If you love houseplants and have cats, you probably already know that some of our feline companions can become fixated on indoor greenery. They enjoy lying on the ground, munching on leaves, and occasionally… using plants as litter boxes. Ugh! All of them, however, appear to favor Chlorophytum comosum, also known as the spider plant.
Why are spider plants appealing to cats? Additionally, is it okay for cats to eat spider plants? Or, are spider plants poisonous to cats?
Spider plants are not poisonous to cats. They are mildly hallucinogenic, though, and have relatively grassy leaves, which often make them irresistible. The grassy surface is very appealing to cats, who love to play with it. In addition to making your cat feel high, spider plant leaves also have opium-like chemicals, so if your cat eats too much of them—which cats often do—they may result in vomiting, diarrhea, or an upset stomach.
In general, it’s probably best to steer clear of it and choose safer substitutes if you want your cat to eat it.
Learn everything there is to know about spider plants for cats and whether or not you need to be concerned, continue reading.
Table of Contents
Spider Plant Toxicity
You may also have heard about the so-called hallucinogenic houses located in spider plants. Maybe not. But, in accordance with some resources, researchers has observed that this plant does, indeed, purpose a moderate hallucinogenic impact on felines, even though this is stated to be harmless. In fact, the spider plant is listed as nonpoisonous to cats and different pets on the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) internet site alongside many different academic sites. Nonetheless, it is nonetheless cautioned that cats consuming spider plant leaves may also pose an attainable risk. Spider vegetation incorporates chemical compounds that are stated to be associated with opium. While regarded as nontoxic, these compounds can nevertheless end result in an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea. For this reason, it is advocated that you maintain cats away from the vegetation to keep away from any spider plant toxicity, regardless of its slight effects. Like people, all cats are distinct, and what impacts one mildly can also have an effect on any other pretty differently.
Are Cats Safe Around Spider Plants?
The ASPCA claims that cats are not poisoned by spider plants. However, as cats frequently eat spider plants to calm their stomachs, you can occasionally encounter vomit.
As was already said, although spider plants are harmless for cats, they can also give your cat a slight headache. You should nonetheless keep spider plants out of reach even though the effects are said to be minor. After all, we don’t want confused cats to cause mishaps!
Why Are Spider Plants Popular With Cats?
Because cats consume grass to help settle their tummies, some people speculate that cats may be drawn to spider plants because of their lengthy leaves.
Others assert that the reason for the cats’ catnip-like high is due to spider plants releasing substances that are similar to opium. Whatever the reason, cats are completely enamored with spider plants.
Drinks are genderless, although bad wine producers frequently try to maximize sales by focusing on a particular market. The gender police shouldn’t ruin your fun!
Keeping Cats From Spider Plants
If your cat has a penchant for ingesting plants, there are steps you can take to maintaining cats from spider plants. Since spider plant life is regularly observed in putting baskets, truly hold them (and any different probably threatening plant) up excessively and out of attain from your cats. This potential maintains them away from areas the place cats are inclined to climb, like windowsills or furniture. If you do now not have somewhere to hold your plant or an appropriate vicinity out of reach, attempt spraying the leaves with a bitter-tasting repellent. While no longer foolproof, it ought to assist in that cats have a tendency to keep away from flowers that style badly. If you have an abundance of foliage increase on your spider plants, so a whole lot so that the spiderettes dangle down inside attain of the cat, it may also be fundamental to prune the spider vegetation again or divide the plants. Finally, if your cats sense the want to munch on some greenery, strive to plant some indoor grass for their very own private enjoyment. In the probability that it’s too late and you locate your cat ingesting spider plant foliage, screen the animal’s conduct (as solely you be aware of what’s every day for your pet), and take a day trip to the veterinarian if any signs appear to linger or are specifically severe.
How To Stop Cats Eating Spider Plants?
At the cease of the day, even if spider plant life is secure for cats, no one needs their prized houseplants to be devoured. Here are some matters to strive to probably take your spider vegetation off the menu:
Keep Your Spider Flowers In Putting Baskets
If possible, strive to grasp your flora in areas the place your cat can’t attain them. This in particular applies to spider plants, which seem beautiful when grown in placing planters anyway.
Remember that cats are top-notch climbers and jumpers, so make certain there are no fixtures that your cat can use to parkour its way to your spider plants.
Read about: How To Choose Bathroom Hanging Plants Efficiently
Apply Repellent Spray
If you don’t have a decent place out of reach to hang your plant, think about dousing its leaves in a repellent with a bitter taste. Although not ideal, it might be useful because cats stay away from plants with a bad flavor.
