Protecting cats from poisoning by common household and garden plants that are toxic to felines.
Plant toxicity represents a preventable but underappreciated welfare risk for cats, as many popular houseplants are highly toxic to felines and owners are often unaware of the risks. Cats are obligate carnivores with limited detoxification pathways for plant compounds, making them particularly vulnerable to species that are safe for humans and dogs. The severity of outcomes ranges from mild gastrointestinal upset to fatal organ failure. Prevention through informed plant selection is far preferable to emergency treatment, which is often expensive and not always effective.