Pothos Plants: Are Pothos Toxic to Cats?

Growing pothos and having issues with cat health? Yes, it is a real issue. With some experience and understanding, plants like pothos, monstera, and fiddle leaf fig have a toxic substance called insoluble oxalates.

Trust me, this oxalate can irritate the lips and mouth when consumed by cats, and if consumed in sufficient quantity, it can become serious. Just hearing about the toxicity makes people worried, but toxic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to kill the cat; it just means that it can be harmful to pets.

The cat may feel discomfort and drool. All you need to do is follow the treatment steps that I have explained below, and if it is serious, contact your vet as soon as possible. For a more detailed answer please continue the reading. 

Pothos Plants:

They are used to grow indoors and are native to areas such as Australia, China, and Southeast Asia. They do come under the climbing Vines category which have thick Green Leaves in a heart shape. The color and the shape depend upon the type of pothos you planting. They do contain a waxy and bumpy texture in the leaves. 

Also called the money plant, the Golden Pothos plant is the devil’s ivy. You can find them in different varieties which you can differentiate by the leaves of the plant as they are different in different types of pothos plants.

Let’s understand it by an example, 

• The pothos plant named marble queen does have a Palette of light green and cream colors. They leave a striking marble design.
• The pothos plant known as the money plant leaf does have splashes of yellow on the plant here and there.

Pothos plants do have aerial roots which make them climb and drip the Other surfaces through which they can climb such as a wall or a tree trunk. You can easily grow the plant in your garden. This plant is ideal for growing them in office and home spaces but the problem is that the port of plants is not pet-friendly meaning that any type of pothos plant is toxic for any pets such as dogs, cats, or any other pet animals. 

Are pothos toxic to cats?

According to Different research, it is found that all the varieties of the pothos plant are toxic to the cat if it is ingested. And the port was a plant that does contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause irritation if they come in contact with the plants. There are many signs that will indicate that your cat is being in contact with the pothos plant such as oral irritation which means they will feel burning on the lips, tongue, and mouth excessive drooling vomiting, and difficulty in swallowing anything.

You need to be careful with cats because they are used to hiding the physical pain and discomfort and it is really hard to notice the symptoms. In case of any changes in the behavior of the cat, you need to call the local veterinarian to make sure they feel good. 

Toxin Does Pothos Contain:

• The plants that belong to the Araceae family do have insoluble calcium oxalate crystals like peace lily, Epipremnum aureum, pothos plants, etc. 
• The pothos plants do have microscopic needle-like crystals that lead to irrigation when it is ingested. 
• The leaves of pothos plants do contain high concentrations. 
• They do look like herbivores can eat them but it’s not true. 
• The leaves of the plant’s sap contain calcium oxalate which causes skin irritation on breaking of the stem or leaves. 

Keep Cats Away From Pothos Plants:

The following are some ways that will help you to keep your cats away from the pothos plants.

• The cats come under the pets that are curious creatures.
• They dont understand the warning sometime of not eating the pothos like it is not a food.
• You need to keep them away from the pothos plants as it will take only a few nibbles and make the cat feel sick.
• If you have a cat in your home then I suggest you to remove the plant from the home or garden.
• If you dont want to remove the plant then you can move the plant to a higher location where it becomes difficult for the cat to reach out.
• If none of the options is working for you then you can purchase a cat repellent spray that you can spray on the plant and by the smell of the spray the cat will not come close to the plant.

Common Medical Signs:

The following are some common medical signs that the cats are used to indicate in case of ingesting the plants:

• The pets or cats do excessive drooling.
• You find irritation and swelling in the cat’s eyes, mouth, tongue, and nose.
• If the cat started to vomit.
• They are used to get diarrhea.
• The cats are used to get irritation and swelling in the gastrointestinal tract.
• The cats do have difficulty in breathing.
• In case the quantity of the pothos plants consumed is in large amount they are used to build calcium oxalate crystals in the urine.

Common Behavioral Signs:

The following are some common behavioral signs that the cats are used to indicate in case of ingesting the plants:

• They are used to paw at their face or throat.
• They are used to yelping, crying, or whining.
• The cats if ingested the plant start fainting.
• They start to stress and yawn.
• They start doing fast, darting, and panicked movements.
• The cats become defensive and dont let them touch.

Treatment For a Cat That Consumed Pothos:

You need to know the treatment if cats do ingest the pothos plants like:

• The process of the treatment the cats need to be given will be decided after consuming the part of golden pothos plants.
•  You need to provide the cat with a typical form of treatment IV fluid therapy.
• This treatment is used to flush the crystals from the cat’s body and avoid getting the kidney to be damaged.
• The stomachs of the cats can also be cleaned by using gastric lavage.
• You can also feed the cats with dairy products such as yogurt or cheese that will help to feel better and ease the discomfort caused by calcium oxalate crystals.
• You can also serve the cats with Benadryl which helps to slow down the swelling.
• Treat them as quickly as possible because it can become more severe if not done at the right time.
• If not done quickly there may be the possibility of giving them breathing support in case they go with respiratory distress.

Conclusion:

Hence it is now clear that Pothos Toxic to Cats including dogs, and other animals too. I will suggest you not to plant them in your houses if you are having pets or keep them away from the reach of the cats.

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