What Plants Are Poisonous To Your Precious Pets?

Plants are part and parcel of decorating any home, whether inside or out in the garden.

What if you have pets at home, though? Are they any plants that should give you cause for your concern?

The answer’s simple: yes, and lots of them.

In today’s article, we’ll run down some of the most common plants that can be poisonous to your cat or dog.

Plants To Be Careful Of If You Have Pets At Home

We’ll give you a really brief breakdown of each dangerous plant and what to look out for.

1) Aloe Vera

It’s becoming increasingly common to have an aloe vera plant indoors thanks to its range of healing benefits as well as striking aesthetics.

This plant is toxic to cats and dogs though so keep them well away.

If your pet is vomiting, suffering from diarrhea or you notice a change in the color of their urine, they might have nibbling at the aloe so take a closer look and seek medical attention if necessary.

2) Daffodils

While daffodils set off any garden with a wonderful splash of color, they can be particularly damaging to your furry friends.

The bulbs are the most poisonous but the flowers are not too agreeable for cats and dogs either.

If your pets take a significant amount on board, you could see them convulsing. A nibble will bring about vomiting and diarrhea along with lowered blood pressure and tremors.

3) Oleander

Every part of this garden plant is toxic for your animals.

If they end up ingesting oleander, your pet could end up in serious trouble. Not only will their digestive tract become inflamed and irritated, they could end up with their heart functioning abnormally or a dose of hypothermia.

Too much oleander could even kill your cat or dog so exercise extreme caution with this plant if you have pets at home.

4) Kalanchoe

This succulent might make a real statement piece at home but it can provoke serious gastrointestinal issues in your pet.

Some kalanchoe are even toxic to the heart causing complications with the rate and rhythm in your pet’s ticker.

If you want this highly attractive plant as part of your indoor garden, make certain you keep your pets well clear of it.

5) Chrysanthemum

The snag with chrysanthemum is that the plant contains pyrethrins.

As well as gastrointestinal problems, they can also bring about drooling, diarrhea and vomiting making them an extremely unappealing package for your cat or dog.

Look out for any unexpected loss of balance or lowered mood in your pet, too. This can be a result of any part of the chrysanthemum being consumed, even in relatively small quantities.

6) Pothos

A member of the Aracaea family, pothos is an endearingly popular indoor plant but one you should be on guard against with pets in the house.

As well as the classic symptoms of gastrointestinal irritation, you might also notice the oral tissues of your cat or dog swelling. Pop straight to the vet if you become aware of this.

7) Milkweed

By planting milkweed, you can do your part for the monarch butterfly.

How about the welfare of your pets, though?

Milkweed is bad news for cats or dogs. Ingesting the plant can lead to severe depression and general weakness. It can even promote anorexia so all of these are particularly disturbing if they strike down your beloved canine or feline.

Milkweed can even be fatal so our best advice if you have pets at home is to avoid it like the plague. It’s just not worth the risk, especially if your animals are inquisitive and prone to nibble away on just about anything.

8) Sago Palm

The sago palm is a frequent sighting in warmer climes but, sadly, not ideal if you have pets in your home.

The worst part is that animals are strongly attracted to the sago palm and they are highly likely to tuck in.

The seeds are most toxic but all parts are dangerous for animals. From increased thirst to vomiting, bruising to liver damage, sago palm can kill your pet stone dead if they eat enough so be acutely aware of how menacing they can be.

9) Yew

Few trees are as impressive as the mighty yew.

Unfortunately, both the bark and leaves of this evergreen can cause central nervous systems problems for your pet if they eat anything but the flesh of the berry.

This is another garden staple which, although not a plant but a tree, bears pointing out since it can be fatal to your pets.

10) Lilies

While a patch of lilies adds some color and a waft of fragrance to your garden, they’re not such good news for cats although your dog while be absolutely safe from harm.

Toxic to cats even in very small quantities, they can kickstart liver failure so think twice about planting lilies if you have a cat at home.

11) Morning Glory

Morning glory can induce disturbing hallucinations if your cat or dog gets their munching gear around it.

Beyond this, animals are likely to experiencing upset stomachs alongside general feelings of disorientation and tremors.

12) Jade

Last but not least on our list of plants toxic to pets is the rubber plant jade.

While this makes a neat addition to your garden, it will cause your cat or dog to vomit copiously if they make the mistake of munching on some.

Consuming jade can also lead to your animal’s heart rate lowering and possibly manifest depression.

Give this attractive plant a swerve and consider something similar without the toxic properties to be on the safe side.