Keep Your Spider Vegetation In A Separate Room
Keeping your houseplants in locations the place your tom cat buddy can’t get into is constantly an accurate way to preserve the peace. For example, many human beings maintain houseplants in toilets to take benefit from the humidity.
Just hold the door closed and each of your cats and houseplants will be safe.
Consider developing flowers, especially for your cat. While many houseplants are toxic to cats, there are additionally feline-friendly choices simply for them!
There are masses of cat grass and catnip flora on the market for your cat to chunk at its entertainment and luckily, they are very handy to develop from seed at home. Keeping this ideal flora round will assist maintain your cat from searching down your loved spider flora instead.
Make Positive Your Cat Has A Lot Of Enrichment
One of the motives why your cat can also terrorize your favorite houseplant is that it’s boring! Try to make enjoying with the cat phase of your every day activities to work out its energy. A cat that’s all tuckered out is a lot much less probable to go out of its way for entertainment, which capacity much less knocked over vegetation and tears for you.
A lot of articles consist of the usage of industrial or DIY cat repellents to maintain cats away from houseplants, however, it’s essential to constantly be extraordinarily cautious when thinking about this route. Sometimes the repellents do greater harm than good, especially with DIY products, so constantly test with your vet first.
Tip: Speaking of vets – if your cat nonetheless tries its hardest to get at your houseplants to chow down on, speak to your vet. As cited before, cats consume flowers to set off vomiting to assist with unsettled stomachs.
If your cat is continuously turning to flora for relief, there may also be plenty of better fitness trouble to be worried about.
Plants For Your Cat To Grow
Think about growing plants specifically for your cat. While some indoor plants are poisonous to cats, others are made with them in mind.
Your cat can choose from a variety of cat grass and catnip plants that are readily available on the market, and you can easily grow them from seeds at home. These lovely plants can discourage your cat from harming your cherished spider plants by drawing their attention.
Trim the Grass
You might need to prune back or divide your spider plants if their foliage has gotten so big that the spiderettes are now at the cat’s grasp.
Last but not least, if your cats feel the urge to nibble on some greens, think about growing some artificial grass for their entertainment.
How To Stop Cats Using Spider Plants As Litter Boxes?
Although most human beings are extra annoyed about cats ingesting their houseplants, some cats make lifestyles even tougher through the use of indoor flora as litter boxes. Since this can purpose a lot of mess and grief, right here are some matters to strive to make your houseplants off limits:
Make Certain The Litter Container Is Clean
Cats are easy creatures and will seem to be somewhere else if the litter field is too dirty. This capacity that you must easy your litter field at least as soon as a day. If you have a couple of cats, you must have at least one litter field per cat (plus one greater box, if possible).
It’s additionally advocated to put the litter bins in exceptional areas of the residence in case one cat will become territorial. If you have a cat that’s no longer allowed to use its personal litter container due to the fact of a bully, the soil in your houseplant pots might also be its sole option!
Make Sure There Is No Debris In The Litter Box
Cats are neat animals who will look for a different litter box if the one they are using is too dirty. This suggests that you should at the very least clean your litter box once a day. Each cat should have its own litter box if you have several.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to space out the litter boxes around the house in case one cat develops territorial behavior.
Consider Altering The Litter
Sometimes cats will seem some other place to relieve themselves, like in your houseplants, when the litter bothers their paws. For example, pellets can be too uncomfortable to stand on and dusty manufacturers can trouble their eyes or lungs.
If you have a declawed cat, it can also be even greater touchy to what sort of litter you use and can also appear someplace else to relieve itself.
Cover The Pinnacle Layer Of Soil
To make your flowers more difficult to dig round in, think about masking the pinnacle layer of soil with pebbles or mesh. Although the mesh might also no longer seem great, you can at least locate pebbles to healthy your aesthetic!
Avoiding Harm By Being Extra Careful
What are your options for dealing with your feline friend’s fixation with destroying your Spider plants? The plants won’t poison your pet, but if Fluffy consumes too much, she can have gastrointestinal discomfort. It could result in nausea or diarrhea. There’s a slight chance she could choke too, the leaves being so long and narrow. Our advice, in this case, is to simply suspend the plants away from curious paws. Additionally, you might mist the foliage with a flavor deterrent.
Maintaining Cats’ Purr
Your feline friend will probably like having access to fresh containers of wheat grass or cat grass if she enjoys nibbling on indoor plants. Of course, catnip is also a wise choice. Just be careful not to place heavy pots in places where your pet could pull them down on herself, like on sills.
