Dangerous House Plants  
 
Although we think of cats as carnivores, in fac,t many are fond of vegetables and other
plant material. Although food preferences vary with individual cats, many will sample a
plot of grass outdoors, the leaves of a potted houseplant indoors, or other common items
like shoelaces.

Cats confuse their owners by ending grass-grazing with regurgitation or vomiting. The
reason for this predictable behavior is unclear, but it has been suggested that our pets
eat grass, at least sometimes, in order to stimulate vomiting.

Relief from hairball indigestion may be one motive for plant eating in cats. However, not
all plant-eating leads to getting "sick", so it is a good idea to consult with your vet if
the pattern continues.

Because of this tendency to seek and ingest vegetation, cats may naturally experiment with
the taste of houseplants. Such behavior can be undesirable, at best, or dangerous when
leaves or other plant parts are toxic.

To keep your cat safe, be sure all plants in your home are safe in case of ingestion, or
place them out of reach. Hanging pots, for example, usually lose their appeal even to
curious cats. Non-toxic, valued plants can be protected with a small amount of sprayed
vinegar or black pepper solution on leaves.

As a gift to those cats that seem determined to eat plants, owners can offer treats of
herbicide- and pesticide-free potted grass. Grass seeds or even parakeet seeds can be
sprouted in seedling pots and offered occasionally, the empty pot then re-seeded for a new
batch. In small amounts, grass can be a welcome treat for any house cat.

Listed here are plants poisonous to cats that must be avoided if there are cats in your
home. While in some cases just parts of a plant bark, leaves, seeds, berries, roots,
tubers, spouts, green shells might be poisonous, this list rules out the whole plant. If
you must have any of them, keep them safely out of reach.

Should your feline friend eat part of a poisonous plant, rush the cat to your veterinarian
as soon as possible. If you can, take the plant with you for ease of identification.

Plants Poisonous To Cats

Alfalfa
Almond (Pits of)
Alocasia
Amaryllis
Apple (seeds)
Apricot (Pits of)
Arrowgrass
Avocado
Azalea
Baneberry
Bayonet
Beargrass
Beech
Belladonna
Bird of Paradise
Bittersweet
Black-eyed Susan
Black Locust
Bleeding Heart
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Box
Boxwood
Buckeyes
Burning Bush
Buttercup
Cactus
Candelabra
Caladium
Castor Bean
Cherry (pits)
Cherry, wild varieties
Cherry, ground
Cherry, Laurel
Chinaberry
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Coriaria
Cornflower
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Croton
Corydalis
Crocus, Autumn
Crown of Thorns
Cuban Laurel
Cutleaf Philodendron
Cycads
Cyclamen
Daffodil Daphne
Datura
Deadly Nightshade
Death Camas
Delphinium
Decentrea
Dieffenbachia
Dumb Cane
Easter Lily
Eggplant
Elderberry
Elephant Ear
English Ivy
Euonymus
Evergreen
Ferns
Flax
Four O'Clock
Foxglove
Golden Chain
Golden Glow
Gopher Purge
Hellebore
Hemlock, Poison
Hemlock, Water
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horsebeans
Horsebrush
Horse Chestnuts
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian Tobacco
Iris
Iris Ivy
Jack in the Pulpit
Java Beans
Jessamine
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Jungle Trumpets
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Lily
Lily Spider
Lily of the Valley
Locoweed
Lupine
Marigold
Marijuana
Mescal Bean
Mistletoe
Mock Orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning Glory
Mountain Laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Nightshade
Oleander
Peach (pits of)
Pencil Cactus
Peony
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Pimpernel
Poinciana
Poinsettia
Poison Hemlock
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pokeweed
Poppy
Potato Plant
Precatory Bean
Primrose
Privet, Common
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Plant
Rosemary Pea
Rubber Plant
Scotch Broom
Skunk Cabbage
Snowdrops
Snow on the Mountain
Staggerweed
Star of Bethlehem
Sweetpea
Tansy Mustard
Tobacco
Tomato Plant
Tulip
Tung Tree
Virginia Creeper
Water Hemlock
Weeping Fig
Wild Call
Wisteria
Yews --
e.g. Japanese Yew
English Yew
Western Yew
American Yew

Source: A CFA Health Committee Report