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Plants make a wonderful
addition to any decor. Some cats will ignore the greenery, some may dig at the
soil a little, but many are curious about the texture and taste of objects that
dangle before their eyes. When making a plant selection, consider the safety of
your resident feline.
Special Precautions for Gardeners
Many
systemic fertilizers typically slow-release granules that are dug into the
ground surrounding the plant have toxic warnings on the container, but state
that once the area has been watered and is dry it is fine for both pets and
children to return. While the top layer of dirt once dry may not be harmful to
animals, if they dig in that area they may be digging into and potentially
consuming toxic or even deadly amounts of fertilizer. Even a small amount can be
toxic.
To help prevent this, avoid
using systemic fertilizers in conjunction with other plant feeds, such as fish
emulsion, fish pellets or kelp, whose smell is attractive to pets. Keep your
plants healthy and your pets safe by using natural plant foods like fish
emulsion or pellets, bone meal, kelp and earthworm castings as much as possible.
Plants Safe for Cats
There are
many beautiful plants you can keep inside your home that are not harmful to your
cat.
While these plants have been
shown to lack any harmful systemic or gastrointestinal effects, even non-toxic
plant material eaten in excess isn't good for your cat.
This behavior may produce
signs similar to those that appear with the ingestion of toxic plants. Vomiting,
diarrhea and depression are common. The difference is that these symptoms are
mild and self-limiting (they resolve on their own), and in most cases do not
require medical attention. If your cat does ingest an excessive amount of plant
material and symptoms do not resolve in a reasonable amount of time, see your
veterinarian.
Plants Toxic to Cats
We all want to have our
homes, patios, balconies and yards looking lovely. We can easily do this while
carefully avoiding the plants that are potentially harmful to our feline
friends.
If you choose to keep
potentially poisonous houseplants in your home, please keep them well out of
reach of your curious kitty.
And just in case, you should
be able to recognize the symptoms of plant poisoning and familiarize yourself
with what to do if you notice them in your cat. Remember that in addition to
plants, there are many chemicals that should be kept away from your cat too.
Signs
of Poisoning from Plant Ingestion
The
toxins in poisonous plants have varied effects on individual cats. Some cats may
be more sensitive to them, and will exhibit more severe symptoms.
These symptoms range from a
skin rash or irritation to convulsions, but the most common signs of poisoning
are vomiting and diarrhea
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