Plants That Are Poisonous to Your Cat

Plants Poisonous to Cats

Almond (Pits of)
Aloe Vera
Alocasia
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apple Leaf Croton
Apricot (Pits of)
Arrowgrass
Asparagus Fern
Autumn Crocus
Avacado (fuit and pit)
Azalea
Baby's Breath
Baneberry
Bayonet
Beargrass
Beech
Belladonna
Bird of Paradise
Bittersweet
Black-eyed Susan
Black Locust
Bleeding Heart
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Box
Boxwood
Branching Ivy
Buckeyes
Buddist Pine
Burning Bush
Buttercup

Cactus, Candelabra
Caladium
Calla Lily
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Charming Dieffenbachia
Cherry (pits, seeds & wilting leaves)
Cherry, most wild varieties
Cherry, ground
Cherry, Laurel
Chinaberry
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Cineria
Clematis
Cordatum
Coriaria
Cornflower
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Croton
Corydalis
Crocus, Autumn
Crown of Thorns
Cuban Laurel
Cutleaf Philodendron
Cycads
Cyclamen

Daffodil
Daphne
Datura
Deadly Nightshade
Death Camas
Devil's Ivy
Delphinium
Decentrea
Dieffenbachia
Dracaena Palm
Dragon Tree
Dumb Cane

Easter Lily *
Eggplant
Elaine
Elderberry
Elephant Ear
Emerald Feather
English Ivy
Eucalyptus
Euonymus
Evergreen

Ferns
Fiddle-leaf fig
Florida Beauty
Flax
Four O'Clock
Foxglove
Fruit Salad Plant

Geranium
German Ivy
Giant Dumb Cane
Glacier IvyGolden Chain
Gold Dieffenbachia
Gold Dust Dracaena
Golden Glow
Golden Pothos
Gopher Purge

Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy
Heartland Philodendron
Hellebore
Hemlock, Poison
Hemlock, Water
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horsebeans
Horsebrush
Horse Chestnuts
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea

Indian Rubber Plant
Indian Tobacco
Iris
Iris Ivy

Jack in the Pulpit
Janet Craig Dracaena
Japanese Show Lily *
Java Beans
Jessamine
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Jungle Trumpets

Kalanchoe

Lacy Tree Philodendron
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily Spider
Lily of the Valley
Locoweed
Lupine

Madagascar Dragon Tree
Marble Queen
Marigold
Marijuana
Mescal Bean
Mexican Breadfruit
Miniature Croton
Mistletoe
Mock Orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning Glory
Mother-in Law's Tongue
Morning Glory
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Needlepoint Ivy
Nephytis
Nightshade

Oleander
Onion
Oriental Lily *

Peace Lily
Peach (pits and wilting leaves)
Pencil Cactus
Peony
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Pimpernel
Plumosa Fern
Poinciana
Poinsettia (low toxicity)
Poison Hemlock
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pokeweed
Poppy
Potato
Pothos
Precatory Bean
Primrose
Privet, Common

Red Emerald
Red Princess
Red-Margined Dracaena
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Plant
Rosemary Pea
Rubber Plant

Saddle Leaf Philodendron
Sago Palm
Satin Pothos
Schefflera
Scotch Broom
Silver Pothos
Skunk Cabbage
Snowdrops
Snow on the Mountain
Spotted Dumb Cane
Staggerweed
Star of Bethlehem
String of Pearls
Striped Dracaena
Sweetheart Ivy
Sweetpea
Swiss Cheese plant

Tansy Mustard
Taro Vine
Tiger Lily *
Tobacco
Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)
Tree Philodendron
Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia
Tulip
Tung Tree

Virginia Creeper

Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wild Call
Wisteria

Yews --
e.g. Japanese Yew
English Yew
Western Yew
American Yew

Non-Toxic Plants

Orchids are safe to have in the home.

African Violets are safe to use in your home decor!

Poinsettias are generally over-rated in toxicity. If ingested, poinsettias can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, and may cause mild vomiting or nausea.

