Many years ago, when I lived in a small apartment with two cats, I had a friend over for the first time. She was looking around our lovely little apartment, when all of a sudden my cat started to vomit violently. Oh yes, and things were coming out the other end of the cat too. It was full on cat festivities, and the friend looked moderately horrified as our chat came to an abrupt end and I packed the cat into a carrier to take to the emergency vet clinic – it was a holiday, of course.
Several hundred dollars later, I learned that our cat is particularly sensitive to a certain leaf. While most cats are not sensitive to this leaf, there are some plants that you want to avoid placing in your house so that you avoid the delights of cat vomiting and even more severe illness, simply because your cat ate a leaf.
There are many, many indoor and outdoor plants that are dangerous to cats. Some are quite toxic, while others are only somewhat nasty.
Watch out for:
English ivy
Aloe
Asparagus fern
Draecena palm
Dieffenbachia
Peace Lily
Pothos
Rubber Plant
If you bring cut flowers or potted flowers into the house, watch out for:
Daffodils
Geranium
Gladiolus
This is not an exhaustive list. Always ask a vet or your local garden center staff to confirm whether a plant is poisonous.
What can you do if you have a cat who’s obsessed with leaves? First, get some kitty toys. Cats love to bat dry leaves around on the floor, and after the batting comes the chewing. Second, get some cat grass. Cats love it, and they chew, chew and chew on it. Chewing on cat grass helps cats get rid of hairballs, hence the big attraction.
Do you have trouble with cats nibbling on your house plants?