Re: OT--Poisettias poisonous for cats?

[Guest guest]

I always heard poinsettias were poisonous for cats. I have been worried

because someone gave me a poinsettia and my very young cat who is only about

6 pounds got very excited and was playing with it and looked like he was

trying to eat it. I never actually saw him eat any, but he looked like he

was trying to bite a leaf a few times and he was batting around dried out

dead leaves. I keep him away from it as much as I can without putting the

plant out of the house. I almost gave the plant away or threw it away in the

first couple days, because my cat was so interested in it. Over time,

thankfully, his interest in the plant has waned. Ray's note about them not

being poisonous for children got me to look up on the web about if they are

poisonous for cats. Here are the first two things I found. I don't know how

reliable they are. If anyone else knows for sure whether poinsettias are

poisonous for cats, please let us know. Thanks!

lakelover125

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Article:

My Cat Ate a Poinsettia, Now What?

Dear Dr. Margaret:

I really enjoyed your Web site! The list of poisonous plants was astonishing!

So my cat has eaten the poinsettia plant and I don't know what to do? Should

I get some Ipecac down his throat?

Brett & Swoosh

Dear Brett and Swoosh:

The question regarding a treatment for possible toxic ingestion is also

rather debatable. Ipecac is not recommended for use in cats. The only

products that I am familiar and comfortable using with felines are certain

injectable sedatives. These are given at a very low dose to produce profound

nausea rather than sedation.

If you feel your cat has ingested a large amount of a poinsettia, or any

plant found on a toxic plant list, you should consult your veterinarian. Many

times the cat will vomit voluntarily as the ingestion may cause irritation to

the mucus membranes and excessive salivation. Since poinsettia's milky sap

contains an unknown and non-deadly toxin, treatment is purely symptomatic. In

extreme cases, saline cathartics and/or activated charcoal are employed.

It is true that poinsettias do appear on many poison plant lists. It's place

on the list, from what I gather, is rather precarious. There are some who

argue that it is not " truly " toxic, but rather " highly irritating to the

gastrointestinal tract. " Regardless of the extent of its toxicity, it

certainly is not an appropriate snack for your cat.

There are products available commercially and homemade (your florist,

veterinarian, or local greenhouse may have some recipes) that when misted on

your ornamentals, may produce an odor or flavor that is harmless to the plant

but offensive to your cat. Other alternatives include placing cellophane,

aluminum foil, or plastic grocery store bags under your plant's pot. This may

not provide the aesthetic you desire, but many cats are quite distressed by

the feeling as well as noise they experience when treading on these household

items. It may keep them from getting close enough to nibble on your plants.

The water pistol or spray bottle method of persuasion are also options.

Similarly most cats nibble or destroy out of boredom. With the holidays

approaching, this may be an ideal time to purchase or construct something to

engage Swoosh's attention elsewhere.

Dr. M. C. Lane

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From:

Dear Tabby:

We love to have Poinsettia flowers in our home for the holiday season. We

have three curious cats and this has never been a problem. Recently I heard

that Poinsettia plants are poisonous to cats! Is this true or a nasty rumour?

S.

Dear ,

Cat owners who have forsaken the beauty of poinsettias because of concern

for their pet’s health can now feel safe in decorating their homes with these

plants during the holidays. According to a report published by the Cornell

University College of Vetrinary Medicine, the poinsettia can be removed from

the list of plants considered toxic to animals.

Carl S. Hornfeldt, a registered pharmacist with the regional poison

Center in Minneapolis, said that the poinsettia’s longtime reputation for

being highly toxic is not justified. Tracing the reputation back to just one

report that was published in 1919 about the fatal consequences resulting from

the ingestion of a single poinsettia leaf, Hornfeldt stated that subsequent,

carefully controlled studies have found no evidence of poisoning. In fact,

the frequency of gastrointestinal illness suffered by cats or dogs after

ingestion of poinsettia plants is similar to the frequency of illness

associated with the ingestion of plants considered nontoxic to animals.

If you decide to bring poinsettias into your home, you might want to

place them out of the reach of your cats to protect the plants.

Happy Holidays!

Tabby