Plants are a great way to add finishing touches to your home, but did you know they may also be a death trap for your cats? There are many plants that are poisonous to cats. Here’s a list of plants that are a no-go when redecorating your space:

Lilies
Most lilies are lethal to cats. Any lily that’s a part of the Lilium group – think Easter lilies, stargazer lilies and asiatic lilies – has a chemical that is toxic to our feline friends. In fact, they’re so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws or drinking water from a vase with cut lilies in it.

If you think your cat has chewed or eaten even a bite of a lily, go to the animal hospital immediately.

Eucalyptus
Although it’s pretty and smells great, eucalyptus is dangerous for cats. If ingested, it can cause cats to suffer seizures, vomiting, and diarrhea among other symptoms. Use eucalyptus essential oil in a sealed container instead to get your fix while keeping your cat safe.

Nightshades
While some ripe nightshades like tomatoes may be an okay occasional snack for felines, it’s best to stay away from having a tomato plant at home as they can be toxic. Its leaves, stems and unripe fruit are unsafe for your kitty causing serious stomach problems. Other nightshade plants include eggplant or the bittersweet nightshade flower.

Cannabis
Cannabis – the plant or product – is dangerous to cats. Although cats are likely to recover from minimal THC intoxication, like second-hand smoke (yes, you read that right), it’s best to seal and store any cannabis products away from your cat. THC intoxication symptoms include dilated pupils, lack of coordination, vomiting and even coma.

Azaleas & Rhododendrons
Azaleas and other plants of the Rhododendron family are a beautiful floral accent to your yard. However, just a few leaves can make your cat incredibly sick. It’s full of the toxin grayanotoxin, which is lethal to cats in a small dose that can result in cardiac failure.

While in some cases, just parts of a plant – bark, leaves, seeds, berries, roots, tubers, spouts, green shells – might be poisonous, it’s best to not have them around. If you must have any of them, keep them safely out of reach. Read a list of all plants that are dangerous to cats here.

If your cat gets sick, take the plant with you to help the vet identify the source of the poisoning and make an accurate treatment plan.

Cat Poisoning Symptoms

• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Twitching or seizures
• Loss of appetite
• Irregular heartbeat
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of coordination

If you see or think your cat ate something poisonous, call the veterinarian immediately.

Overall, you’re welcome to have greenery in your home to add that special touch to your space. Just remember to stay informed on what species are safe for your kitty for a cozy home for you and your furry friend!

At SAFE Haven for Cats, we say “yes” to saving cats’ lives. Most cats that come into our care spend minimal time getting ready for adoption, but some special cats get the royal treatment to get them on the road to their forever home. Queen Margaret was one of those extraordinary cats.

Margaret came to us from Clayton (Johnston County) with an enlarged hind leg. Poor Margaret was in so much pain that she struggled to use that leg. Upon her arrival at SAFE Haven, she received an exam and x-rays, which revealed Queen Margaret was suffering from severe bone degeneration in her lower limbs.

The Medical Director of the SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic, Dr. Tiffany Kutner, had a couple of thoughts on what this degeneration could mean. She was concerned that Margaret had cancer in her leg or an old, very severe injury causing infection of her leg. Either way, Queen Margaret was in extreme pain, and the best way to ensure her survival was to amputate her leg.

Flash forward to two weeks later and Queen Margaret is doing great! After the amputation, Dr. Kutner sent the tissue off to get examined for cancer in case this was something they needed to be aware of in the future.

Luckily, NO cancer was found! Now, Queen Margaret will get to live a long, happy life.

An article from National Geographic discusses how animals can live long, fulfilling lives with three legs. The biggest reason for this is if you have four legs, to begin with, losing one is not as big a deal as it may be to humans. As the article states, four-legged animals often balance perfectly on three legs because they tend to take on a “tripod” stance. This means they position their lone leg towards the center of their bodies to distribute their weight evenly!

Pictures and videos show that even after only two weeks, Queen Margaret is adapting to the “tripod” method to maintain balance. Queen Margaret can live a happy life without the worry or pain she used to carry as a stray.

Queen Margaret was adopted by a sweet family that could make a loving home for this beautiful monarch. Thank you to the entire team for the care she received and the attention she deserved.

Your donations help us say “yes!” to extra special medical care for the cats in our care. Margaret is just one of the hundreds of cats that receive routine and extraordinary medical care at the SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic. Please donate today in honor of Queen Margaret and all the cats that need a little extra care.