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Are Monsteras toxic to cats? This is the common question people ask who have pets including cats and dogs at their homes.
The simple answer is Yes, but Monsteras are not deadly for the cats.
But usually all species of Monsteras (mostly aroids) are toxic to cats, dogs, and even humans.
If you’ve a cat and you love Monsteras as well, this article is for you!
I will give you a brief answer to why Monsteras are toxic to cats? And can I have a Monstera if I have a cat, and what happens if my cat eats my Monstera?
So, stick with me and read to the end!
WHAT IS MONSTERA PLANT AND WHERE IT IS FOUND?
Monstera climbing plants are found throughout Central and Tropical America and the surrounding islands. There are seven species of aroid plants in the Araceae family, of which this one is an aroid.
Two species are prevalent, Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii. Several species of houseplants have large, fenestrated, split, or both mature leaves. There is no distrust that you will enjoy hemiepiphytes. Moreover, tropical rainforests with warm and humid conditions are home to these plants. Aside from indirect lighting, they require direct lighting as well.
Suggested Reading: 15 Hanging plants that don’t need sun (it includes Monstera Adansonii).
ARE MONSTERAS DANGEROUS FOR CATS?
Is Monstera Poisonous to cats? Yes it is, but not deadly to them.
There Are more than 59 species of Monsteras found around the world, out of which ‘aroid’ is the most dangerous for pets.
So, how can it affect your pet if it ingests a part of Monstera?
If your cat eats a part of the Monstera, it can irritate its mouth and stomach. Sometimes, it can cause damage to the walls of the stomach that result in vomiting and drooling.
Cat’s life is not at risk if it has not eaten plants in larger quantities. The good thing is that monstera causes irritation in the mouth of the cat right after it takes a bite, so it won’t encourage the cat to eat more.
WHY MONSTERAS TOXIC TO CATS?
You might be curious what makes Monstera unsafe for cats, here is the detailed answer to it!
Calcium Oxalate Crystals?
The crystals of calcium oxalate are composed of calcium and oxalate, sharp and needle-like points. That is why they cause irritation in the mouth,throat and even stomach resulting in the damage of the inner walls of the stomach.
They are pointed so they get embedded in the tissues of the stomach.
This is why it is advisable to wear gloves before handling Monsteras especially while pruning or cleaning.
These pointed crystals actually prevent monstera plants from being eaten by pets.
But the plant also produces fruits that are edible and completely safe when ripe.
Fruit when eaten by animals or humans, it helps in the dispersion of the seeds of the Monstera.
Does The Whole Monstera Plant Contain Calcium Oxalate Crystals?
Crystals are present in all parts of the plant including stem, root, leaves, shoots, and even the unripe fruit.
Therefore it is advised to keep cats away from the plant as it can irritate their health.
3 SYMPTOMS OF MONSTERA POISONING
If you’re in doubt that your cat has been poisoned by Monstera, observe these few things:
- If your cat is pawing due to mouth or skin irritation, it can be due to monstera poisoning.
- If your cat’s mouth shows any swelling inside, or tongue or lips swelling, it can also be another reason.
- In extreme cases, your cat’s throat could swell and it makes it difficult for it to breathe properly.
- If you observe vomiting, or drooling, take your pet to the vet immediately.
Can Monstera Poisoning Kill The Cat?
In most of the cases, Monstera poisoning does not kill the cat or any other pet.
But, if your cat ingests the plant in larger quantities, it can get it to serious trouble.
Calcium oxalate crystals are generally excreted by kidneys (substance that causes major kidney stones).
So, if your cat ingests it, it can damage its kidneys, in severe cases, leading to serious health concerns.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CAT HAS EATEN MY MONSTERA?
As I already have answered yes to ‘Are monsteras are toxic to cats’. But, what happens if your cat has eaten the Monstera plant?
The first thing you can do is to call your vet immediately.
Or you can also contact Animal poison control in your area for help. But they charge consultation fees.
Other than this, you should wash your cat’s parts that came in contact with the Monstera’s sap.
Also, encourage your cat to drink water so that the crystals flush out of the digestive system and prevent cat from severe sickness.
WAYS TO PREVENT CATS FROM EATING MONSTERAS
The best way to prevent your pet cat from eating monsteras is to keep them away. You can keep them away by distracting them to other things or limiting their access to the plant.
