9 Houseplants to Avoid if You Have Cats

We all know how curious our cats can be, especially when we bring something new into their – I mean our – homes. Just like babies and young children, one of the ways that cats learn about the new things around them is through tasting. Unfortunately for our kitties this way of learning about their environment can be dangerous for them.

Will Cats Avoid Poisonous Plants?

No, not usually. Cats just like to chew on plants! They will sometimes avoid plants that have a strong fragrance. And once they get a taste of a plant that tastes bad or hurts their mouth they don’t usually go back… but that’s not always the case. Cat’s can’t always associate “I ate that plant this morning, and this afternoon my mouth hurts. I shouldn’t eat that plant again.”

So it’s up to us, their owners, to keep all plants – whether we think they might be dangerous for our cats or not – out of their reach.

Plants that are Poisonous to Cats

  1. Lilies. Lilies are beautiful bulb flowers, and are very popular in the spring and around Easter. Lilies are some of the most dangerous plants for our cats. Just a little bit of contact by chewing a leaf, a flower petal, or a stem, eating a piece of pollen, or even drinking water from the vase can cause severe kidney damage very quickly.
  2. Poinsettia. Another seasonal plant that you should avoid is the poinsettia. The sap in the leaves and stems can cause irritation in your cat’s mouth, throat, or stomach.
  3. Asparagus fern. This light, fluffy fern is a popular houseplant, and the cuttings are often used in floral arrangements. Chewing on this plant can cause irritation to the mouth, throat, or stomach, or even skin irritation.
  4. Daffodils and Hyacinths. Both of these types of plants can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and even heart of lung problems. The bulbs have the highest amount of the toxins, but all parts of the plant and flowers can be dangerous. If you are storing bulbs inside for your spring planting keep them out of reach of your cats, and keep your fresh-cut spring flowers where your cats can’t get to them.
  5. Ficus. Who doesn’t love a good ficus? Well, cats don’t. Ficus plants are known for being easy to take care of. If your cat comes in contact with the sap from the plant (either by chewing on the plant or finding a broken leaf or stem), they can get skin irritation or problems in their mouth, throat, or stomach.
  6. Pothos (Golden pothos, satin pothos, silk pothos, devil’s ivy). These plants release a tiny crystal when the leaves break. Those microscopic crystals cause severe skin and mouth irritation, and can even cause swelling of the throat in severe exposure.
  7. Philodendron (fiddle leaf, horsehead philodendron, heart leaf, tree philodendron). These vining plants are common houseplants. They have the same kind of microscopic crystals that the Pothos plants have, and can cause severe skin and mouth irritation, and sometimes swelling in the throat with severe exposure.
  8. Jade plant. Jade is commonly used in succulent arrangements. They are easy to take care of, but also easy for our cats to get into. The sap inside a jade plant can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and occasionally incoordination.
  9. Aloe plants. Great for sunburn, not for our cats! Chewing on an aloe leaf can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and sometimes a loss of appetite and depression.

This list is certainly not the entire list of plants that can be poisonous to cats, but it is some of the ones we see most commonly. You can search for a specific plant on the Pet Poison Helpline’s website to see if it is likely to cause a problem for your cats.

What Should I Do If I Think My Cat Ate a Plant?

If your cat is showing signs of toxicity – salivating, pawing at her mouth or face, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other strange behaviors after coming in contact with a plant – call us (or your regular veterinarian) immediately. Your veterinarian will likely ask what kind of plant your cat may have gotten into. If you know the name of the plant, that will help us the most. If you do not, you can send a picture so we can try to identify it.

Based on what the plant is and what kind of signs your cat is showing, your veterinarian may be able to give you advice over the phone, or we may need to see your cat in the hospital to fully evaluate what is going on.

The Pet Poison Helpline is a great place to find information on poisons that affect dogs, cats, and other animals. The information on their website is free. They also have an Animal Poison Control Center line for emergencies – that number is (855) 764-7661. Charges may apply when you call this number.

Do you think your cat got into a plant he shouldn’t have? We can help! Call us if you have questions, or come in during our regular business hours. The Princeton Veterinary Hospital always accepts new patients, and does not require appointments. We also have a veterinarian on call for emergencies. Just call our regular office number and follow the phone prompts to reach the on-call doctor.

Can I Feed My Dog From the Table?

