Houseplants poisonous to pets

Dogs and cats, especially puppies and kittens, love to snoop and chew on greens, so it's best to eliminate any poisonous houseplants from your household. I have found different plants listed in various places, so I've tried to combine them into one list. There may be others, so if in doubt, it's best to call poison control at 1-800-222-1222. Why not program it into your speed dial right now.

Poisonous Houseplants:
* Aloe
* Amaryllis
* Angel's trumpet
* Arrowhead vine
* Azalea
* Bird of paradise
* Boston ivy
* Caladium (angel's wings)
* Chinese evergreen
* Crown of thorns
* Christmas rose
* Chrysanthemum
* corn plant
* Creeping Charlie
* Creeping fig
* Croton
* Cyclamen
* Daffodil
* Devil's backbone
* Devil's ivy
* Dieffenbachia
* Dracaena (Warneckel & Striped)
* Dumbcane
* Elephant ear caladium
* Emerald duke
* English holly
* English ivy
* Ferns (Asparagus, Australian nut, Emerald, Lace, Plumosa)
* Flamingo lily
* Foxglove
* Hydrangea
* Iris
* Jerusalem cherry
* Kaffir lily
* Kalanchoe (air plant)
* Lilies - especially toxic to cats
* Lily of the valley
* Marble queen
* Mistletoe
* Philodendron
* Poinsettia
* Pothos
* Red princess
* Rhododendron
* Rubber tree plant (Japanese & variegated)
* Schefflera
* Snake plant (mother-in law's tongue)
* Spider plant
* Sprengeri fern
* Tulips
* Umbrella tree

Vacation travel tips for your pet

Many pet owners wouldn't think of taking a vacation without their beloved cat or dog. But some preparation is needed to make it a fun and safe experience for both you and your pet.

Whether you'll be driving or flying with your pet this vacation season, the ASPCA has some great tips for you. CLICK HERE to read more.

Caustic substances and your pet

As the weather gets warmer and our pets are outside more, their exposure to caustic substances increases as well. Listed below are caustic substances your pet could come in contact with both inside and outside of your home.

If you think your pet has swallowed a caustic substance, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. These substances can do fatal damage within minutes, and vomiting will worsen your pet's condition even quicker. According to the ASPCA, if you live in North America, you can call the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435 24 hours a day/ 365 days a year for help. They will be able to tell you if the substance is caustic. A $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

Some common caustic substances:
Paint thinner
Paintbrush cleaner
Turpentine
Kerosene
Battery acid
Carbolic acid
Motor oil
Sidewalk salt
Fertilizer
Putty
Plaster
Glues
Drain cleaner
Household cleaners
Pine cleaners
Bleach
Laundry detergent
Nail polish
Nail polish remover

If the substance is not caustic, you can induce vomiting by giving your pet 1 teaspoon of Syrup of Ipecac or 2 teaspoons of Hydrogen Peroxide orally. If you have neither of these items, a teaspoon of table salt can be used. Then call your veterinarian immediately.

Dealing with feral cats

What's the best method of dealing with the feral cat population?
Here is an interesting post on feral cats and birds from Cats and Cat Health which shows that killing off feral cats doesn't control the problem.

In my opinion, Trap/Neuter/Return is the only solution to the feral cat problem that makes sense. Here is additional information on the efforts being made in this area by Alley Cat Allies:

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
TNR is a comprehensive plan where entire feral colonies are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and neutered by veterinarians. Kittens and cats that are tame enough to be adopted are placed in good homes. Adult cats are returned to their familiar habitat to live out their lives under the watchful care of sympathetic neighborhood volunteers.

TNR works. Cat populations are gradually reduced. Nuisance behaviors associated with breeding, such as the yowling of females or the spraying of toms, are virtually eliminated. Disease and malnutrition are greatly reduced. The cats live healthy, safe, and peaceful lives in their territories.

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is dedicated to changing ineffective animal control practices like trap and remove, and to providing resources for the thousands of caring individuals and organizations in the United States and Canada who have stepped forward to feed, sterilize, and care for feral cat colonies.

And we need your help. With your donation, Alley Cat Allies can continue the struggle to stop the killing and to end feline overpopulation. Trap-Neuter-Return, the humane, nonlethal method of population control, is more effective than trap and kill, and it is more reflective of a caring human community.

Here’s what we’re doing to save our feral friends

Alley Cat Allies (ACA) actively promotes Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the accepted method of feral cat population control throughout North America. Community groups, public policy makers, veterinarians, military personnel, wildlife biologists, humane organizations, and animal shelters turn to ACA for guidance and expertise in developing policies and programs to effect humane population control of feral cats.

Become an Alley Cat Ally, Friend, Sustainer, or Feral Filanthropist. You can help ACA continue the fight to protect feral and stray cats in North America. Your donation could save one or many cats’ lives. Please send your contribution today to start receiving the award-winning newsletter Alley Cat Action and regular action alerts that can make the biggest difference for a lot of cats.

