SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Cat Care
Cat Care Tips
5
Toxic Houseplants To Cats
There are many common household plants, both indoor and outdoor,
that are poisonous to cats. Several of these plants can
cause your beloved cat to become quite ill, including vomiting,
diarrhea, and convulsions. In some cases, these plants
can cause your pet to have complete respiratory failure,
kidney failure, or other fatal illness. For this reason,
it is important to assist your cat immediately if it eats
a toxic plant.
Lilies
Perhaps the most toxic and common form of plant that can be
fatal to your cat are lilies. Pretty much every form of lily
can cause death to your pet. This includes the Tiger lily,
the Easter lily, the Japanese show lily, the Rubrum lily and
the Day lily. If your cat ingests any part of one of these
plants, even a small amount, it will result in complete kidney
failure in about 36 to 72 hours.
After ingesting a lily, your cat will begin to show symptoms
within a few hours. Symptoms include a lack of appetite, lethargy,
and vomiting. As the damage to the kidneys worsens, the symptoms
will become worse. If your cat has ingested any part of a lily
plant, it will need prompt attention from a veterinarian in
order to prevent kidney failure.
Lily of the valley
Although the name of this plant has “lily” in it, it is not
the same as the lilies already discussed. Nonetheless, this
small, sweet smelling flower is also toxic to your feline friend.
If your cat eats any part of the Lily of the valley, it can
eventually die from cardiac dysrhythmias.
After eating a portion of a Lily of the valley, your cat might
start to vomit and diarrhea. It also may show signs of confusion
and weakness and even collapse prior to death. If you are certain
your pet has eaten a part of a Lily of the valley, you should
induce vomiting (as discussed later) and administer activated
charcoal, which will help soak up the toxins and prevent them
from getting further into your pet’s bloodstream. You should
then take your pet to see a vet to ensure its safety.
Foxglove
Foxglove, also known commonly by its Latin name Digitalis,
is also potentially fatal to a cat if eaten. Not only is the
entire foxglove plant toxic, so is the water from the vase
if the plant is cut and brought indoors.
If your cat ingests foxglove, it may begin to vomit and salivate
excessively. Its pulse may become slow and strong early after
ingestion, then later become rapid and weak. Ingestion of foxglove
causes cardiac disturbance that can lead to hypotension, collapse,
and shock, which can ultimately lead to death. (More on how
to treat shock in your cat will be discussed later). The pupils
of your cat may become dilated after eating foxglove and you
cat may become delirious before slipping into a coma. While
some of the symptoms of foxglove poisoning can be treated at
home, your pet still needs to be taken to the vet to flush
the foxglove out of its system and to help regulate its heart.
Monkshood
All parts of the monkshood plant, including the water in its
vase, are toxic. Contents of the monkshood plant cause disruption
in the nerve impulses when ingested in low doses. When ingested
in large doses, it completely inhibits these nerves. Monkshood
also causes irritation to the mucus membranes when ingested,
which can lead to vomiting and excessive salivation. Some animals
appear to go blind after eating monkshood, which is followed
by cardiac dysrhythmias and death. Your cat needs to visit
the vet right away in order to recover from monkshood poisoning.
Anemone
The entire anemone plant is toxic. It is irritating to the
mucous membranes and often causes blisters to form after it
is chewed. If it is ingested entirely, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis
can occur, which can lead to shock, convulsions, and death.
If your pet ingests anemone, administer activated charcoal
and see the vet immediately.
Help for your cat: Inducing vomiting
Inducing
vomiting is generally appropriate after your cat ingests
any toxic plant. To do this, mix 1
teaspoon of Hydrogen
Peroxide with one cup of water and administer it to your cat.
Or you can mix 1-2 tablespoons of salt with one cup of water
or administer ½ mil of Syrup of Ipecac per pound of
your cat. Of course, the vet should still be contacted immediately.
What to do for shock
If a cat is in shock, its heartbeat might be escalated. Or,
it might have an irregular pulse or a very little pulse. In
addition, its tongue might appear to be curled and its gums
might be pale and have very little color. When a cat experiences
shock its body temperature is often below normal.
A cat that is in shock needs to be seen immediately by a vet
so it can have medication and intravenous fluids administered.
While driving to the vet, it is best to have someone hold the
cat and try to sooth it along the way. The cat should be kept
warm, as loss of heat only increases the severity of the shock.
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