What Garden Plants Are Safe For Cat (And Dogs!)

Cats have an annoying tendency to smell, lick and even chew the plants, especially when they’re bored.

The latter refers to young grass or cyperus shoots, which fill his need for greenery necessary for good digestive health. Here is a list of 20 harmless plants for cats:

1. Nepata Cataria
2. Aloe Vera
3. Chamomile
4. Valerian
5. Rosemary
6. Thyme
7. Parsley
8. Mint
9. The Areca Palm
10. The orchid
11. The Dandelion
12. The Cat’s Claw
13. La Calathea
14. Basil for cats
15. Sage
16. Bamboo
17. The palm horsetail
18. The ribbon
19. Peperomia obtusifolia
20. The Maranta

Will cats eat toxic plants?

Most cats are careful about what they eat and are cautious about plants they don’t know. Poisoning is therefore quite rare in cats. The most at risk are young cats who think less before acting, and are therefore more likely to eat a poisonous plant, especially houseplants.

What garden plants are toxic to cats?

Here is a list of 19 toxic garden plants for cats (and dogs)!

• Almond tree: respiratory disorders and convulsions ;
• Azalea: salivation, weakness;
• Boxwood: digestive and neurological disorders;
• Chelidoine: neurological disorders;
• Hemlock: excitement then apathy, respiratory disorders;
• Colchicum;
• Cytitis: respiratory and neurological disorders;
• Datura: digestive and neurological disorders;
• Digitale: cardiac disorders;
• Eucalyptus: digestive disorders;
• Fern: hemorrhagic diarrhea;
• Juniper: mucous membrane irritations and digestive disorders;
• Ginkgo biloba;
• Hellebores: digestive disorders;
• Hydrangea: asphyxia;
• Yew: digestive and neurological disorders;
• Iris: neurological disorders;
• Daffodil: digestive disorders;
• Laurel: cardiac disorders;

How do I know if my cat has been poisoned?

Concerning intoxication, there are signs that do not deceive:

– Repeated licking of the perioral area (potential burn symptoms) ;

– vomiting ;

– diarrhea ;

– lethargy;

– disorientation ;

– lack of appetite ;

– dilated pupils;

– heart palpitations;

– edema of the face;

– convulsions;

– unconsciousness.

How do I get my cat to stop eating my plants?

Provide him with fiber

The first reasons that lead our felines to deteriorate our plants were the regulation of the transit and the search for fibers. To compensate for this natural lack of fiber, you will find catnip in pet stores. This one will provide him the necessary contribution for his transit and should calm his envy to eat some. 

Make him run away with smells he doesn’t like

If the desire to chew the leaves of your ficus is linked to her desire to play, it will be necessary to apply one of these tips from grandma, which fortunately are numerous and work. Whichever green plant is so attractive to your pet, you can keep it away by putting smells in it that it can’t stand. The cat’s sense of smell is seven times more developed than that of humans. For example, he hates the smell of citrus fruits. Therefore, simply place a small bowl with maggot juice next to your flowerpot. Don’t pour the lemon juice directly into the pot, as it can damage the plant due to its acidity level. However, it is possible to grate some zest and place it directly at the base of the plant. 

Just like the smell of citrus fruits, coffee grounds are a good natural repellent because they are bitter. Your tomcat is not really fond of the bitterness of coffee. So just put some coffee grounds at the foot of your plants or in the soil.

By the way, this advice also works for garden plants and they will be all the more grateful to you because coffee grounds are a remarkable natural fertilizer. Also, if he regularly uses the soil from flower pots as bedding, scrapes it out of the pots or tramples on the soil, this tip will be useful. Indeed, if he steps on the coffee, it will settle on his pads and he will have a nasty surprise when he goes to the toilet. You can be sure that he will only have to do it two or three times to understand. 

After lemon and coffee, the last smells so hated by cats are the ones that make them sneeze. Pets don’t like anything pungent. Ground pepper discourages them from getting too close to plants. Again, you can sprinkle it in your pots. Mustard has the same effect as pepper. Grandma’s trick is to dilute mustard in water and use the mixture in a spray bottle. Then spray this water on the plant.

Helping him to overcome his boredom

Last solution, if your cat has made your plants his playground, he may be missing a few toys to get over his boredom. Try to provide your cat with a variety of games and objects. Some games are meant to be chewed, chewed, scratched, thrown. Think of offering him a cat tree, rubber balls and possibly resistant objects made of rope to alleviate his desire to bite, which he often fills by shredding our plants. 

Take care of your health

Also remember that it is advisable to keep animals away from certain plants as they can be toxic. The dieffenbachia, the philodendron, the yucca or the ficus, four plants that are so much appreciated and that are commonly chosen to decorate your home, are toxic for your cat but also if you have a dog. Yucca, for example, can cause colic or hypothermia. Dieffenbachia is the cause of many calls to the poison control center. These plants can cause swelling of the tongue and oral mucous membranes if the leaves are ingested by a child, dog or cat. It is therefore better to apply the recommendations mentioned above to keep them away from danger. 

Summary

In general, it is mostly indoor plants that are harmful to cats, even if some outdoor plants are also harmful, there is very little chance that your cat will eat them, being very cautious by nature, the greatest risk is in young cats who have less thinking!

Don’t neglect the water that was used to water toxic plants, the cat must never have access to it!