Beware Ficus: Seven Species That Are Poisonous To Your Cat
Created: 07/01/2023, 17:00
By: Ines Alms
The Ficus benjamini is an attractive houseplant.
But if your cat chews on it, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Be careful when buying plants: It is advisable for cat owners to be a little more selective.
It is better to avoid the birch fig or Ficus benjamina if your heart is not attached to it.
It is poisonous for pets and this also applies to relatives.
Poisonous indoor plants: Cats should avoid Ficus & Co
Cat owners should find out which houseplants are poisonous.
© Westend61/Imago
If you break the leaves of a ficus, a white milky sap usually comes out.
In it and in the other parts of the plant there are substances that are toxic to cats, such as the enzyme ficin and derivatives of certain scents, the coumarins, explains the veterinary
portal FirstVet
.
The latter are used in rat poison, among other things.
For hares and birds, eating the leaves can be
deadly, according to the
Botanic website .
Even for humans, Ficus benjamina and the other species of the genus are mildly poisonous.
Dogs and cats can react to the ingredients of the plants with dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, irritation of the mucous membrane or even kidney failure.
A houseplant often offers a welcome change, especially for indoor cats and young animals.
Even if the cat is said to have seven lives - the following seven Ficus species in particular can be dangerous for your house cat, as they are quite common:
Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
Fiddler Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Climbing Ficus (Ficus pumila)
Fig tree (Ficus carica)
Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis)
Medlar Fig (Ficus deltoidea)
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter of our partner 24garten.de.
But caution is also required with other Ficus species.
Bonsai enthusiasts should also avoid the Congo fig (Ficus buxifolia).
If you do not want to ban the ficus from your home, be prepared for all eventualities by having the telephone number of the local veterinarian or the animal poison control center ready.
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In order to offer the animals harmless green, the portal
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advises cat grass or catnip - nibbling is allowed.