Poinsettias and Animals

Twerp (he's not really a grumpy cat - just looks that way)

It's commonly thought that poinsettias are poisonous and will kills animals, especially cats, if they ingest them.  A member of the euphorbia or spurge family, poinsettias will exude a white, milky sap when the leaf or stem is injured in any way.  That sap is very irritating, causing burning of the mouth with excess drooling, and may cause some vomiting, but it does not commonly kill animals. 

Many animals know intuitively what will harm them and they will stay away from things that are not good for them.  Once in awhile, one will decide to "test".  We had a cat who tried to have our poinsettia for a snack.  Taffy was a cat with above average intelligence - about everything but plants.  She never met a plant she didn't think she needed to taste.  So, when I brought the poinsettia home, she watched it carefully until I left the room.  Then she quietly stalked it for awhile, sneaking ever closer and closer.  When she determined that the time was right, she pounced and got a big bite of a nice, big, red leaf.  Soon, she was drooling, shaking her head, and meowing pitifully.  The symptoms went away in a surprisingly short period of time, but in all of Taffy's 21 years, she never forgot that first taste of poinsettia.  Every year, when those red plants came into the house, she gave them a wide berth and would slink into another room  and sulk until she was sure it wasn't going to attack her.

Llilies are commonly seen in holiday bouquets and can be very toxic to animals.  Even small amounts of a lily can cause kidney failure in cats.  Virtually all plants in the lilium family are toxic to animals.  A common one seen at Christmas time is the amaryllis and with their strappy, floppy leaves, animals sometimes have difficulty resisting them.  Daffodils and all other members of the narcissus family are also highly toxic to animals and should be kept away from them.

Holly berries, mistletoe, and rosemary can also be toxic to dogs and cats. When Christmas  holly is ingested, it can result in severe gastrointestinal upset.  If ingested, most dogs and cats smack their lips, drool, and shake their heads excessively.   American mistletoe is less toxic than the European varieties, but is still harmful to pets   It causes mild gastrointestinal irritation if ingested in small amounts.  In large amounts, low blood pressure, ataxia (walking drunk), seizures and death have been reported.

Another hazard to pets this time of year is the Christmas tree.  Christmas trees are mildly toxic. The tree oils can  be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing excessive drooling or vomiting. The tree needles are not easily digested either; possibly causing GI irritation, vomiting, gastrointestinal obstruction or puncture of the gut itself. The degree of reaction depends on how much is consumed. Many times, pets don't consume mass quantities of tree material before they figure out it isn's setting well with them. 

With a little bit of planning ahead and some extra watchfulness, it is possible to enjoy both the plants of the holidays and pets.  Keeping toxic plants or flower arrangements in a separate room where kitty or puppy is allowed to be unsupervised is the best way.  For puppies, setting it on a table or stand that he can't reach will work also.   A few minutes of precautionary measures can save you a lot of heartache, especially with the more toxic plants like lilies, mistletoe, and holly.