The holiday season means bringing in popular plants into the home. However, not all of them are safe for cats and may result in an emergency trip to an animal hospital for urgent care. The best ways to prevent your cats from falling ill is to keep these plants away from them, buy artificial ones, or not purchase the plants at all. Here are some holiday plants you need to know provided by our vets at Waldorf Emergency Care
Lilies, Amaryllis, and Narcissus
Lilies, amaryllis, narcissus, and others like them in the lily family are very toxic to cats. These plants can cause cardiac arrhythmias, kidney failure, gastrointestinal distress, and even death.
Mistletoe and Holly
Mistletoe and Holly are fun to hang around the house with their intense green color and red and white berries. But if you must kiss under the mistletoe, or want to spruce up the home, use an artificial one to protect your pet. These two plants are moderate to severely toxic to cats.
Poinsettia Plants
The sap of poinsettia plants can irritate the stomach and intestines if your cat manages to eat it. Keep poinsettia out of reach or out of the house.
Christmas Trees
The oils in the needles of live trees have mild toxicity. However, the biggest concern is when the needles puncture the gastrointestinal tract of your pet. Vaccum the needles up to prevent ingestion and irritation.
Call Us Right Away if Your Cat Has an Emergency
In the event your pet has ingested any of these plants, contact our veterinarian at Waldorf Emergency Care at (301) 705-9700 right away for help. We’re here to take care of your cat in an emergency and increase the odds of survival.