Mistletoe is Toxic To Cats

While shopping today my husband grabbed some mistletoe and held it above my head.  And we kissed because it's tradition during the holidays.  While it's fun to kiss under the mistletoe did you know that it's toxic to cats?

Mistletoe contains substances that are toxic to both dogs and cats,

Mistletoe growing on branches of trees

mistletoe ornament used during the Christmas season

Normally during the holiday season, people will hang mistletoe in the doorway so that all who stand under it will receive a kiss.  This is great for homes with no pets because mistletoe is not a harmless plant, all plant parts are toxic, and depending on how much is ingested it may cause any of the following; excessive drooling vomiting diarrhea gastrointestinal upset, and pain abnormal heart rate seizures or death (the entire plant is toxic, branch, leaves and berries)  

I would recommend that you enjoy the mistletoe when you are away from your home because the only way to keep your cats safe is to keep it out and away from your house. 

Poinsettia Plants Are They Toxic to Cats

 

The poinsettia is known as the Christmas plant due to its colorful green and red foliage.  While this plant is stunning to look at during the holiday season it's also very attractive to cats and it's important to know if this plant is toxic or not. 

Poinsettia plant leaves

Today my brother gave me a beautiful red poinsettia and since I have cats I wondered if the plant might be toxic to my pets.  My indoor cats are plant-starved and normally everything I bring indoors is deemed a new kitty treat.  So I needed to make sure that this holiday poinsettia would not poison my pets. 

my poinsettia plant on the porch / away from the cats

I searched online and found that many websites have listed that poinsettia plants are toxic to cats and that I should keep the poinsettia away from them. All of the websites seemed to say the same thing and honestly, I needed to confirm the information so I searched for a veterinarian school.

My search led me to an educational website for veterinarian medicine and this website gave me accurate information regarding poinsettia toxicity to cats. 

 ". Poinsettias have received bad publicity in the past whereas, in fact, poinsettias are not very toxic to pets. They do contain a milky sap that can irritate the mouth but if signs develop they are usually mild.  The College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University provides the following information for Poinsettia, as well as Mistletoe and Holly. "Holiday Health Hazards" https://hospital.vetmed.wsu.edu/2021/11/23/holiday-health-hazards-for-pets/ 

In conclusion and in my opinion, the poinsettia plant will not end your cat's life, as this plant has very low toxicity to cats.  You know your cat's behavior, if they are plant-starved like mine, attracted to all greenery as something new to chew on then keep the poinsettia away from your cats.  

The leaves of the poinsettia will cause an irritation to the mouth. Watch out for drooling.  Now if they eat the poinsettia leaves, stems all parts of the plant  they may drool, vomit, or have diarrhea.