’t know for certain whether or not your cat has eaten something that he shouldn’t, if he shows any of these signs then poisoning is a distinct possibility, and the results can be fatal if left untreated.

RELATED:  How to Survive Bathing Your Cat
What to do if Your Cat Eats a Poisonous Plant

If your cat shows symptoms that could indicate he’s eaten something toxic, or if you know for certain that he has (even if he doesn’t appear to be having an adverse reaction), you need to phone your vet immediately. With the ingestion of any poisonous substances including plants, it’s essential to get your cat reviewed and treated as quickly as possible. Make sure you tell your vet exactly what plant you suspect has caused the problem, as this will allow your vet to prepare the most appropriate antidote if your cat requires it. If you know what your cat has eaten but aren’t sure what the plant is called, take a sample of the plant with you to the vet for identification as this will help determine treatment.

If you do have plants in your home or garden that can be poisonous to cats, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your cat will go near them; let alone eat them.  However, I always prefer to err on the side of caution, so if you have plants in your garden that are known to be toxic to cats, and especially if you have lilies; then I recommend removing them. The same care should be taken with house plants and cut flowers – don’t leave them unattended with your cat in the room, just in case he decides they look good enough to eat.

Image: Susan Murtaugh via Flickr

152 shares
  • Share152
  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Cat Health, Safety

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MILISSA GIRARD says

    16/09/2016 at 7:54 am

    Great post! I have had to read a lot about what plants and flowers I can and can’t bring into the house. This will really save my beloved Leo since he likes to eat them.

  2. Kitty Cat Chronicles says

    04/06/2014 at 1:10 am

    Great post! I have had to read a lot about what plans and flowers I can and can’t bring into the house, as Delilah LOVES to eat them.

  3. Fur Everywhere says

    03/06/2014 at 12:50 am

    I don’t keep flowers or plants in my home anymore because my kitties WILL eat them, and there are simply too many dangers with poisonous plants. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

  4. Sparkle says

    02/06/2014 at 6:22 pm

    The only flowers my human allows here are roses – she knows those are safe for us!

  5. charleyboy says

    02/06/2014 at 5:19 pm

    I had a plant in my bathroom, don’t know what it was, but my cat would get into the room whenever he could, and nibble a bit of the plant, it would make him sick, but he would not stop. We stopped him when ever we could, but one day he got into the room ,ate a large lump of plant, then sat down and died, within the hour, so you never know with plants, and cats don’t seem to know either.

  6. Joanna says

    02/06/2014 at 10:10 am

    Important info. I always keep this in the front of my mind when buying flowers for friends with cats. It’s AMAZING how difficult it can be to find a bunch of flowers with no lilies in it.

  7. Caren Gittleman says

    02/06/2014 at 6:47 am

    the importance of this can never be stressed enough. Back in I think 2010, I was contacted by a young boy who lived in Michigan and had his cat poisoned by an Easter Lily. He wanted me to blog about it to warn others and prevent it from happening to them. I did………he was such a darling boy and the loss of his kitty devastated him. Thank you for sharing this. Also, my most sincere condolences to your friend.

Primary Sidebar

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Latest Blog Posts

close up of ginger cat sneezing

Why Is My Cat Sneezing? 10 Possible Reasons

04/06/2023

grey cat walking on path alongside flower garden

How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden and Flower Beds

02/05/2023

cat walking with small fish in mouth

Can Cats Eat Fish (Like Tuna, Salmon, Prawns, and Sardines)?

25/04/2023

ginger cat in garden with bird in mouth

Why Do Cats Bring You Dead Animals as Gifts?

18/04/2023

light grey cat about to claw and eat tree plant

How to Keep Cats Away from Indoor Plants

11/04/2023

tabby cat with green eyes laying on blue sofa

Depression in Cats: How to Recognise the Signs

05/04/2023

ginger cat playing with red dot

Cats and Laser Pointers: Are They Safe?

26/03/2023

tabby cat drooling in arms of person wearing orange sweatshirt

Why Is My Cat Drooling? When to Be Concerned

21/03/2023

Footer

Disclaimer

All articles are based on our personal opinion and experiences. Information on this site should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice, care and treatment. If your cat is unwell and you are concerned for any reason, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Unless otherwise credited, all images and content are copyright to Pawesome Cats.

Affiliate Disclosure

Pawesome Cats is a member of affiliate programs that provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products sold online including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Associate the owner of this site earns from qualifying purchases. For more information, refer to our Disclaimer page.

Privacy

This site may collect anonymous demographic information when you visit our site, click on a link or leave a comment. For more information, read our privacy policy.

Quick Links

About   |   Contact   |   Subscribe

Copyright © 2023 Pawesome Cats - All Rights Reserved.

152 shares
 

Loading Comments...