Many common plants and flowers are toxic or poisonous to cats. for this reason, you should always make every effort to check the plants in your home, garden, and surrounding areas.
A plant that is known to be poisonous to cats and often takes people by surprise is morning glory.
This colorful and beautiful plant is commonly found in the US. uu. But if your cat ingests even a small amount of morning glory seeds, he or she can become seriously ill.
in this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about morning glories and the danger they pose to cats and other household pets:
what are morning glories?
In my opinion, morning glories are one of the most beautiful and majestic flowers.
they have a very distinctive trumpet shape and are often described as having an “old charm” which I totally agree with.
we always had them in our backyard growing up. I remember they would climb on the trellises all over our shed every year and then my dad would trim them down.
the most popular colors I see are purple blue and magenta, but they are also available in red, white, pink, and many shades in between, to name just a few.
The only problem with this plant is that the seeds are very toxic to animals. if ingested in small amounts, animals, and this includes us if we ingest anything, will experience vomiting and gastrointestinal upset.
Eating a large amount can cause very serious health problems.
Is morning glory safe for cats?
No, morning glories are not safe for cats. or any other animal that eats some of the seeds.
according to the aspca, if a household pet ingests some of the plants, they are likely to vomit and have all the symptoms of plant poisoning.
In large quantities, the seeds can cause hallucinations. this is because there are some active chemicals in the seeds that are closely related to the drug lsd.
Related: Are boston ferns poisonous to cats?
possible symptoms if your cat eats morning glory
if you suspect your cat has ingested some morning glory seeds, or perhaps you’ve seen your cat do so, the most likely early symptoms are:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- visible signs of discomfort
- contractions
- lethargic behavior
- loss of appetite and not drinking
- daffodils
- tulips
- amaryllis
- lilies
- foxglove
- cyclamen
- the emotion of the widow
- azalea
- fiddle leaf figs (read more about this plant here).
Because the seeds contain a natural tryptamine called lysergic acid amide (LSA), if a cat eats a large amount of the seeds, they can experience some serious effects.
These chemicals can cause hallucinations. I’m not sure how a cat would act under the influence of these chemicals, I can only imagine that it will be very scary and confusing for the cat.
If you think your cat has ingested any part of the morning glory, you should call your vet for professional advice immediately!
which flowers are poisonous to cats?
morning glories are just one of many common garden plants or flowers that are toxic to cats.
Here is a list of some of the more common house or garden plants that also pose a serious toxicity threat to cats and other household pets:
This is not a complete list, so always check the individual plants your cats may come into contact with.
Do cats instinctively know which plants are toxic?
I have lost count of the number of times I have read and heard people say that cats are experts at surviving outdoors, they will know which plants are harmful, not to worry, etc.
this is simply not true. at least, not 100% of the time.
Of course, after reading this article you may think, “I have some of these plants in my garden and my cat has never eaten any of them”.
but cats end up at the vet because they ingest something they shouldn’t have all the time.
I couldn’t find any reliable figures on the subject. but you don’t have to go far to read countless stories of poisoned kittens.
The bottom line is that it’s not worth the risk. I know it’s heartbreaking to hear if you have a wonderful garden made up of many plants that are toxic to cats.
You don’t have to remove poisonous plants, however. you can use deterrents to repel cats or netting to secure the area.
in summary
Hopefully, this article has helped raise awareness about the potential dangers that some seemingly innocent plants and flowers pose to curious cats.
morning glory seeds, in particular, are highly poisonous to cats and other pets.
if you have morning glories in your home, you should seriously consider doing something to ensure that your cat, and any other cat, cannot come into contact with this plant.
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image credits: photos by jerry wang, silvia fang and carol petri on unsplash