Achira
Acorn squash
African violet
Algaroba
Aluminum plant
Alumroot
American rubber plant
Anthericum comosum
Antirrhinum multiflorum
Arabian gentian
Aregelia
Artillery plant
Aspidium falcatum
Aubepine
Autumn olive

Baby rubber tree plant
Baby tears
Bachelors buttons
Ball fern
Bamboo palm
Bamboo vine
Bamboo
Banana
Banana squash
Begonia species
Belmore sentry palm
Big shellbark hickory
Bigonia
Bitter pecan
Bitternut
Black haw
Black hawthorn
Blaspheme vine
Bloodleaf
Blooming sally
Blue daisy
Bluebottle
Blunt leaf peperomia
Blushing bromeliad
Bold sword fern
Boston fern
Bottle Palm
Bottlebrush
Brazilian orchid
Bride's bonnet
Bristly greenbrier
Brodiaea pulchella
Broom hickory
Bullbrier
Bur gourd
Burro's tail
Buttercup squash
Butterfly ginger
Butterfly iris
Butterfly squash
Butterfly tulip
Butterfly orchid
Button fern

Caeroba
Calathea insignis
California pitcher plant
Callistemon citrinus
Callistemon bradyandrus
Callistemon viminalis
Calochortus nuttalli
Calthea lancifolia
Camellia
Canada hemlock
Canary date palm
Candle plant
Candycorn plant
Canna lily
Cantebury-bell
Cape jasmine
Cape primrose
Carob tree
Carob
Caroba
Carobinha
Carolina hemlock
Carrion flower
Carrot fern
Carrot flower
Casaba melon
Cast Iron plant
Cat ear
Cat brier
Cattleya labiata
Celosia plumosa
Celosia spicata
Celosia globosa
Chamaedorean humilis
Chaparral snapdragon
Chestnut
Chicken-gizzard plant
Chickens and hens
Chin-lao-shu
China root
China aster
Chinese plumbago
Chlorophytum
Chlorophytum bichetii
Chocolate soldier plant
Christmas dagger fern
Christmas palm
Christmas orchid
Cinnamon jasmine
Cinquefoil
Cirrhopetalum
Clearweed
Cliff brake fern
Club moss
Cocks comb
Cocktail orchid
Collinia elegans
Color-band Cryptanthus
Columnar cactus
Common garden canna
Common snapdragon
Common camellia
Common catbrier
Common staghorn fern
Common greenbrier
Confederate jasmine
Coolwort
Copper rose
Copperlead
Coral berry
Coral ardisia
Coral bells
Cornflower
Crape myrtle
Crataegus phaenopyrum
Crataegus spp.
Creeping charlie
Creeping pilea
Creeping rubus
Creeping gloxinia
Creeping zinnia
Creeping mahonia
Crepe myrtle
Crimson bottlebush
Crimson cup
Crisped feather fern
Crossandra
Cucumber
Cushion moss
Cushon aloe
Cyrtudeira reptans

Dainty
Dainty rabbits-foot fern
Dallas fern
Dancing doll orchid
Davallia bullata mariessi
Davallia trichomanoides
Desert trumpet
Dichelostemma
Dichorisandra reginae
Dinteranthus vanzylii
Duffii fern
Duffy fern
Dwarf feather fern
Dwarf Rose-Stripe Star
Dwarf palm
Dwarf royal palm
Dwarf date palm
Dwarf whitman fern

Earth star
Easter cattleya
Easter daisy
Easter orchid
Easter lily cactus
Edible banana
Elephant-Ear Begonia
Emerald ripple peperomia
English hawthorn
Epidendrum ibaguense
Epidendrum
Epidendrum atropurpeum
Episcia spp.
Fairy fountain
False aralia
Fan tufted palm
Feather fern
Feathered amaranth
Fiery reed orchid
Fig leaf gourd
Figleaf palm
Fingernail plant
Fire weed
Fish tail fern
Flame of the woods
Flame african violet
Flame violet
Florida butter-fly orchid
Fluffy ruffles
Forster sentry palm
Fortunes palm
Freckle face
Friendship plant
Frosty