Here are a few ways to do so!
Use Cat Deterrents
Deterrents keep pets away and ultimately protects them from getting poisoned. The deterrents make the plant smell bad or less appealing so it does not go near the plant.
Let’s take a look at the common deterrents used for this purpose.
Water
Water is a good deterrent for preventing cats coming near the Monstera plant. If your cat gets friendly with the plant, spray the cat with water. In this way they’ll learn that if they get closer to the plant, they’ll become wet.
This is a simple yet effective way to keep pets away from the poisonous plants.
Other Repellents
Other than water, you can also use citrus fruits to keep the pets away from Monstera. You can use orange, lemon, and citrus peel in the pot and squeeze a little on the boundary of the pot.
You can also use mustard and red pepper to repel cats.
If you have rosemary in your garden, put it around the Monstera, it will keep the cat away as they hate the smell.
If all this couldn’t work, use pet deterrent spray to keep your cat or other pets away.
Mulching top soil
Another great way to keep the cats away from your Monstera is to add something to the top of the soil in your plant’s pot.
Cats don’t like pine cones, bark, and stones. You can try any of these.
Keep Plants Out Of Reach Of Your Cat
If your cat does not climb high, you can place your Monstera’s pot top on the shelf. You may also hang it as it is a great way to grow Monstera around your home.
You can also place barriers like chicken wire around the plant to prevent cats from entering that area.
If you have a space that is out of reach of your pets, that’s the best way to keep them away from poisonous plants.
Tip: Clean the dropped leaves from the area around Monstera, so that your cat does not perceive it as a snack.
Keep Them Distracted
If your cat has not enough toys to play with, and other distractions, it is more likely that it’ll go around your plants.
So, keep them distracted with toys, and other activities so that they don’t play with your plants.
You can also keep your cat busy with Youtube videos to distract it.
Also, if cats are not given attention and enough food, they try to find it in other things including plants.
Use Fresh Litter Tray
Another reason that has been observed is cats disturb plants when they are fresh, because they perceive the soil as their litter tray.
If you change the litter tray often, and still your cat enters the pot, it means your cat does not like its litter tray.
There can be other health issues behind your cat entering the Monstera’s pot. So, you can visit your vet if you observe something continuously for days.
15 PLANTS THAT ARE SAFE FOR CATS AND DOGS
If you do not want to get into trouble with Monstera, then you can grow any of the below plants that are safe for all the pets including cats.
- Spider plant
- African violets
- Sword fern
- Calatheas
- Orchid
- Parlor palm
- Prayer plant
- Ponytail palm
- Cast iron plant
- Haworthia
- Radiator plants
- Money tree
- Chinese money plants
- Polka dot plant
- Moth orchids
- Bromeliaceae
- Tillandsia
- Friendship plant
- Echevria
- Bird’s nest fern
- Christmas cactus
- Peace lily
- Philodendron
- Aloa Vera
They all are safe enough, and do not cause any harm even if your cat takes a bite from them.
OTHER PLANTS THAT ARE TOXIC TO CATS
Other than Monsteras, the below list of plants are also toxic for cats.
- Lily
- Tulip
- Sago palm
- English ivy
- daffodil
So, try to avoid growing them in your home or at least in the area where your pet plays.
THAT’S A WRAP!
This article covers the answer to ‘Are Monsteras toxic to cats’, and what happens if my cat eats my monstera? It also covers why monsteras are toxic to pets including cats.The reason is calcium oxalate crystals. They can cause kidney failure in severe cases.
But what if your cat has eaten a poisonous plant like monstera? You can follow the tips given above.
If you want your cat and other pets to stay away from monstera, use cat deterrents, by keeping plants out of reach of cats, keep them distracted, and use fresh litter trays.
There’re many plants that are not toxic for cats at all. You can grow them without worrying about anything.
Have you got more questions related to ‘Are Monsteras toxic to cats?’ Here’re the answers to the frequently asked questions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens if a cat eats a Monstera?
You can make your cat drink water to flush the crystals from its stomach to avoid severe health issues. Other than this, call your vet immediately if you observe vomiting or drooling.
Can I have a Monstera if I have a cat?
Yes, you can have both. But you should keep your Monstera out of reach from the cat.
What are non toxic plants for cats?
There are many plants that are non-toxic for cats. Out of which 15 are given above.
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