Poisonous houseplants are not uncommon for cat owners. Numerous plants have a toxic effect on velvet paws. 20 are presented to you in this article.

In a nutshell

  • various parts of plants poisonous
  • are nibbled on
  • numerous symptoms of poisoning possible

Cats: 20 poisonous house plants from A to D

Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)

  • Toxic: highly toxic in all parts of the plant
  • Synonyms: Cyclamen, Persian Cyclamen
  • Distribution: Southeast Europe and North Africa to the Near East
  • Growth: upright, clump-forming, with hypocotyl tuber, perennial, sensitive to frost
  • Growth height: 10 to 30 cm
  • Flowering time: September to mid-April
  • Flower: solitary, pendulous, white, pink or purple
  • Location: bright, no direct sun, 15°C to 18°C

Avocado (Persea americana)

  • Toxic: fruit and stone (for cats), edible by humans
  • Synonyms: avocado pear, butterfruit, alligator pear
  • Distribution: Mexico, Central America
  • Habit: upright, multi-stemmed, perennial, spreading crown, not hardy
  • Growth height: 500 to 2,000 cm
  • Flowering time: April to mid-May
  • Flowers: inconspicuous, small, yellow-green, panicles, only after 10 years
  • Fruit: edible
  • Location: sunny, tolerates sunny to semi-shady places, warm all year round, ideal winter garden plant

Tree Friend (Philodendron)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant, plant sap causes skin irritation
  • Distribution: Florida across Central America to South America, including the Caribbean
  • Growth: depends on the species, evergreen, uses trees for climbing, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 600 cm
  • Flowering time: possible all year round
  • Flowers: Pistils, white, extremely rare as a houseplant
  • Location: light to semi-shady, no direct sun, 18°C to 25°C, protected from drafts

Notice: You should always wear gloves when caring for plants with poisonous plant or milky sap. Cats can also get the juice, for example in their fur.

Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant, plant sap leads to allergic reactions or contact dermatitis
  • Distribution: Himalayas to southern China, Malaysia and Australia, Solomon Islands
  • Growth: upright, as a tree or shrub, spreading crown, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: 30 to 800 cm
  • Flowering time: possible all year round
  • Flowers: extremely rare in Central Europe, inconspicuous, spherical, green
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady, protected from the midday sun, 20°C to 28°C in summer, min. 18°C in winter

Notice: The popular rubber tree (Ficus elastica) is also not recommended for cat owners because it is a poisonous indoor plant. Cats like to eat the fleshy leaves.

Bow Hemp (Sansevieria trifasciata)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant
  • Synonym: mother-in-law's tongue
  • Distribution: Central Africa
  • Habit: Succulent, stemless, develops rhizomes, sharp-edged leaves, perennial, sensitive to frost
  • Growth height: 15 to 160 cm
  • Flowering time: mid-May to mid-June
  • Flowers: spikes, up to 80 cm long, green
  • Location: light to semi-shady, protect from direct midday sun,

Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant due to the milky sap
  • Synonyms: room calla
  • Distribution: Africa
  • Growth: upright, forms rhizomes, sensitive to frost
  • Growth height: 30 to 90 cm
  • Flowering time: February to mid-April
  • Flowers: solitary, spadix flowers, white, large
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady, protect from direct midday sun, 10°C to 20°C

Dragon Trees (Dracaena)

Marginated dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)
  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant
  • Distribution: worldwide in the tropics and subtropics
  • Habit: tree-like, upright, broad crown, slightly overhanging, perennial, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 200 cm (in planters)
  • Location: bright to shady, protect from direct midday sun, warm, humid, min. 15°C

Notice: The lucky bamboo (Dracaena braunii) also belongs to the dragon trees and should therefore not come near your house tiger.

E to K

True Aloe (Aloe vera)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant except pure aloe vera gel
  • Distribution: Arabian Peninsula
  • Habit: Succulent, often stemless, serrated leaf margin, aloe vera gel can be used inside, perennial, sensitive to frost
  • Growth height: 40 to 50 cm
  • Flowering period: January to the end of February
  • Flowers: up to 90 cm long, racemes, yellow
  • Location: full sun, warm, ideal for conservatories and window sills

Solid Leaf (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant due to oxalic acid
  • Synonyms: peace lily, sheath leaf, leaf flag
  • Distribution: Mexico to Colombia
  • Growth: upright, clump-forming, slightly overhanging, perennial, not hardy
  • Growth height: 40 to 80 cm
  • Flowering period: mid-June to September
  • Flowers: Large, spadix flowers, solitary, white and yellow
  • Location: partially shaded to shaded, warm, humid, 16°C to 25°C
  • Special features: is considered an air purifier

Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant, skin contact may cause irritation
  • Synonym: Golden ivy
  • Distribution: Moorea (South Pacific island), naturalized in tropical Asia and Oceania
  • Habit: Climbing plant, forms aerial roots, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 2,000 cm
  • Flowering time: possible all year round
  • Flowers: Pistils, up to 24 cm long, bloom extremely rarely
  • Location: shady to semi-shady, min. 16°C, ideal for conservatories

Elephant foot (Beaucarnea recurvata)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant
  • Synonym: Monja
  • Distribution: Veracruz (state in Mexico)
  • Habit: Succulent tree-shaped, slightly branched, leaves up to 200 cm long, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 900 cm
  • Location: bright, protect from direct midday sun, permanently warm, protect from draughts