Garden snapdragon
Garden marigold
German violet
Gherkins
Ghost plant
Ghost leafless orchid
Giant white inch plant
Giant holly fern
Giant aster
Gibasis geniculata
Globe thistle
Gloxinia
Gold bloom
Gold-fish plant
Golden shower orchid
Golden lace orchid
Golden aster
Golden bells
Good luck palm
Grape hyacinth
Grape Ivy
Great willow herb
Green ripple peperomia
Greenbrier
Hagbrier

Hardy gloxinia
Hardy baby tears
Haworthia
Haws apple
Haws
Hawthorn
Hedgehog gourd
Hellfetter
Hemlock tree
Hen and chickens fern
Hens and chickens
Hickory
Hindu rope plant
Holligold
Holly fern
Hollyhock
Honey plant
Honey locust
Honeydew melons
Honeysuckle fuchsia
Hookera pulchella
Horse brier
Hoya 'Mauna Loa'
Hoya carnosa 'exotica'
Hoya carnosa 'krinkle'
Hoya carnosa 'variegata'
Hubbard squash
Hypocyrta spp.

Ice plant
Imbricata sword fern
Irish moss
Iron cross begonia
Iron tree
Ivy-leaf peperomia
Ivy peperomia

Jackson brier
Jacob's ladder
Japanese aralia
Japanese pittosporum
Japanese moss
Japanese holly fern
Jasmine
Jewel orchid
Joseph's coat
Jungle geranium

Kaempferis
Kahali ginger
Kenilworth ivy
Kentia palm
Kenya palm
Kenya violet
Kharoub
King and queen fern
King of the forest
King nut
Kuang-yen- pa-hsieh Lace flower vine
Lace orchid
Ladies ear drops
Lady lou
Lady palm
Lagerstroemia indica
Lance Pleumele
Large Lady Palm
Laurel-leaved greenbrier Mulberry tree
Leather peperomia
Leng-fen tu'an
Leopard orchid
Leopard lily
Lesser snapdragon
Lily of the valley orchid
Linden
Lipstick plant
Little fantasy peperomia
Little zebra plant
Living rock cactus
Living stones
Locust pods
Lou-lang-t'ou
Luther

Madagascar jasmine
Magnolia bush
Mahonia aquifolium
Malabar gourd
Malaysian dracaema
Manila palm
Mapleleaf begonia
Maranta
Marbled fingernail
Mariposa lily
Maroon
Mary-bud
Measles plant
Melons
Metallic peperomia
Metallic leaf begonia
Mexican firecracker
Mexican snowballs
Mexican rosettes
Minature maranta
Minature marble plant
Minature fish tail
Miniature date palm
Mistletoe cactus
Mockernut hickory
Mosaic plant
Mosiac vase
Moss phlox
Moss agate
Moss rose
Moss campion
Moss fern
Mossy campion
Mother fern
Mother of pearl plant
Mother spleenwort
Mountain camellia
Mountain grape
Mulberry bush
Musa paradisiaca
Muscari spp.
Muscari armeniacum
Muskmellon

Narrow leafed pleomele
Natal plum
Neanthe bella palm
Neanthebella
Nematanthus spp.
Neoregelia
Nephrolepsis
Nerve plant
New silver and bronze
Night blooming cereus

Odontoglossum spp.
Old world orchid
Old man cactus
Orange star
Oregon grape
Ossifragi vase

Paddys wig
Painted lady
Palm lily
Pampus grass
Panamiga
Pansy orchid
Paradise palm
Parlor plant
Parlor palm
Parsley fern
Peace begonia
Peacock plant
Pearl plant
Pearly dots
Peperomia peltifolia
Peperomia rotundifolia
Peperomia fosteri
Peperomia sandersii
Peperomia hederifolia
Pepper face
Persian violet
Pheasant plant
Piggy back plant
Pigmy date palm
Pignut hickory
Pignut
Pilea microphylla
Pilea mucosa
Pink polka dot plant
Pink Pearl
Pink starlite
Pink Brocade
Pirliteiro
Pitaya
Plantanus occidentalis
Plantanus orientalis
Platinum peperomia
Platycerium alicicorne
Plumbago larpentiae
Plush plant
Polka dot plant
Polystichum falcatum
Pony tail
Porcelain flower
Pot marigold
Prairie snowball
Prairie lily
Prayer plant
Prickly bottlebrush
Prostrate coleus
Purple waffle plant
Purple baby tears
Purple passion vine
Purpleosier willow

