Question about plant toxicity to cats

[FountainMan]

It’s mid February and I’m beginning the process of planning my little apartment patio garden. I have a full shade garden and have been looking at plants like hosta, hydrangeas, and foxglove. However further research revealed that these plants are toxic to cats.

Now my cats are indoors and never go outside so there’s very little chance of consumption of the plants, However I do know some plants like lilies are so toxic that even an accidental exposure to small amounts of the pollen can cause severe illness and even death. Fortunately I won’t be planting lilies.

I don’t know much about plant toxicity to cats so I’m hoping someone here has more expertise on the subject and can provide guidance on the matter. I want to plant a nice arrangement this year but with minimal risk to my cats.

Thanks.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I have had up to 9 cats, not all want to stay inside. They come and go through the doggie door. They room in my garden. I never gave it a worry about plants inside or outside. The one thing I was careful of was any grass treatments, of which we did not, as cats do like to munch on certain grasses in the lawn.

 

[Marck]

It is question of risk probability. Most cats won't eat most plants to the point of poisoning themselves, though a few do...
In nature, natural selection seems to balance curiosity with caution, but humans have bred the common-sense out of many animals.

Lilies do seem to be exceptionally toxic to cats. Even still, most outdoor cats must encounter lilies in their wanderings and only a few decide to make a snack of it. Interestingly, both 'true' Lilies (Lilium) and Daylilies (Hemerocallis) possess the same or similar cat-toxic properties. However, the two genera are actually not closely related, being not only in different families but even in entirely different orders, Liliales and Asparagales, respectively. Also, it seems that the exact identity of the toxic substance remains unknown to science.

 

[StringCheese]

It’s mid February and I’m beginning the process of planning my little apartment patio garden. I have a full shade garden and have been looking at plants like hosta, hydrangeas, and foxglove. However further research revealed that these plants are toxic to cats.

Now my cats are indoors and never go outside so there’s very little chance of consumption of the plants, However I do know some plants like lilies are so toxic that even an accidental exposure to small amounts of the pollen can cause severe illness and even death. Fortunately I won’t be planting lilies.

I don’t know much about plant toxicity to cats so I’m hoping someone here has more expertise on the subject and can provide guidance on the matter. I want to plant a nice arrangement this year but with minimal risk to my cats.

Thanks.

I think it may depend on how your cats react around certain plants. For example, I have two cats. They are both indoor, but I live in zone 6b, so when I start my garden I usually have to start some seeds indoors. One of my cats don't mind plants and will leave them alone. However my other cat will eat any, and I mean ANY plant that he can get his paws on. Out of the indoor plants I've tried to grow, mint was the only plant he couldn't stand. He stayed far away from it and never touched it. I now only have one main indoor plant, a basil plant, but keep it surrounded with mint plants to keep him off. You could do something similar in your garden if you know there is something your cat doesn't like.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

couple years ago, one of my cats was walking through the garden and reached up pulled a leaf off a Weigela shrub and ate it. I am like, OH, MY DEAD cat. Ran inside looked it up, and here the leaves are edible. Learn some thing new. Cat still remains here, active etc.