I love plants myself. When Theodore came to live with us, I also had to say goodbye to my favorite plant with pain in my heart. I had a monstera plant that I bought fairly small and that had grown into a giant plant. Very beautiful but unfortunately toxic for cats.
When a cat walks around outdoors there is often a lot of distraction (insects and birds that fly by). An indoor cat has less incentives and can start eating from a (poisonous) plant out of boredom (especially in the case of a young cat who is exploring, there is a good chance that he will find plants interesting). Another reason to eat plants may be that a hair ball is stuck (a cat then tends to eat grass so that it is easier to get a fur ball out). However, if there is no cat grass present, a cat can eat another plant that can be a problem for him. Make your home safe for your cat and make sure there are no more poisonous plants.
The following indoor plants are toxic to cats
Alocasia
Aloe vera
Amaryllis Aphelandra
Aphelandra
Apple of love, Solanum
Azalea
Calla
Caladium
Chrysanthemum, Dendranthema
Codiaeum
Croton, Codiaeum
Cyclamen Dieffenbachia
Dracaena species, such as Dracaena marginata
Epipremnum aureum
Hyacinth
Hypoestes phyllostachya
Ilex
Christmas star, Euphorbia *
Ivy, Hedera
Herb, Senecio
Mistletoe or Mistletoe, Viscum
Oleander, Nerium
Orange tree, Solanum
Philodendron
Poinsettia, Euphorbia
Senecio
Ferns
Finger tree, Schefflera
Bird’s milk, Ornithogalum
Wonder tree, Ricinus
South wind lily, Ornithogalum
It is possible that your plant is not included in the list but is poisonous.
How do you recognize poisoning by a plant with your cat?
Most plants have a bitter taste and your cat will probably not eat much of it, but this may already be enough to get a nasty poisoning.
You can recognize poisoning in a cat by vomiting, diarrhea, skin irritation and mucosal irritation. If your cat is not very energetic or does not eat much, your cat may also suffer from poisoning. Keep an eye on this and do not try to make your cat vomit. Contact your vet and if you have the plant, take it with you so that the vet can see which antidote or treatment is needed.
But, good news, there are also many plants that are not toxic to your cat.
Poisoning can also be caused by food (which we as humans think is super tasty, but can be toxic to your cat).