Queen's spiderwort
Queencup
Queens spiderwort
Queensland arrowroot

Rabbits foot fern
Rainbow orchid
Red african violet
red veined prayer plant
red berried greenbrier
red hawthorne
red palm lily
red edge peperomia
reed palm
resurrection lily
rex begonia
rhynchophorum
Ribbon plant
Roosevelt fern
Royal velvet plant
Rubber plant, baby
Russian olive

Saffron spike zebra
Saint Bernards lily
Sand lily
Sand verbena
Satin pellionia
Sawbrier
Scabious
Scarborough lily
Scarlet orchid
Scarlet sage
Sego lily
Shagbark hickory
Shan ku'ei-lai
Shellbark hickory
Shiny leaf smilax
Shrimp cactus
Silver nerve plant
Silver table fern
Silver pink vine
Silver bell
Silver heart
Silver star
Silver berry
Silver-leaf peperomia
Silver tree anamiga
Slender deutzia
Small fruited hickory
Smilax tamnoides vas hispida
Speckled wood lily
Spice orchid
Spider ivy
Spider plant
Spotted laurel
Squarenut
Squirrels foot fern
Star jasmine
Star plant
Star tulip
Star window plant
Star lily
Strawberry
Striped blushing
Sugar pods
Sulfur flower
Summer hyacinth
Swedish ivy
Sweet william
Sweetheart peperomia
Sweetheart hoya
Sword fern
Tahitian bridal veil

Tailed orchid
Tall feather fern
Tall mahonia
Teasel gourd
Texas sage
Thea japonica
Thimble cactus
Thorn apple
Ti hu-ling
Tiger orchid
Toad spotted cactus
Torch lily
Tous-les-mois
Trailing peperomia
Tree cactus
Tree gloxinia
Tropical moss
True cantalope
Tu fu-ling
Tulip poplar
Tulip tree
Turban squash
Turf lily

Umbrella plant
Urbinia agavoides
Usambara violet

Variegated philodendron leaf peperomia
Variegated wax plant
Variegated wandering jew
Variegated oval leaf peperomia
Variegated laurel
Velvet plant
Venus fly trap
Verona fern
Verona lace fern
Vining peperomia
Violet slipper gloxinia

Waffle plant
Walking anthericum
Washington hawthorn
Water hickory
Watermelon peperomia
Watermelon begonia
Watermelon pilea
Wax plant
Wax rosette
Weeping sergeant hemlock
Weeping bottlebrush
Weisdornbluten
West indian gherkin
Western sword
White edged swedish ivy
White heart hickory
White ginger
Whitman fern
Wild buckwheat
Wild buckwheat
Wild sarsaparilla
Wild lantana
Wild strawberry
Wild hyacinth
Willow herb
Windmill palm
Winter cattleya
W

Be aware of the plants you have in your house and in your yard, if your cat is permitted outside. The ingestion of azalea, oleander, easter lily, or yew plant material by a cat could be fatal.

Easter Lily can cause seizures in your pets.

The gorgeous lily makes its appearance each year, decorating church, home, and garden. This year, I brought one home myself-and promptly asked my husband to take it to his office. I didn't want to risk having my Easter lily anywhere near my cat Seren. For cats, the fragrant blooms can mean death.

Many lilies are lethal to cats. Easter lilies, stargazer lilies, and Asiatic lilies are the most dangerous, and different cats react in various ways. The plants contain a chemical that can damage the kidneys, and kill your cat. Just biting a leaf or petal, or licking up the water from the vase can be enough to cause serious kidney disease.
Dogs often gnaw leaves, dig up the plant, or eat the whole thing. Cats aren't as likely to eat plants, but just biting a lily leaf or petal can kill kitty. Felines more often paw-pat and shred leaves and stems during play, and may be poisoned when they later lick and clean their paws and claws.

