In the past I had heard that certain plants are poisonous for pets, but I disregarded it because, well, I had no pets. That is until very recently, when a kitten named George (the 2nd) walked into my life. Now as I find myself researching toxic plants, I am suddenly and keenly interested in, as it turns out, a rather long list of dangerous plants – far too many for me to list here.

That being said, I do not mean to strike fear into the hearts of pet and plant owners all over the world. While I have not had many pets, I sure have known many dogs, cats, hamsters, and even one ferret. None of these have taken seriously ill due to plant eating. I think most animals are instinctively wise about what they eat. Now that being said, it’s no reason to leave poisonous plants around the house.

As I said, it is a long list of plants and different species have different reactions to different plants. So you’ll have to do a bit of research (or just feed your dog a bit of all your house plants and see what happens…Just kidding!). Two great sources are the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Some of the more recognizable plants I saw on the lists are azaleas, daffodils, mistletoe, rhododendrons, rhubarb, and poinsettia. These are a few among many and, more notably, different parts of the plants may be poisonous. For example, only the leaves on rhododendrons are poisonous, while the entire azalea plant is dangerous.

If reading this has got you freaking out, calm down. If you’re worried it’s probably because your pet is still tip-toeing around those azaleas in the garden. Take whatever steps you feel necessary and you can always contact your local Humane Society or visit the links above for more information.

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