Monstera (Monstera)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant through the sap, fruits are non-toxic
  • Distribution: Central America, South America, Caribbean
  • Habit: Climbing plant, climbing, evergreen, not hardy, forms very large leaves
  • Growth height: up to 300 cm
  • Location: bright, protect from direct midday sun, warm, sufficiently humid

Anthurium flowers (anthurium)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant, highest amount of poison in leaves
  • Distribution: Central America, South America, Caribbean
  • Habit: Epiphytes, rarely terrestrial, upright, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: 30 to 120 cm
  • Flowering time: possible all year round
  • Flowers: Large, solitary, spadix flowers, pronounced spathe, yellow to red
  • Location: shady to semi-shady, warm, protected from drafts, sufficiently humid

Flaming Katie (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)

  • Toxic: in all parts of plants, not for humans
  • Distribution: Madagascar
  • Habit: Succulent, upright, dense, bushy, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 30 cm
  • Flowering period: February to mid-June
  • Flowers: terminal, in fours, many flowers (up to 500 flowers per plant), intense red
  • Location: bright, no direct midday sun, warm, min. 16°C

L to Z

Lilies (Lilium)

  • Toxic: in all parts of plants, even pollen, especially bulbs
  • Distribution: entire northern hemisphere
  • Habit: Bulbous plant, upright, slightly overhanging depending on the species, winter hardiness also depends on the species
  • Growth height: 20 to 300 cm
  • Flowering time: depending on the species, usually from mid-May to mid-August
  • Flowers: solitary or in racemes, long peduncles, numerous colours, radial symmetry, 6 stamens
  • Location: bright, avoid direct sunlight, not too warm

Notice: Other bulbous plants such as onions (Allium cepa), tulips (Tulip) or daffodils (Narcissus) are also considered poisonous houseplants for cats. You should cultivate them out of reach for velvet paws in the apartment or do without them.

Cycad (Cycas revoluta)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant
  • Synonyms: Japanese sago cycad, Japanese cycad
  • Distribution: Japan, China
  • Growth: upright, sprawling, overhanging, pinnate palm fronds up to 200 cm long
  • Growth height: 300 to 800 cm
  • Location: bright, warm, protect from drafts, min. 15°C

Palm Lilies (Yucca)

  • Toxic: in all parts of plants, not for humans
  • Distribution: Mexico, Western USA
  • Growth: upright, single or multi-stemmed, different leaf shapes, evergreen, not hardy
  • Height of growth: highly dependent on the species, usually 60 to 300 cm in indoor culture
  • Location: full sun to shade, warm,

Phalaenopsis Orchids (Phalaenopsis)

  • Toxic: in all parts of the plant
  • Synonym: butterfly orchid
  • Distribution: Philippines, Indonesia, rest of Southeast Asia to Queensland
  • Growth: upright, without side shoots, epiphytic, perennial, not hardy
  • Growth height: up to 40 cm
  • Flowering period: October to February
  • Flower: solitary, long stalk up to 100 cm, in numerous colors and patterns, in threes, zygomorphic
  • Location: shady to semi-shady, continuously warm, sufficiently humid, avoid dry heating air, protect from draughts

Schweigrohr (Dieffenbachia seguine)

  • Toxic: highly toxic in all parts of the plant
  • Synonym: giftaron
  • Distribution: South America, Caribbean
  • Habit: herbaceous, upright, leaves up to 45 cm, evergreen, not hardy
  • Growth height: 50 to 300 cm
  • Location: bright, bathrooms or hallways are ideal, no direct sun, 20°C to 30°C, high humidity

House Aralia (Fatsia japonica)

  • Toxic: highly toxic houseplants, plant sap causes skin irritation
  • Distribution: Japan, South Korea, naturalized in New Zealand and Juan Fernández Archipelago
  • Growth: bushy, strong, woolly hairs, large leaves with a stem up to 50 cm long, evergreen, sensitive to frost
  • Growth height: 300 to 600 cm
  • Flowering period: early September to late October
  • Flowers: Panicle flowers, fivefold, white
  • Location: shady to semi-shady, protect from direct midday sun, protected from drafts, sufficiently humid

Tip: Play it safe by only decorating your home with non-toxic indoor and outdoor plants.

frequently asked Questions

Why do cats eat poisonous houseplants?

The most common reasons for houseplants being eaten are a cat's natural urge to explore or boredom. Inside dwellings, no other plants are available to them that can be used for these purposes. Furthermore, plant fibers help the animals to regurgitate hairballs.

What symptoms of poisoning can occur?

The possible symptoms of poisoning can be extensive. The most common include retching, diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal discomfort and irritation of the mucous membranes. In more severe cases of poisoning, cramps, intestinal inflammation, uncontrolled salivation, dizziness and tremors can occur. Shortness of breath and comas leading to death are also possible.

What should be done in case of possible poisoning?

If there is a suspicion of poisoning, the responsible veterinarian or an animal clinic should be contacted or visited immediately. Furthermore, parts of the plant and possible excrements such as vomit should be collected and shown to the veterinarian. As a result, the specialist can be sure which poisonous plant it is.

Which indoor plants are also dangerous for cats?

Avoid indoor plants with sharp-edged stalks or leaves, as your house tiger could injure himself on them. Cuts in the mouth are possible with plants such as Chinese hemp palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) or Cyprus grass (Cyperus alternifolius). This also applies to plants with thorns and prickles, for example roses (Rosa).

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Animals in the garden