10 Common Houseplants That Are Harmful to Your Pets

We’ve all witnessed a dog or cat charge into the yard to chomp on green grass, just like we’ve all cleaned up the resulting, imminent mess. While a little grass won’t hurt your pets, there are quite a few common household plants that are dangerous for them to ingest. Take stock of where you’ve placed your houseplants and decide if any new are too dangerous to keep.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is commonly used to treat burns. And it might be the most useful household plant in your collection – useful for humans that is. Unfortunately, this plant is toxic to our four-legged friends. Aloe vera causes reactions like vomiting and diarrhea, but it can also cause tremors and depression if snacking continues.

English Ivy

As beautiful as ivy cuttings and hanging baskets in your home can be, the sap contains a toxin called triterpenoid saponin. The foliage itself is the most dangerous part, but keep any berries out of reach, too.

Baby’s Breath

Not that you don’t already try, but keep flower arrangements out of your pets’ reach. Baby’s breath causes diarrhea and vomiting if ingested by your pet, and it’s in almost every flower arrangement.

Begonia

The roots and tubers of this plant are its most harmful parts. Keep your pets from digging at this by moving it to a higher shelf.

Gladiola

A vibrant flower for floral arrangements, the bulb is the most dangerous part of the plant. That doesn’t mean you should let your kitties take any chances by chewing on the stem.

Lilies

Commonly known as a funeral flower, lilies put cats at high risk. They are extremely toxic to cats, but not dogs. Even the littlest bit can be harmful. Lilies cause kidney failure, so it’s best to keep them out of a cat-friendly home.

Cyclamen

Another popular potted plant, cyclamen is toxic to dogs and cats. Fatalities have been reported in some cases, though they aren’t common. The root is the most harmful part of this plant.

Poinsettia

The holiday season is often a dangerous time of year for pets. You probably already know that the poinsettia plant isn’t good for your pets. The good news is that it isn’t the harbinger of death as often depicted. It’ll just cause stomach and mouth irritation. Keep it out of reach — or out of the house entirely.

Pathos

This common container plant causes swelling and irritation to tissue in your pets’ mouth and within their gastrointestinal tract. The damage will occur if the plant has been chewed and not swallowed — though swallowing will cause a stronger reaction.

Tomato Plant

You might not grow tomatoes indoors year round, but many gardeners start their seeds indoors. Keep your pets away from these plants. They generally aren’t deadly, but your pets will be very uncomfortable if they ingest the seedlings.

To keep the pets in your house safe year round, keep the highest risk plants, such as lilies, out of the house. Be sure to keep all others out of reach. Your four-legged friends will thank you for helping them resist temptation.