Which plants are dangerous to cats?

Although cats are usually very careful about what they eat, poisonous plants for cats can be found both in the garden and in the house. Find out what to avoid, what to do if your cat has ingested a toxic plant

Even if your cat is not a plant-eater, they can brush against pollen from plants toxic for cats and then accidentally ingest this while grooming. Curious kittens and young cats are more at risk, as well as indoor cats who are more likely to get bored and investigate plants in the house.

So, it’s very important to choose plants for your garden carefully to avoid plants toxic for cats and ensure that any clippings are quickly cleared up when gardening. When choosing flowers or houseplants for an indoor display, some should be kept out of reach of your cat to avoid a cat poison risk.

Lilies are a very popular in flower arrangements, however, all parts of a lily are highly toxic to cats. Even a small amount eaten by a cat is enough to cause severe poisoning. Although your cat might not want to eat lilies, these flowers tend to drop a lot of pollen, which your cat could get on their fur or paws and could be consumed while washing. The safest approach is not to have lilies in your home or garden.

Lilies are the most well-known poisonous plants to cats, however, there is a sizeable list of plants and flowers that are toxic. Click here to read the full list from our partners, icatcare

What should I do if I think my cat has been poisoned by a plant?

If you can see the plant that your cat has eaten, take your cat away from it straight away. Don’t try to make your cat sick as this may be unhelpful. If you have any reason at all to worry that your cat has been poisoned, you need to contact your vet immediately for advice – do not wait for symptoms to develop or worsen. Some signs of poisoning are:

Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
Salivating
Fitting
Breathing difficulties
Collapsing

For full information on plants that are poisonous to cats, click here to read the full guide from our partners, icatcare

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