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Cats are carnivores by nature. Instinctively, they are drawn to meat, rather than vegetation.

Felines are not designed to eat greens, and many plants are toxic to cats, if eaten. Toxicities vary. Ingesting one leaf or flower might prove fatal, while another might produce a rash or digestive upset.

It is important for the responsible pet owner to consider what plants can be harmful to a cat.

These include: almond, aloe vera, alocasia, amaryllis, arrowgrass, asparagus fern, avocado, azalea, baby's breath, baneberry, bayonet, beargrass, beech, belladonna, bird of paradise, bittersweet, black-eyed Susan (rudebekia), black locust, bleeding heart, bloodroot, bluebonnet , boxwood , breadfruit, buckeyes, burning bush , buttercup, caladium, cane, castor beans, ceriman, cherry, chinaberry, chrysanthemum, cineria, clematis, cordatum, coriaria, cornflower, coreopsis, corydalis, crocus, croton, crown of thorns, cycads, cyclamen, daffodil, daphne, datura, delphinium, dieffenbachia, dracanea, dragon tree, eggplant, elaine, elderberry elephant ear, eucalyptus, euonymus, flax, four o'clock, foxglove, geranium, golden glow, hellebore, hemlock, henbane, holly, honeysuckle, hyacinth, hydrangea, iris, jack-in-the-pulpit, jessamine, jonquil, jungle trumpet, kalanchoe, lantana, larkspur, laurel, lily (all varieties), lily of the valley, locoweed, lupine, marble queen, marigold, marijuana, mescali, mistletoe, mock orange, monkshood, moonseed, morning glory, mother-in-law's tongue, mushrooms, mustard, narcissus, nephytis, nightshade, oleander, onion, pathos, peony, periwinkle, philodendron, pimpernel, poinciana, poinsettia, poison ivy and oak, pokeweed, poppy, potato, primrose, privet, purge, red emerald, red princess, rhododendron, rhubarb, ribbon plant, rubber plant, schefflera, scotch broom, skunk cabbage, snowdrops, snow on the mountain, staggerweed, star of Bethlehem, string of pearls, sweetpea, tobacco, tomato, tulip, tung tree, Virginia creeper, weeping fig, wild call, and wisteria.

In addition, most cacti, ferns, evergreens (pines, spruces, yews, etc.), palms, and viny plants (ivy, taro, etc.) are toxic to cats.

In addition, the pits and seeds of several plants can poison a cat. Do not allow your feline to consume almond pits, apple seeds, apricot pits, cherry pits or seeds, chestnuts, peach pits,

Legumes (java beans, lima beans, etc.) are generally not good for cats.

Cornstalks are also bad for cats. Pet lovers much be particularly vigilant during autumn, when dried cornstalks appear on every porch for fall dcor.

Although most plants and flowers can harm a cat, if the cat actually eats them, a cat is not likely to do so voluntarily. Even outdoor cats are more likely to hunt for mice and other prey than to gorge themselves on the contents of a garden.

Providing sufficient healthy food options will likely be the best way to prevent a cat from attempting to taste houseplants, flowers, trees, or other vegetation.

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
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