If you are a cat parent, think again before sprucing up your living area with succulents. Some of them may be poisonous which is dangerous to your feline friend or furry friends. Whether you have them on the outdoor patio or inside the rooms, as a cat parent, you should know the 5 poisonous succulents for cats and brace to keep only those that are safe for your pet.
Succulents are plants with thick or fleshy parts that store water. Most people regard succulent plants as ornamental due to their unique looks. They are also popular because of their hardiness to survive indoors where they receive no or little sunlight. There are poisonous succulents for cats, so cat parents, they’ve to be careful while selecting succulent plants for their indoors or patios or even better not grow succulent plants altogether.
Are succulents poisonous for cats?
Yes, and no. Some succulents are poisonous for cats and there are those that are not. Pet parents who love succulents in their houses have to choose with some wisdom the succulents to keep. Although most pets don’t consume succulents, some might be curious to try them because they are appealing and fleshy if not tempting.
Fortunately, most succulent plants are harmless say for a few of them. It is challenging if you are a cat parent and a succulent enthusiast because some of the good-looking succulents are not cat-friendly, especially when ingested. Some succulents have violent physical surfaces that may sting badly your feline furry friends or even yourself if you are not careful. So before bringing in succulent plants into our homes, we need to take a look at the list of those that are safe for pets.
List of poisonous succulents for cats
If you are a cat parent, steer clear of the following succulent varieties;
Aloe Vera
It is one of the common succulents popular as therapeutic or medicinal. Traditionally, its sap was used to treat sunburns and is nowadays found as a supplement in most cosmetics and flavored water. Aside from all these medicinal benefits, Aloe Vera can be poisonous to your cat or dog. Saponins can be toxic to dogs and cats, if ingested gastrointestinal disorders like vomiting diarrhea or lethargy may be experienced.
Some physical characteristics of Aloe Vera plants include; long and spiked tendrils, and white-spotted foliage in some varieties, and others produce flowers periodically. All of the Aloe Vera varieties should be kept away from pets or better don’t grow them if you are a cat parent.
Kalanchoe
Many love Kalanchoes for their colorful blossoms. Some produce pale pink flowers, red, and fiery orange. They are famous tropical house plants known by a number of nicknames i.e., devil backbone, mother-in-law, Mother of millions, and many other localized nicknames I cannot mention right now. Devils backbone I guess is because of the dangers it poses to pets. Signs and symptoms that your pet might have ingested Kalanchoe are vomiting diarrhea, and abnormal heart rhythms. If your cat ingests Kalanchoe by any chance, you are recommended to call your vet immediately. It is dangerous and it can lead to the death of your beloved friend.
Euphorbia
It is a large and diverse genus, they include tiny, low-growing plants to large sprawling tree. Many succulents in this genus like the crown of thorns or a pencil of cactus are highly poisonous to cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning include gastrointestinal upsets and skin or eye irritation. If you are a pet owner, you are advised to steer away from plants from this genus because they are deadly poisonous for example poinsettia.
Jade
Jade is an easy-to-grow house plant just like Aloe Vera found on many windowsills. This succulent has thick beautiful fleshy leaves and a plumb stem with oval leaves. It has different varieties but all of them should be kept away from cats or better don’t grow if you have pets in your home. If by chance your pet ingests jade, the symptoms will be gastrointestinal upsets and incoordination.
Senecio rowleyanus
This succulent plant is native to South Africa. They are very popular for their versatility and trailing properties. Their stems can grow up to 30cm long and can be left either hanging or trailing. Its stems are lined up with round pea-like green leaves. Many people love this plant because of its beauty and its unusual appearance. They flower fuzzy and cinnamon-villa-scented flowers. These plants are not tolerant of frost or direct sunshine so they must be protected. The sap of this plant can cause dermatitis and irritation in pets and people. The symptoms of poisoning when ingested include; vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, and lethargy. If you have a chronic chewer this plant may be too tempting hence you should come up with ways to keep them away from your pets.
Common succulents that are safe for your cat include; Hens and Chicken, Haworthia, Burro’s Tail, and more.
Protect your pets from poisonous succulent plants
Thousands of succulent varieties are available if you love indoor plants. Succulents are good-looking and hardy so they do better in all conditions. Things are not the same if you are a pet lover too. You will have to sacrifice some of the good-looking succulent plants for the safety of your pets. Fortunately, there are plenty of succulent plants that are safe for cats and other pets you adopted.
So when choosing plants to grow if you are a pet owner, you are advised to check first on the extensive poisonous plant database before growing them. Also, note that succulent plants whether toxic or not can cause problems to your pets. Sometimes cats are curious to try everything they see nice and succulents are not exceptional. Even if these plants are not poisonous food for cats when ingested can cause discomfort or upsets to your pets.
If by any chance your pet ingests one of the succulent plants, the first thing to do is to identify the scientific name and the Latin name of the plant and refer your cat to a vet immediately.
Now that you know the 5 types of poisonous succulents, you might also be interested in the list of poisonous houseplants for cats.
