Is Poinsettia Poisonous to Cats?

Poinsettia is basically a flowering plant that belongs to Mexico. The botanical name of poinsettia is Euphorbia pulcherrima and the plant is characterized by its green leaves, red colored bracts and yellow flowers. Poinsettia plants are popular Christmas plants due to their vibrant red green color. There are many rumors that poinsettia plants are fatal for pet animals and humans. This can deprive a home maker from getting a beautiful poinsettia plant for home decor. So, are poinsettias poisonous to animals? Let us try to find out answers to these questions.

Is Poinsettia Toxic to Cats?

The rumor that poinsettia plants are poisonous for children and pets can be dated back to 1919. A military officer's child died due to poisoning and the death was wrongly believed to be poinsettia leaf poisoning. Since then poinsettia plants have a bad reputation and are considered as extremely poisonous plants. According to some researchers, a child will have to eat more than 500 to 600 poinsettia leaves and exceed experimental doses which showed no toxicity. So, you must be wondering is poinsettia toxic to cats? Well, it is a big misconception that poinsettia plants are toxic to cats. Yes, they are harmful for the cat health, but they do not cause any fatal health ailment. The parts of poinsettia that can cause trouble are leaves and stem. The poinsettia plant contains milky sap that can cause symptoms of irritation in mouth and stomach. Diarrhea, vomiting and drooling are some of the health ailments caused due to ingestion of poinsettia sap. The experts at the Animal Poison Control Center say that poinsettia plants can cause mild reactions like gastrointestinal tract irritation in animals. They recommend to keep the pets away from the plants and not to banish the plant from indoors.

How to Prevent Your Cat from Eating Poinsettia?

Though poinsettia is not toxic to cats, it is always better to keep your cat away from it. If your cat is old or if it suffers from some illness, then it may show severe symptoms after ingesting poinsettia sap. One of the most simple method is to keep the plant out of reach of your cat. Since, it is an indoor plant, you can place it in a room that is inaccessible to the cat. Try to plant cat favorite plants like cat grass, this way the cat won't be attracted towards the poinsettia. Keep the cat under observation, whenever it roams around the poinsettia plant.

What to do if Your Cat Eats Poinsettia?

You should not panic if your cat ingests poinsettia sap, because poinsettia ingestion is not a medical emergency. Remember, poinsettias are not harmful to cats and they surely won't kill your cat! If the cat has eaten just one or two leaves, you need not worry about your cat's health at all. Usually no treatment is necessary, but it is recommended that your should limit the cat's water and food intake for at least two days. However, if the cat has ingested the sap in a large quantity, it is always wise to make an appointment with a veterinarian. The symptoms of poinsettia poisoning like vomiting, nausea and depression are observed only when large quantity of leaves or the sap is ingested.

One more question that troubles pet owners is, are poinsettias poisonous to dogs? Well, poinsettias show similar symptoms in dogs, as in cats. And it is always better to keep the dogs away from poinsettia.

So, feel free to have your favorite poinsettia in your house. But do ensure that your cat does not munch on it, because even if poinsettia is not toxic to cats, it may cause stomach and mouth irritation, and affect your kitty's health.