There’s a reason for that old adage, “Curiosity killed the cat.” Pets have a (sometimes infuriating) natural propensity to investigate everything they encounter, and some particularly interesting specimens can get the full mouth treatment. Living with a dog or an inquisitive cat can feel like living with a toddler—every day you’re shooing them away from some tiny choking hazard or forbidden piece of food. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chased my cats around the house, trying to get them to drop some unidentified morsel that may be food, plastic, a bug, or who knows what else. For pets that spend most of their lives indoors, sometimes it’s a thrill to chew on a houseplant or nibble on some grass in the yard. On the other hand, some pets turn up their noses when offered anything green. Unfortunately for adventurous pets, many common houseplants and foods are potentially toxic, so if you have curious kitties or canines, make sure that these lethal leaves are out of reach.
House of Flowers
According to the ASPCA, about 8,000 cases of plant poisoning each year come through their poison control call center. Lilies are among the most cat-hazardous plants in existence. When ingested, some species, such as lily-of-the-valley, can cause kidney failure and death within seventy-two hours. There are many varieties of lily, and their toxic effects range from upset stomach and a burning mouth to death. They are one of the most popular houseplants, but eating any part of one can be enough to kill an average-sized housecat. Most cats aren’t interested in eating flowers, but a few love to sample whatever’s available. Lilies aren’t quite as dangerous for dogs (who are generally more likely to eat plants and flowers), but ingesting even a few leaves is still enough to make a dog extremely sick.
Many other beautiful and common flowers are lethal to cats and dogs. Owners of curious pets should steer clear of bouquets or pots of daffodils, narcissus, hydrangeas, hyacinth, delphinium (also called larkspur), rhododendrons, azaleas, and dieffenbachia, all of which are poisonous and can cause nausea, vomiting, and airway constriction. Oleander, which sometimes grows in gardens in warm climates, is among the most poisonous plants in the world. The entire plant—leaves, stems, sap, and seeds—is exceptionally poisonous to humans and pets, and the bark also contains a compound similar to strychnine.
Drag It Through the Garden
Any plant that’s a member of the nightshade family can be dangerous for pets. Of course, most people don’t have deadly nightshade growing in the garden, but they might have some of its family members—potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, chili peppers, and Jimson weed. If eaten by a cat or dog, any member of the nightshade family can cause intense gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and neurological symptoms like confusion and delirium. Potatoes and tomatoes don’t generally raise as much alarm, but they can cause severe distress if a pet eats enough of the leaves or stem. Jimson weed (sometimes called thorn apple) poisoning is highly dangerous and often fatal, and it’s one of the more common kinds of pet poisoning.
