Imagine this. You are out for holiday shopping and in the mood to pick a few Christmas greens for the decor. At your favorite plant store, clusters of bright pink, red, and purple flowers blooming at the ends of green cactus-like locks catch your attention.
If you don’t know already, these plants are called Christmas cactus. While admiring the vibrant and ample blooms that would be the perfect decor for the holiday season, you already have planned where to set it up in your home. Maybe, the one with rare yellow blooms will be a perfect gift for your bestie?
But as you reach out to grab the pots, an anxious thought flashes in your mind. What if this Christmas cactus is poisonous to cats, dogs, or other pets in the household?
Read on to learn more about this gorgeous plant, how safe are your pets around it, and precautionary measures to ensure both happy cats and cactuses!
1. Christmas Cactus: Not Your Usual Cactus!
Although the name spells cactus, these plants do not like desert-like conditions. Christmas cactuses are native to tropical coastal areas of southeastern Brazil. Naturally, they prefer cool and humid conditions. They thrive well as indoor plants away from direct sunlight.
1.1. Varieties of Christmas Cacti
Christmas cactuses have different varieties that are named after when the flowers bloom, for example, Thanksgiving cactus, Easter cactus, and of course, Christmas cactus. Collectively they are referred to as Holiday cactuses, also called Crab Cactus because of their claw-like stems.
Although there are other similar plants and cacti out there making it difficult for an average green finger to distinguish, there are some signature characteristics of Christmas cacti that are hard to miss.
It always pays to be well-informed, especially when you are visiting someone’s home with your pet, and suspect they have a Christmas cactus that could get the attention of your curious feline!
2. Are Christmas Cactus Poisonous to Cats?
Well, the short answer is, no. Christmas cactuses are generally not poisonous to cats but they might be toxic upon being chewed upon or ingested. Although commonly used to suggest harmful effects, the terms ‘poisonous’ and ‘toxic’ have different meanings.
2.1. What Do the Authorities Say?
The ASPCA lists Christmas cactus on their list of non-toxic plants for cats and dogs. This is because a poisonous plant would create biological substances called ‘toxins’, but thankfully, Christmas cacti are not one of them. Although these plants are considered non-toxic, they can nonetheless bring sudden ill health in cats and other household pets.
2.2. Symptoms of Ingesting Christmas Cactus in Pets
Generally non-toxic, Christmas cactuses ingested in large amounts could result in acute symptoms like:
- Loss of balance and coordination, or ataxia, but over a short period.
- Gastrointestinal irritation, diarrhea, and vomiting, at times with blood. Other household pets, including dogs, also show these symptoms.
- Lack of sleep (anorexia) and depressive spells are some of the persistent symptoms that appear over time.
- Bruised corners of mouth, tongue, and gums, from tearing off and pulling on the fleshy but tough stems.
2.3. Christmas Cactus vs. Cats
You might wonder, what is so special with Christmas cactuses that cats would want to snack on them? Well, nothing much, or rather no more attraction than catnip! Wild felines instinctually eat plant matter because ingesting them clears their gut of internal parasites and worms. For the same reason, indoor cats eat houseplants.
Moreover, cats get especially playful around houseplants, which may quickly turn into excited reactions like nibbling on the leaves, stems, and other plant matter. Houseplants with flexible stems and showy leaves become a replacement for that boring teaser wand that pet parents so lovingly buy for them.
3. What to Do if Your Cat Ingested Christmas Cactus?
Did you outright catch your cat eating Christmas cactus? Follow the steps below to bring the situation under control and deal with the symptoms.
3.1. Check for Symptoms
Christmas cactus may not be downright poisonous but, if chewed and swallowed, can show signs of toxicity in cats.
Is your cat vomiting, or hacking in an attempt to get rid of something? Check for gut-related symptoms like stomach upset, irregular bowel movement, or difficulty in passing stool.
Even if your cat is not showing these acute symptoms of toxicity, check for generic symptoms of ill health. Is your pet feeling lethargic, dehydrated, or has decreased or no appetite?
3.2. Call the Vet
Get in touch with your local veterinary professionals regarding the situation for further instructions. Do not forget to inform the vet about any pre-existing conditions your cat or pet might have.
3.3. Isolate the Pet
If you see acute symptoms or signs of distress, in addition to calling your veterinarian immediately, confine the cat to a comfortable and enclosed area of the house, away from other pets.
This will reduce competition from other pets and prevent additional stress. It will also help you monitor their bowel movements and any discomfort or distress symptoms.
As per the vet’s instructions, keep their food and water, as well as their litter box separate and easily accessible in that space.
3.4. Check the Plant
In the meantime, inspect the plant and determine how much has been chewed on. This is a good indication of how many toxic effects you might see in your cat. A missing piece of stem could spell trouble as it may cause blockage in the cat’s digestive tract causing it to gasp and cough up violently.
3.5. Monitor the Health Conditions
Keep the cat isolated and under close watch during consultation with the vet, especially if the cat is showing any degree of discomfort or any other symptoms. If the symptoms persist, check back with your veterinarian, ask for remedies, and request a change of medication and/or dose.
FAQs
What are other common plants that could be poisonous to cats?
Depending on how much a cat consumes, other plants are also known to be toxic upon consumption and even poisonous to cats, like lilies which may cause kidney failure in cats, or holiday plants like the Christmas tree.
What can I do to stop my cat from chewing on my Christmas cactus plant?
Keep them out of reach, like put the plant in a hanging basket. Take additional measures like placing citrusy deterrents like bruised orange peel on the potting soil, or sprinkling cayenne pepper around the base of the plants.
As a luring option away from Christmas cactus, keep the cat’s favorite plants like catnip, cat grass, or other non-toxic plants as a safe addition.
Although my cat is unharmed, my Christmas cactus is lying in ruins. What can I do to revive the plant?
Worry not. You may regrow Christmas cactus from cuttings. They come out fairly well.
Conclusion
Christmas cactuses are showy plants that produce brightly colored flowers all over themselves. Just like we would love to have some of these in our homes, our pets are happy to get them too, that is for sinking their teeth into them! But fear not because these plants are not poisonous to cats and other pets. However, a few preventive and curative measures would let you enjoy your cactus and cats.
Last Updated on by Sathi
