Well, plants can bring a lot of life to your room. The succulents are one of the most preferred indoor plants. There are several varieties of succulents that we tend to grow inside our homes and rooms. One such most popular and common houseplant grown indoors is Snake Plant. But have you ever given a thought to the all important question? Are Snake plants toxic to cats? Let us try finding out the relationship between cats and snake plants.
Quick Answer
Cats and snake plants are a deadly combination. Snake plants are toxic to cats. Snake plant consists of Saponins, which is mildly poisonous. It can cause a few issues such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and mild swelling in the mouth and tongue. If your cat has ingested any part of the snake plant, make sure that you take your cat to the vet immediately to begin treatment.
Are Snake Plants Toxic to Cats?
Snake plants are highly poisonous to cats. They contain the mildly toxic and poisonous compound called Saponins. These compounds help the plant stay safer from harmful fungi, insects, microbes, and other animals like cats. Almost every part of the snake plant is toxic to the cats.
The poisonous components are highly concentrated in the leaves of the plant. Since this tends to be the easiest part of the plant for the cat to ingest, they can cause severe issues to your cat’s health. The snake plant can have serious numbing effects on your cat. If you have a snake plant in your home, make sure to keep your cat away from the plant.
Symptoms of Snake Plant Poisoning on Cats
Ingesting the Snake Plant can have several effects on your cat. The most common effects of snake plant poisoning on cats can include vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. The degree of Snake Plant toxicity can vary across different cats, but these three are the most common effects and symptoms your cat has ingested Snake Plant.
Some of the common signs of Snake Plant poisoning in cats include
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Excessive drooling
- Depression
- Abdominal discomfort
- Swelling in mouth, tongue or threat
- Loss of appetite
How Can You Keep Your Cat Safe from Snake Plant?
Now that you have found that Snake Plant is a toxic plant for cats, how can you keep your cat safe from it? Cats always tend to be curious, and it is not that easy to keep them away from anything in your home. This includes keeping it away from the plants that are toxic.
Some tips that you can use to help you protect your cat from poisonous plants like Snake Plant can include
Relocate the plant where your cat cannot access it
Obviously, the best way is to take the Snake Plant out of the reach of your cat. However, simply moving your plant to a location higher enough may not do the trick. Since cats can easily access the higher positions, it is more advisable to move the plant to a location that is completely inaccessible to your cat. It can include using a hanging pots.
Make the snake plant unappealing
Cats are curious and get attracted to the things that appear very appealing. The best way to keep your cat away from your snake plant is to make it completely unappealing. The trick is to make it smell something that a cat hates. Cats typically hate citrus fruits. That is why you can use the peels of lemons an oranges to make the snake plant unattractive to your cat.
This can indeed serve a dual purpose. While it can keep your cat away from the poisonous plant, it can give your home a great scent and ambiance. You can also use a perfume that has a citrus smell.
Use cat-repellant spray on the plant
Pet sprays are known to keep the cat away from certain things. You can use these sprays on your snake plant so that the cat stays away from the plant. However, when trying out these pet sprays, make sure that the spray does not harm the plant. It is advisable to use the spray only on certain part of the plant and check for any adverse reactions.
You can even create a DIY cat repellant spray. You can make it by mixing cayenne pepper or vinegar with water. Once your cat sniffs at the plant, you can be assured that it will avoid it.
Keep your cat engaged in something else
Yet another good idea is to give your cat something else to stay engaged in. You can provide your cat with things such as balls, cardboard boxes, scratching posts, or toys. Hopefully, your cat will get distracted and stay away from the snake plant.
Deter the cat with the aluminium foil
Cats hate the reflective nature of the aluminium foil and the sound it makes when it steps on it. Covering the soil with the aluminium foil or placing the foil under the plant can help you deter the cat from accessing the plant or even chewing at it.
Which Parts of Snake Plants are toxic to cats?
When it comes to the snake plant, the entire plant is poisonous to cats. However, the most toxic elements in the plants include the Saponins and organic acids that are produced during the process of photosynthesis. The purpose of having saponins is to protect the plant from fungi and insects, but the high toxicity can be fatal for cats and dogs.
The Saponins are highly concentrated in the roots and leaves. Not only cats, but the sap from the leaves of the Snake plant can cause skin irritation in humans. However, the sap may not affect the cats as they have their body covered by fur.
The poisonous effects of the Snake Plants would be much more if they ingested the sap or any part of the plant.
What to do If Your Cat has Eaten a Snake Plant?
If your cat has ingested any part of the snake plant, make sure that you have taken the primary step to reduce the effects of poisoning. Get in touch with your vet instantly. Before the vet arrives, you can induce vomiting to ensure that the poison gets out of your cat’s system.
Your vet will administer activated charcoal or other medications to help absorb the toxins form your cat’s body. In some rare cases, your cat may require IV fluids, oxygen therapy, and monitoring. In most of the cases, your cat should comfortably recover from the snake plant poisoning. The key is to contact your veterinarian right ahead of time.
You may also be interested in – Top 7 Reasons for Why Does my Cat Reach his Paw out to Me
Bonus – Other Plants that May be Poisonous to Cats
Apart from the Snake plant, you would also find a few other plants to be quite toxic to cats. Some of them would include
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera also consists of Saponins. It also includes the chemicals known as anthraquinone. When ingested, it can result in digestive issues in your cat. It can also cause signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other signs of gastrointestinal discomfort.
Jade Plant
Also called Jade tree, Dwarf rubber plant, Chinese rubber plant, Japanese rubber plant, and Baby Jade, this is the most commonly found plant across the world. Even when we do not have any info on which parts of the plant are poisonous, it is advisable to keep the entire plant away from the reach of the cat. The signs of poisoning can include slow heart rate, vomiting and loss of muscle function.
Mother in Law plant
The plant contains Calcium oxalates which can cause digestive discomfort or even the issue of kidney stones. Some signs of poisoning with this plant can include swallowing and irritation of your cat’s mouth, tongue, and esophagus.
The Peace lily
The Peace Lily also consists of Calcium oxalates, which can cause severe issues with respect to the digestive system in your cat. Calcium oxalate is found concentrated in the leaves, flowers, and stem of the plant. Some signs of the poisoning would include excessive drooling, vomiting, oral irritation, and pawing at the mouth.
Houseplants That Are Safe for Cats
Snake plants and some other popular houseplants tend to be unsafe to your cat. However, that should not mean you can not have any indoor plant if you love cats. There are several plants that tend to be extremely safer for you.
Some of the house plants that are safe and non-toxic to cats –
- Calathea
- African Violet
- Spider plant
- Canary date palm
- Green ripple peperomia
- Mosaic plant
- Haworthia
The Concluding Thoughts
Snake plants are toxic and poisonous for cats. If you suspect your cat has ingested the parts of snake plant, make sure to take it immediately to the veterinarian for an immediate treatment. In any case, if you have snake plants in your home, ensure that you have kept your cat as much away from the plant as possible.
What makes snake plants toxic to cats?
Snake plants tend to be toxic because of the saponins found in the plant material. This chemical is observed to be toxic to your cat or even dog.
Is spider plant toxic to cats?
No, Spider plant is not toxic to cats. But, nibbling too much at the spider plants can prove to be a little bad for your cat.
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