Chris Buckland
Snake plants are beautiful, large-leafed houseplants that would look great in practically any household. These plants also have various health benefits to their credit, including improving air quality.
However, when you are a cat parent, multiple factors have to be considered to let your pet mingle with your plant. Let’s find the answer to the question: Are snake plants toxic to cats?
Cats are eager to get into places they shouldn’t, and some plants can be deadly if ingested. If you own a snake plant or want to get one, it’s essential to know if it’s hazardous to cats.
If consumed, they are harmful to both of your domestic animals, dogs, and cats. So let’s have a look at how dangerous these plants can be to our furry companions.
What Are Snake Plants?
The snake plant is a lovely house plant that may be seen in many houses across the world. They are common in West Africa’s sunny climate. It’s a robust, attractive shrub that’s simple to cultivate, even for novices.
Snake plants have a sharp, tight-linked structure that grows vertically. Each leaflet has its distinct green tints, ranging from seafoam to forest green.
The petals are rigid and brittle rather than bending or flowing freely. As a result, these plants may thrive in both low- and high-light conditions.
They sound appealing to any plant admirer. But the question arises, is the snake plant a wise choice when you have kitties in the house?
It depends; however, if your cat likes eating other bushes, you should avoid this species to have at home.
Do Snake Plants Kill Cats?
Snake plants are not that toxic to be life-threatening for cats. The toxins in it are not that harsh; however, they can cause stomach problems like diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, excessive drooling, and even loss of appetite.
However, if the cat has consumed it in large amounts, only then can it be dangerous. As the snake plant has a very bitter taste, it is not possible that it would even be rare for the cat to swallow a single bite. But if she has, then you should give her first aid right away and take her to the nearest vet.
This can save you and her from any significant problem, and your little friend will be perfectly fine in a few days.
In a nutshell, the snake plant is not life-threatening but is neither good for you nor your domestic animal to consume.
So, to keep them away from getting any harm, you should place them in an unapproachable spot.
What Happens when the Cat Eats Snake Plants?
This plant has a bitter taste that gives a burning feeling to the tongue, making it impossible to swallow down the throat. But as cats like to nibble on the plants, usually out of boredom, they do that with snake plants, too, unaware of the consequences.
After having a bite of the plant, the symptoms related to the stomach start to show up. Although the snake plant is not deadly for the cat, the plants can be dangerous if swallowed.
Large dosages can produce nausea and vomiting, and numbness, which is an odd symptom of ingesting these plants. This may occur because the plant’s composition contains toxins that promote numbness and inflammation of the throat and tongue.
It can be quite harmful as this can obstruct the cat’s breathing.
How To Treat Snake Plant Poisoning?
As soon as you see any symptoms or unusual behavior in your pet, take him to the vet. Even though there is no specific treatment for snake plant poisoning, the cat is treated based on its symptoms.
The immediate step is to flush the stomach and oral cavity to remove any pieces of the plant that are still inside. This is done by emesis, a way of inducing vomit or gastric lavage that is emptying and cleaning the stomach—doing this aids in obstructing the release of any toxins.
The second step is to treat the symptoms. In case the cat has been experiencing excessive vomiting and diarrhea, it would have caused dehydration.
This is why the pet is injected with intravenous fluids to bring the fluid back to normal levels. Likewise, other medications are given to soothe the stomach and heal any swellings and inflammations.
How To Prevent The Cat From Chewing On Houseplants?
Although houseplants enhance the house’s beauty and give it an aesthetic look, they are not pet-friendly. Even when they are not deadly to domestic animals, they harm them in some way and are dangerous for them.
But no need to be upset; you can still keep the plants in your house along with your pets. However, you will have to handle your pet and the plant with care. Let’s have a look at how you can do that.
Grow cat grass for your cat
Cats like to nibble on the plants. It is either out of mere boredom or to fulfill their herbs’ requirements. The cats who live in the wild prey on herbivores, and the green food present in their stomach contains fibers. That fiber helps in the digestion of cats.
So when the domestic cats don’t get to prey, they try to fulfill their need with the houseplants. However, not all plants can be harmless; there are exceptions like snake plants.
The wisest way to keep the cats away from snake plants will be to grow cat grass in a small part of your lawn.
Then, when your cat intakes that grass for her requirements, the show won’t need to nibble on houseplants. As a result, neither the cat will be harmed, nor will the plants get ruined.
Keep It Away From The Cat
Another thing that you can do is to maintain a safe distance between your cat and houseplants. That can be done by placing the plant somewhere out of the cat’s reach.
Like you can make a whole room for plants and keep it locked so that the cat won’t barge into it. If that is not doable, you can even go with the hanging baskets and grow the snake plants.
As the snake plant can be easily grown anywhere, indoor or outdoor, you can also put them out of the house. The cat stays with you in the place and likes to follow the owner.
So the plants will remain safe outside the house, like on the lawn.
FAQs
What are snake plants good for?
If you are looking for a simple way to add some nature to your home or office space, snake plants are a great choice. Their unique growth habit and stunning green leaves will brighten up any environment while improving its overall healthiness.
Do snake plants need sunlight?
In order to thrive, snake plants do require bright, direct sunlight throughout the day. They also prefer well-drained soil and moderate to high humidity. These plants can be susceptible to root rot when planted in low-humidity environments.
How often should I water my snake plant?
Snake plants are drought tolerant, and they will not appreciate frequent watering. If your snake plant is healthy, you can water it as infrequently as once every month. However, if the plant begins to look droopy or withered, you can give it a light watering. The soil should be allowed to dry out between watering.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, snake plants are indeed toxic for cats, they don’t kill the cats, but they are dangerous. They are as harmful to dogs as they are to cats.
The taste is so bitter that they burn up the pets’ tongues and throat. And make them so sick to the stomach that they end up in a hospital due to symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting, etc.
It is wise to keep the cats as far as possible from the houseplants, especially from snake plants because you would never want to see your beloved cat in a miserable condition.
