There are plants in the garden, as well as fruits and vegetables, that are poisonous to pets. What are cats not allowed to eat in the garden and what can you do to protect your cat’s health?
What are cats not allowed to eat in the garden: poisonous plants
Anyone who has a cat knows that cats are curious, and that inquiring mind extends to just about everything in your home and garden, including your plants. However, many plants are dangerous for cats. What plants are poisonous to cats and how to protect your cat from dangerous plants and flowers in the garden? It is important to know which plants are potentially harmful and to what extent. If you have this information, you can protect your cat. Listed below are some of the most common plants that cause poisoning in cats:
Narcissus cause cardiac arrhythmia
What plants are poisonous to cats? Although daffodils are some of the most popular spring flowers in the garden, they are poisonous to cats. What problems do flowers cause in cats? The spring blooms contain a toxic alkaloid that can cause vomiting in cats. Onion is the most toxic to cats and if your cat has eaten nazzis it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and abnormal heart rhythms.
What are cats not allowed to eat in the garden: hydrangeas
Who doesn’t love hydrangeas? But do you know these ornamental flowers are toxic to cats? The toxic substance is called cyanogenic glycoside and is found in flowers, leaves, buds and stems. When a cat consumes flower heads, it can cause stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness.
Azalea is moderately toxic to cats
All varieties of azalea are moderately toxic to cats and can cause heart problems. Other problems are vomiting, diarrhea, weakness. Although this member of the rhododendron family is only moderately toxic to cats, it’s still wise to keep your cats away.
Lily is one of the dangerous flowers
You may not be aware of how deadly these pretty plants can be to a cat. Lilies are on cats’ list of undesirable plants in the garden because ingesting parts of the plant can lead to kidney failure and eventual death. The entire lily plant is poisonous: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase where you’ve soaked lilies. Even ingesting small amounts can be fatal to a cat. If your cat has eaten lilies, it can die of kidney failure within a few days. If you treat them quickly, your pet can survive.
Chrysanthemums should not be eaten by cats
There are several types of chrysanthemums, all of which are poisonous to cats, especially the leaves and stems. The plants cause vomiting or diarrhea if swallowed by cats. Other symptoms include lethargy, tumbling, loss of appetite, or skin irritation.
Ivy can cause respiratory problems in cats
Ivy is very popular as a ground cover, but beware! Many species of ivy – including the popular English ivy – are moderately toxic to cats, causing gastrointestinal symptoms, burning or irritation in the mouth. Difficulty breathing, coma, or even death can also result if your cat consumes a large amount of the leaves.
Irises bulbs cause stomach problems
Iris bulbs can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in cats. Don’t let your cat have access to the plants, especially the bulbs, if you share the irises.
Monkshood is deadly to animals and humans
Monkshood is often planted in borders, but it is very dangerous and can cause poisoning. The plants contain the alkaloid aconitine, which is deadly to animals and humans.
Keep wisteria away from cats
All parts of the wisteria plant are considered poisonous, primarily the pods and seeds, which can cause severe dehydration to severe central nervous system damage if consumed by a cat.
Amaryllis causes seizures
The stems, flowers, and bulbs of the popular amaryllis plant contain phenanthridine alkaloids, which are toxic to cats. The onions are mostly poisonous. Consuming amaryllis can cause vomiting, blood pressure fluctuations, tremors, and seizures in cats.
Oleander is life threatening
All parts of oleanders, like leaves, flowers, and seeds, contain toxic compounds known as cardiac glycosides. If these parts are swallowed by a cat, the toxins affect the heart’s electrical activity and can be life-threatening.
Autumn crocus is highly toxic to cats
The autumn crocus is a widespread ornamental plant that flowers in the fall. Due to its content of the alkaloid colchicine, the plant is particularly toxic to cats. All parts of the plant are highly toxic. Cats that swallow autumn crocus can experience drooling, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea, as well as difficulty breathing, seizures, kidney and liver damage, and even death. Symptoms may appear shortly after ingestion or may take days to become apparent.
Which vegetables and fruits are poisonous to cats
It’s hard to believe, but even some vegetables and fruits can be dangerous for cats, so you don’t need to give your pets access to certain vegetables and fruits. Here are the most common types that you need to be wary of.
Garlic and onion cause poisoning in cats
Onion and garlic poisoning leads to nausea, mouth irritation, drooling, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea in cats and oxidative damage to red blood cells and as a result there are symptoms of anemia such as lethargy, pale gums, increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate, weakness, inability to exercise, collapse and even death. Garlic is considered about five times more toxic to cats and dogs than onions.
These foods are typically toxic when consumed in large quantities, but concentrated forms of onion or garlic, such as onion soup mixes or garlic powder, can also be toxic to cats.
Potatoes are poisonous when rough
The potato contains solanine, which is toxic to cats but also to humans. It can be removed by cooking. Because of this, cats can eat boiled potatoes, but only in small amounts.
Tomatoes are harmful to cats
Tomatoes also contain solanine when underripe and can be harmful to cats. The leaves and stems also contain solanine and cats should not swallow them.
Grapes and raisins are forbidden for cats
Even a small amount of grapes and raisins can make your cat sick and even lead to the rapid development of kidney failure. Vomiting sometimes occurs within 12 hours of ingestion. Other signs that may show up within 24 hours include lethargy, diarrhea, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, decreased urination, and abdominal pain.
Apples are not good for cats
The flesh of the apple is not toxic to cats, but the pits contain substances that can produce cyanide. In particular, cyanide inhibits an enzyme that is necessary for the transport of oxygen between cells. Therefore, when we offer it to cats, we must ensure that there are no seeds or even apple leaves.
Signs of poisoning after ingestion of poisonous plants
Different plants can pose different health risks to cats, and some are far more dangerous than others. What are the symptoms if a cat swallows poisonous plants? Symptoms of plant poisoning in cats can range from mild skin irritation to serious kidney or heart problems. Here we show systematized information that can help you figure out the problem.
My cat ate poisonous plants – what to do?
What to do if your cat ate poisonous plants It is very important that you contact a veterinarian immediately if your cat is acting ill. The sooner you take your cat to a vet for treatment, the better the outcome. Of course, the vet will help, but there are a few things you can do before you visit the vet. Do the following:
Remove any plant matter from your cat’s mouth, paws, or fur, then move your pet to a safe place. Try to identify the plant your cat ate, then call your veterinarian. Let the vet know what happened and that you will bring your cat in for a check-up. You must also provide information about the amount ingested and time since exposure, if you know it. Bring a sample of the plant to show the vet. You can also bring a sample of your cat’s vomit, because that’s where the plant matter is and the vet needs this information so they can better help by making the diagnosis easier. Can’t identify the plant and you don’t have a sample of the plant material? No panic! Then your vet will run a series of tests to determine the type of venom ingested.