Cats and Crotons (poisonous plants)

I am seriously considering getting a cat, but I have three large
Crotons in my place, which I have learned are poisonous to cats.
My dillema is this...my parents have had cats for 3 years, and they
have a plant that we just found out is poisonous, and the cats have
never given it a second though. They have never nibbled it, licked it,
nothing. Do they just know the plant is poisonous so they don't touch
it? I am wondering if I get a cat, will it know that the Crotons are
bad for them and they won't touch them? I certainly don't want to come
home to a dead or sick kitty!
Anyone with specific experience with Crotons would be very helpful!
Thank you.

-Julie

"Julie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am seriously considering getting a cat, but I have three large
Crotons in my place, which I have learned are poisonous to cats.
My dillema is this...my parents have had cats for 3 years, and they
have a plant that we just found out is poisonous, and the cats have
never given it a second though. They have never nibbled it, licked it,
nothing. Do they just know the plant is poisonous so they don't touch
it? I am wondering if I get a cat, will it know that the Crotons are
bad for them and they won't touch them? I certainly don't want to come
home to a dead or sick kitty!
Anyone with specific experience with Crotons would be very helpful!
Thank you.

Hi Julie,

I don't know what a croton is, but I can certainly tell you that cats will
not just know to leave certain plants alone. My cat ate part of a dumb cane
leaf, and got quite ill. Supposedly cats will spit them out as the calcium
oxylate crystals hurt their mouths, but my cat apparently was unable to spit
it out or was too dumb to do so, which resulted in liver failure and
expensive vet visits.

I also had a different cat for 18 years who never ate the plant, so it must
just depend on the cat....

My advice, if you want a cat, get rid of the plants, just to be safe.

Cats are a lot more fun than plants anyway. : )

good luck

Shel



-Julie

I dunno where you live...but crotons (bet you'd recognize one if you saw it,
you just don't know what it's called)
are mostly *outside* plants where I came from - south
FL. Since warmer weather has even hit MileHigh here,
and if you keep the cats inside as I do, why don't you just move the crotons
outside to a porch or your yard?
Few of our cats have chewed on plants....but all it takes is once, as was
pointed out. If you let your cats go outside, then maybe you can put all the
crotons in some
room that stays closed where they can't get in.....
I have been amazed since moving here almost a year ago
to see plants I always thought (when we lived in s.FL) needed lots of sun
and heat to be happy growing and thriving beautifully *inside* - i.e.
crotons @ low-lighted waiting room @ chiropractor's office - as if these
plants lived outside here during winter it would be all over for them.


"BSJM" wrote in message
...

"Julie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am seriously considering getting a cat, but I have three large
Crotons in my place, which I have learned are poisonous to cats.
My dillema is this...my parents have had cats for 3 years, and they
have a plant that we just found out is poisonous, and the cats have
never given it a second though. They have never nibbled it, licked it,
nothing. Do they just know the plant is poisonous so they don't touch
it? I am wondering if I get a cat, will it know that the Crotons are
bad for them and they won't touch them? I certainly don't want to come
home to a dead or sick kitty!
Anyone with specific experience with Crotons would be very helpful!
Thank you.

Hi Julie,

I don't know what a croton is, but I can certainly tell you that cats will
not just know to leave certain plants alone. My cat ate part of a dumb
cane leaf, and got quite ill. Supposedly cats will spit them out as the
calcium oxylate crystals hurt their mouths, but my cat apparently was
unable to spit it out or was too dumb to do so, which resulted in liver
failure and expensive vet visits.

I also had a different cat for 18 years who never ate the plant, so it
must just depend on the cat....

My advice, if you want a cat, get rid of the plants, just to be safe.

Cats are a lot more fun than plants anyway. : )

good luck

Shel



-Julie

Julie wrote:
I am seriously considering getting a cat, but I have three large
Crotons in my place, which I have learned are poisonous to cats.
My dillema is this...my parents have had cats for 3 years, and they
have a plant that we just found out is poisonous, and the cats have
never given it a second though. They have never nibbled it, licked
it,
nothing. Do they just know the plant is poisonous so they don't touch
it?

No.

I am wondering if I get a cat, will it know that the Crotons are
bad for them and they won't touch them? I certainly don't want to
come
home to a dead or sick kitty!
Anyone with specific experience with Crotons would be very helpful!
Thank you.

-Julie

I think it depends on the cat. My one cat will eat any plant - my
other cat doesn't touch them.

-L.