We are committed to preserving the health and happiness of your plant-eating cat as your Webster, New York, veterinarian facility. Call us at any moment!
Understand & Identify This Plant
The fact that other plants with the same name occasionally exist and some of them may be toxic makes this plant challenging to identify even though it is not toxic to cats. This is why it’s crucial that you understand how to correctly identify the plants you bring indoors. By using the scientific name, let’s be clear about which plant we are referring to.
The spider plant’s scientific name is Chlorophytum comosum. The thin, arching leaves, which are occasionally edged in white, can get as long as 1.5 feet. The plant grows trailing vines that the young grow on while still being attached to the mother plant.
The most popular variety of this plant is variegated, and it thrives in indirect light, but some sunlight is necessary to keep the variegations from fading. The multicolored plant will turn entirely green if not given enough light.
Facts About Spider Plants
These plants are prized for their ability to purify the air in addition to being the most widely grown house plants worldwide. According to a NASA study, they are among the best plants for removing pollutants like formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, trichloroethylene, and other solvent fumes.
They add a striking splash of green and white stripes to a room, which is aesthetically pleasing, while increasing indoor humidity. They need regular watering and bright light.
They can be grown in hanging baskets, pots, or the garden and make a lovely display on tables, windowsills, or while suspended from the ceiling.
These plants have also been demonstrated to elevate mood and lessen feelings of stress, tension, anxiety, and depression. Since they eliminate allergens from the air, allergy sufferers may find them to be beneficial.
Where Are They From?
Where do these interesting, lovely plants come from? They originate from South Africa, where the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo are all home to a sizable population.
The Nguni people have traditionally used the plant as a remedy for expectant mothers. The mother dips the roots into a bowl of water and drinks it every day in an effort to protect her unborn child.
The popularity of these plants has led to their naturalization in other parts of the world even though they are originally from tropical Africa. The United States now has them as one of its most popular houseplants.
What Are Their Benefits?
Some ribbon plants have only solid green leaves, while others have green and white leaves. They have good resistance to pests and diseases and can withstand drought. This plant prefers some shade in hot, dry climates and isn’t particularly frost-tolerant.
Additionally, they work well at halting erosion on incline embankments.
There are a few different cultivars of this plant that are well-liked as houseplants. Chlorophytum comosum variegatum has green leaves with white margins, while Chlorophytum comosum vittatum has white striped leaves with green borders.
A more recent cultivar is Chlorophytum comosum Mboyeti which has green leaves with wavy edges and a lighter green midrib.
By transferring the plantlets from the mother’s long inflorescences into separate pots, any spider plant can be easily propagated. They can also be raised from seeds.
FAQs
Do Spider Plants Get Cats High?
Spider plants are not toxic to dogs or cats, according to the ASPCA. But, the Spider Plant attracts cats in part because it is mildly hallucinogenic. Cats are more likely to play with the plant, which increases the likelihood that they will eat it and experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea as a result.
Are Spider Plants Toxic to Dogs?
Spider Plant. Chlorophytum comosum, commonly referred to as Spider Plants, are safe for dogs and probably one of the most widely recognized houseplants. Nephrolepis exaltata, a cozy and secure plant for animals, is an evergreen that can reach a height of 5 feet.
Are Spider Plants Toxic to Humans?
Toxicity: non-toxic. Unless there is a known toxicity, these plants are not poisonous.
My Cat Ate My Spider Plant Will It Grow Back?
Repot the plant and keep watering and feeding it normally if cat dug up the plant but it still has some leaves on it. It may come back with little to no permanent injury, provided it wasn’t out of the ground for much time. You can frequently take a healthy cutting from the damaged plant and root a new one in cases of severe damage.
Spider Plant Hallucinogen
It’s possible that you’ve heard of spider plants’ purported hallucinogenic properties. Maybe not. But, according to some resources, studies have found that this plant does, indeed, cause a mild hallucinogenic effect to felines, though this is said to be harmless.
Final Thoughts
Spider plants are edible to cats. It is regarded as non-toxic by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). However, the plant contains hallucinogenic components that could give your cat hallucinations.
We must ensure that any plants we grow in the house are safe and non-toxic to cats and dogs because it can be difficult to keep a houseplant away from a chewing pet.
Despite the fact that spider plants are safe for cats to eat, it is not advisable to allow your feline friends devour too much of this green treat for the sake of both your cat’s stomach and your houseplant.
Give your cat some cat grass instead of hiding your plant out of reach.