Okay, it’s time for some honesty. You know that you’re not supposed to feed your pets from the table. But you do it anyway… occasionally. (I happen to know that one of our cats likes olives. Don’t ask…)

Once in a while, giving your dog a small treat from your leftovers is okay. But please don’t make it a habit, and stick to this list of 10 foods to never feed your dog.

it is important to enforce the “no people food for dogs” rule over the holiday season, and any other time you have guests. You might be able to ignore Fido’s begging eyes, but Aunt Maggie might not be able to resist. During the holiday season, make it a hard and fast rule that the pets do not get people food.

Why Can’t I Give My Dog Table Scraps?

Many of the foods that we eat, especially the scraps that are left over after dinner is over, are not good for our dogs.

Bones of any kind should never be given to your dog as a treat. Bones can cause lots of problems for our pups.

Things like chicken skin, extra gravy, and anything fried or made with lots of butter has too much fat for dogs to easily digest. A very high-fat snack like that can give your dog an upset stomach, diarrhea, or even pancreatitis (which is very painful and needs an emergency trip to your vet).

While some vegetables are a great option for a healthy snack for our dogs, the butter, salt, and seasonings that we often cook them with aren’t. Anything with garlic or onions added can be very dangerous for dogs.

What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Table Scraps?

If you think (or know) that your dog got into something he shouldn’t have, call us (or your regular veterinarian). If you know what your dog got into, we can give you advice on how closely to watch him.

If your dog isn’t acting right, is vomiting, has diarrhea, is acting restless or overly tired, is straining to defecate, or doing anything else out of the ordinary, call us right away. Be sure to let us know if you think your dog might have gotten into table scraps or leftover food.

Did your dog help himself to your leftovers? We can help! Call us if you have questions, or come in during our regular business hours. The Princeton Veterinary Hospital always accepts new patients, and does not require appointments.

Can I Give My Dog Turkey Bones?

Who remembers the Bumpus hounds from “A Christmas Story”? Pretty funny when they break in the house and steal the Thanksgiving turkey, right? Well, as long as it isn’t your turkey.

Actually, it really isn’t funny for those dogs at all. You should never let your dog eat turkey bones or other leftovers. This Thanksgiving, let’s keep both our turkey and our dogs safe with these tips.

Can My Dog Eat Turkey Bones?

Cooked bones from any animal should never be given to your dog, but especially turkey bones or chicken bones. Any kind of cooked bone will splinter when your dog chews on it. Turkey bones and chicken bones are especially brittle, and will break into small, sharp pieces when they are chewed. 

What starts out as a fun and delicious treat can quickly turn into a medical emergency.

Why Can’t My Dog Eat Turkey Bones?

When a dog chews on bones, there are a few different things that can happen. 

Bones, especially cooked bones, turkey bones, and chicken bones, can break into very sharp pieces. Those sharp pieces can stab your dog in the mouth, the throat, the stomach, or even the intestines. This can cause severe pain for your dog, and potentially an emergency with a very sick dog if the intestines get holes poked in them.

Bone pieces can get stuck in your dog’s stomach or intestines, causing a blockage that may need surgery to resolve. Or they can make your dog severely constipated. (Nobody likes a constipated dog…)

If the bones do make it all the way through, sharp bone pieces can cause pain and bleeding when they are passed out with the stool.

Other types of bones can get stuck on your dog’s lower jaw, in their mouth, or in their throat, needing anesthesia and sometimes surgery to remove.

How to Keep Bones and Other Leftovers Away From Your Dog

Even the best-behaved pets can lose their manners when there is a yummy-smelling treat nearby. Follow these tips to help keep your dogs away from your delicious dinner.

  1. Don’t make a habit of feeding your dog from the table. This can lead to begging, and even them helping themselves when you aren’t around.
  2. Keep the turkey covered. The crinkle of aluminum foil is often enough to discourage even the most dedicated counter-surfer.
  3. Keep the turkey and all other food out of your dog’s reach. A tall table, a high counter, or an elevated bar are great places to set up your dinner buffet. 
  4. Put away leftovers as soon as your family is finished eating. Get the temptation out of sight and smell!
  5. Take out the trash. Dogs who would never get in the trash can on a regular day may not be able to resist the temptation of the delicious turkey smells of leftovers in the trash can. Get it outside to the garbage cans as soon as you can.

If you know that your dog has gotten into the turkey bones, or if they are not acting right and you aren’t sure why, call us right away. Your dog may need immediate medical attention.

Did your dog or cat get into turkey bones or other people foods? We can help! Call us if you have questions or come in during our regular business hours. The Princeton Veterinary Hospital always accepts new patients and does not require appointments.