Plants that are poisonous to your pet

Spring brings out the gardener and landscaper in many of us, and we need to make sure the plants our pets are exposed to won't make them sick or worse, cause their death. According to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, the 17 most common poisonous plants to pets are:

Lilies
Marijuana
Sago Palm
Tulip / Narcissus bulbs
Azalea / Rhododendron
Oleander
Castor Bean
Cyclamen
Kalanchoe
Yew
Amaryllis
Autumn Crocus
Chrysanthemum
English Ivy
Peace Lily
Pothos
Schefflera

For a larger list of poisonous plants and more details of each plant, CLICK HERE.

Bulbs are very poisonous, so if your cat or dog likes to dig in the dirt, it's a good idea to fence off any bulbs, and if you overwinter them in the basement, keep them where the pets can't get into them. If your pet eats any poisonous plant, call your veterinarian immediately.

The difference between a stray cat and a feral cat

I found a very interesting article on stray and feral cats at Alley Cat Allies, and here is a portion of the article.

A stray cat is not a feral cat.

A stray is a cat who has been abandoned or who has strayed from home and become lost. Stray cats can usually be re-socialized and adopted.

A feral cat is an unsocialized cat.

Either he was born outside and never lived with humans, or he is a house cat who has strayed from home and over time has thrown off the effects of domestication and reverted to a wild state.

Feral cats should not be taken to local shelters to be adopted.

Feral cats are not pet cats, and they will be killed at most shelters. Because they’re unadoptable, they sometimes don’t even make it to the shelter, but are killed in the animal control truck. Even no-kill shelters are not able to place feral cats in homes.

Feral kittens can be adopted.

Feral kittens can often be tamed and placed in homes, but they must be socialized in their first weeks of life. This is a critical window and if they aren’t handled in time, they will remain feral and therefore unadoptable.

Feral cats have about the same lifespan as pet cats.

And they contract diseases at about the same low rate. The incidence of disease in feral cat colonies is no higher than among owned cats.

Feral cats are not the cause of wildlife depletion.

Studies show that the overwhelming cause of wildlife depletion is destruction of natural habitat due to man-made structures, chemical pollution, pesticides, and drought — not feral cats.

Trap and remove doesn’t work.

Not only would you have to continue to remove cats, this process is extremely costly. Other cats simply move in to take advantage of the available resources and they breed prolifically, quickly forming a new colony. This “vacuum effect” is well documented.

Trap, neuter, and return does work.

No more kittens. Their numbers gradually go down. The annoying behaviors of mating cats, such as yowling or fighting, stop. The cats are vaccinated and they are fed on a regular schedule. This ongoing care creates a safety net for both the cats and the community.

Part 2 of this post will be about Trap/Neuter/Return efforts.

Danger to your pets from electromagnetic frequencies

Due to our world becoming saturated with electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs), more and more people and their pets are becoming "electrically sensitive." Symptoms range from headaches, burning sensations, tingling, debilitating brain fog, heart arrhythmias, migraines, severe depression, chronic insomnia, and even life threatening seizures and heart attacks. The elderly and very young, along with pets because of their size are most susceptible.

Take steps now to reduce exposure to such items as Blackberrys, cell phones, cordless phones, computer games, computers, WiFis, refrigerators, air conditioners, electric heaters, dishwashers, microwaves and other large appliances.

There's a great article by Natural News which goes into this in more detail, and also provides 15 ways you can reduce EMF radiation in your home and life. To read this article, CLICK HERE.

Some essential oils are dangerous to pets

In our attempt to make our pet's world safer by removing chemicals, we have to be careful what is used on and around our pets. Aromatherapy containing essential oils is very popular, but some of the oils can be toxic to our furry friends. So I recommend always investigating any product you plan to use in your home.

I read a very good article at Dog is my teacher regarding essential oils and our pets. Be sure to check out the list of oils that are safe as well as those that should never be used around your pets.

Transporting your cat in a carrier

Getting your cat into his carrier may not seem difficult to you if you've never had a little mad-cat like my Fritz.

About 3 weeks ago, we had a vet appointment for him. I hadn't put him in a carrier since I got him neutered at 6 months old, so I wasn't prepared for the amount of resistance that would ensue. He put up such a fight, kicking and scratching, that I had to abort the mission, and substitute my other cat Gidget, since she was due to go next month anyway. A second appointment also came and went without getting him in the carrier, even though my husband got involved with treats. Both times, he sprand up and away and ran to hide who knows where in the basement. I talked it over with my vet, and we decided to give him a mild tranquilizer for the third try. It worked, barely, but he's such a strong-willed little stinker, he fought the drug. As soon as I came toward him towel in hand, he started bouncing around the room about 8 times before he collapsed and I was able to get him into the carrier.

I've always had female cats who were fairly easy to handle, so I didn't know how to handle this wild little boy. Even though the many suggestions the vet's assistants gave me didn't work for Fritz, I thought I'd share them, as they may be helpful to other owners with less rambunctious cats than mine. So here they are:

*use treats to lure him into the carrier
*tip the carrier on end, and drop the cat into the carrier
*put him in a pillowcase first, then gently push him into the carrier
*put him in a pillowcase and bring him in that way
*wrap him in a towel, then ease him into the carrier
*confine him in a small room, so he can't escape, then get him into the carrier
*when all else fails, drug him