Can Poinsettias Kill Your Cat?

It’s possible that poinsettias get the bummest rap in all of the plant world. They’ve got a bad-girl reputation as deadly beauties, but is the ubiquitous holiday plant actually toxic? About 70 percent of the population will answer yes, and although every year there is a bumper crop of stories explaining otherwise–the myth persists. In reality, ingestion of excessive poinsettia may produce only mild to moderate gastrointestinal tract irritation, which can include drooling and vomiting–kind of like drinking too much brandy-spiked eggnog? The poor poinsettia, so misunderstood…

It all started back in the early part of the 20th century when the two-year-old child of a U.S. Army officer was alleged to have died from consuming a poinsettia leaf. As these things have a habit of doing, the toxic potential of poinsettia has become highly exaggerated–and many a cat-keeper now treat poinsettias as persona non grata (or, as the case may be, poinsettia non grata) in their households. Keeping this plant out of the reach of your pet to avoid stomach upset is still a good idea, but according to the ASPCA, you need not banish the poinsettia from your home for fear of a fatal exposure.

So poinsettias, consider yourself absolved. As for the other holiday fave? Mistletoe has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems (and not just from forced smooches)–however, mistletoe ingestion usually only causes gastrointestinal upset. But there are other common household plants that have been reported as having some serious systemic effects–and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract on animals.

Next page: The ASPCA’s list of 17 top toxic plants to steer your kitty away from.

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Read more: Cats, Christmas, Pets, Safety, plants, poinsettia, poison, toxic

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Penny C.

9:58AM PST on Feb 3, 2012

Thanks I never buy poinsetters but when given as a gift I keep them in one of the bedrooms away from my cat.

send a green star

Tessa N.

1:57PM PST on Feb 2, 2012

This is quit disturbing to read, since I have a lot of plants on this list in my garden. But my cats have been allright for the last eleven years, so maybe I can trust them not to eat them.
But since when are tulips so poisonous? People still ate them here in the Netherlands, during the second world war, they were not very tasteful, but full of nutrition. But then we didn't use all those chemicals back then. So maybe they're poisonous now. Great.

Eternal G.

5:22PM PST on Jan 17, 2012

Thanks, I still believe they instinctively know as well...

Diana W.

5:40AM PST on Jan 11, 2012

Thanks! Amazing what myth can do....

Catherine S.

2:28PM PST on Jan 2, 2012

FYI, a bit of trivia: I remember reading that Roman soldiers carried certain poisonous narcissus bulbs to eat in case they received a mortal wound. It would hasten death so they didn't suffer for hours on the field.

2:25PM PST on Jan 2, 2012

OMG! Are you kidding? I have always had amaryllis all over the place for Christmas instead of poinsettias. A friend agave me a huge pink poinsettia this christmas, and I almost refused to take it for fear of my cats. Instead I found an out-of-the-way place for it. But I hate finding out I perpetuated a myth. And Stargazer lillies are very popular in mixed bouquets! Well, I guess I'm lucky nothing bad has happened yet. You never know what pets will get into.

Michele W.

1:39AM PST on Dec 29, 2011

Thank you

Lui B.

11:19PM PST on Dec 28, 2011

Thanks

Suzanne L.

8:13AM PST on Dec 28, 2011

Thank you for this article. I have a poinsettia on the coffee table by day and overnight I stash it on top of a cabinet so that kitties can't play with it or eat it. But now I won't be as paranoid about them batting at or nibling a leaf if I'm out of the room in the daytime.

Davis T.

11:48AM PST on Dec 27, 2011

thanks