Cats poisoned by lily toxin typically suffer kidney failure within 36 to 72 hours. Symptoms include vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite. Some cats suffer permanent kidney damage and lose their lives, while others can recover if treated in time with dialysis that gives the organs enough time to heal.

The easiest way to protect your cats is to keep toxic plants out of reach-or out of your house altogether. Besides lilies, other potential harmful plants include rhododendron, sago palm, kalanchoe and schefflera. Azalea can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, coma and death. Eating or chewing caladium, dieffenbachia or philodendron makes the tongue and throat swell up so breathing is difficult. Mother-in-law's tongue (snake plant) causes everything from mouth irritation to collapse. Crown of thorns and English ivy will prompt thirst, vomiting and diarrhea, stomach pain, and death in one to two days. Holly also causes stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

There are many other plants that prompt mild problems, such as excess salivation or mouth discomfort. Keeping these out of reach of curious paws may be sufficient to protect your animals. But pet lovers should steer clear of the worst plant offenders, both inside and out.

If you see your pet with one or more of these signs, particularly if a suspect plant is within reach, get help immediately! First aid can save the cat or dog's life. Then take the pet to see the veterinarian as quickly as possible.

Different poisons require very specific first aid. Usually that will be either 1) induce vomiting, or 2) give milk or water to wash out the mouth and dilute the poison. Making the pet vomit the wrong poisonous plant, though, could make a serious situation even more deadly, so you MUST know what to do for each type of plant.

Detailed advice for dealing with the most common plant poisoning is available in the book The First-Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats. The ASPCA Animal Poison-Control Center is available for telephone consultations (1-888-426-4435) in case of poisoning emergency.

You can keep your pet family members safe and sound by choosing only pet-friendly safe varieties for your garden and home. Callalilies and peace lilies, which don't belong to the Lilium genus, are harmless to cats.

For an exhaustive list of nontoxic plants (as well as a listing of poisonous ones!), go to www.aspca.org to visit the Animal Poison Control Center page (halfway down the left side of the homepage). Listen to the online radio podcast Pet Peeves (at www.petliferadio.com) for more insight on Episode #6 titled "Deadly Temptations."

Amy D. Shojai, an IAABC Certified animal Behavior Consultant, is a nationally known pet care specialist and author of 22 pet books including The First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats. Subscribe to her free monthly e-newsletter Pet Peeves at her website www.shojai.com

Insecticides on Houseplants

Even "safe, non-poisonous" plants can be poisonous to your cat. Most plants found at nurseries, supermarkets or other stores are sprayed with insecticides.

Some insecticide ingredients can make safe plants become plants poisonous to cats. These can cause serious neurological damage and even death to your feline or other pets. Even a small nibble on a plant sprayed with insecticides can make your cat violently ill.

You can protect your cat or kitten by knowing the origin of the "safe" plants you bring into your home. Don't hesitate to ask the nursery what insecticides they use on their plants, and then research the insecticide used to make sure it's not toxic to pets.

How to Stop Your Cat from Chewing on Plants

So say you've found some non-poisonous, insecticide-free houseplants. You probably still don't want your cat to chew on these, even if she finds them particularly tasty.

One solution to prevent your cat from chewing your houseplants is to regularly spray diluted lemon juice on the leaves. Most cats hate this taste and will leave your leaves alone.

If your cat is digging into the soil around your plants, you can place gravel or wire mesh over the soil. Digging into the soil may also be a sign that your cat's litter box needs better care.

Do not make the mistake of spraying plants poisonous to cats with diluted lemon juice and thinking they won't eat the plant. You should only use the diluted lemon juice on plants you have determined are safe to your cat.

The best solution to keeping your cat safe is by keeping poisonous plants out of your home entirely.

from MyHealthyCat.com

It's normal for a cat to vomit greenish liquid with some plant fragments after eating a safe plant. Don't be alarmed as long as it's not excessive or constant