Our pets are beloved animals that most of us would do anything for. And as plant and flower lovers, we’re all obsessed with our home jungles filled with beautiful houseplants, and our gardens booming with flowers and bushes… But did you know that sometimes, our plants can pose a danger to our pets? Many of us are unaware of the risks that plants can have on our poor cats and dogs – it’s just not something that people shout about!
Yet it’s something to be taken incredibly seriously, as ingesting some of these plants can have critical gastrointestinal effects on our pets or can even be fatal. Sadly, it’s much harder to get your dog or cat to stop eating plants than it is to not have them in the first place, so we’ve compiled a list of plants to avoid in your home.
Please note, this isn’t an exhaustive list, so we always recommend researching a plant before bringing it into a pet-friendly home.
Which plants are not good for pets?
Mistletoe
A sad fact if you like a cheeky festive kiss under the Mistletoe at Christmas… but both the leaves and berries are poisonous to dogs. It can cause heavy breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea, and can even be fatal if it leads to cardiovascular collapse. Not the holiday merriment we’re all aiming for!
Aloe Vera
While Aloe Vera are gorgeous plants with many health benefits for humans, such as soothing irritated skin, they are super harmful to an animal’s digestive systems. It can similarly cause diarrhoea and vomiting, as well as depression, lethargy, or even tremors.
Ivy
We don’t just mean Poison Ivy! Different forms of ivy are super popular both inside and outdoors, trailing over walls or dangling off shelves. But it can cause rashes, breathing problems, or even coma or paralysis in our pups.
Sago palms
Sago palms are super low-maintenance plants that give our homes a beautiful tropical feel. Sound like a winner? Unfortunately, not if you have pets. Their roots, leaves and seeds are all poisonous to our pets. One bite can cause all the bad gut problems above, but also liver failure – so even a tiny bite would warrant an emergency vet visit.
Pothos
The super popular Pothos or Devil’s Ivy, whichever name you prefer, is toxic to both humans and our four-legged friends. Ingesting Pothos can irritate the mouth and tongue of our pets, and cause vomiting, or salivation and swallowing difficulties.
Lilies
Gorgeous Lilies in all their forms are toxic to our pets. Some are toxic for both cats and dogs, such as the Peace Lily, which can cause mouth and tongue irritation, vomiting and problems swallowing (as above). However, other variations, such as the Stargazer and Easter Lilies, are only toxic to cats.
Tulips
To be avoided at all costs in your garden or on your kitchen table! All parts of the plant are toxic, but the bulbs are the most dangerous part. Toxic to dogs, cats and humans, ingesting can cause drooling, diarrhoea, and vomiting.
Philodendrons
The Philodendron family includes the Swiss Cheese plant, Heartleaf, and Fiddle-leaf Philodendrons. All these plants contain insoluble calcium oxalate, which can irritate and cause pain and swelling of a dog’s mouth and lips. It may also cause excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
Jade plant
Jade tree, Dwarf Rubber Plant, Chinese or Japanese Rubber Plant, Friendship Tree, Baby Jade… the Jade plant goes by many names. But whatever you call it, it shouldn’t go anywhere near your dog or cat. Eating Jade plants can cause vomiting, ataxia, depression, and lower the heart rate.
Zanzibar Gem
The Zanzibar Gen is an amazing plant that can survive a lot of plant parent neglect. Sadly, however, it makes the list of poisonous houseplants, and is toxic to our beloved pets.
Note: if you suspect your pet has ingested any of the above plants or displays any symptoms from contact with any other plants, seek emergency veterinary attention immediately.
Time to pet-proof your plants!
The outlook may seem bleak, but there are still many pet-friendly plants out there. When buying a houseplant as a gift for a loved one, keep this list in mind if they have a furry friend.
Similarly, if you have any of these plants in your home or garden, it might be time to uproot and gift to a non-pet owner. But what better opportunity to revamp your home jungle? Swap them for non-toxic indoor plants and give your home a fresh look today. Why not browse through our collection now?
