Cats & Aloe Plants

Cats are carnivores, but they often like to chew on plants. Aloe vera plants, along with a number of other household or garden plants, can often be harmful or toxic to cats.

  1. Aloe Vera Plants

    • Aloe vera, a tropical succulent plant, comes in approximately 250 species. The most common species, aloe vera barbadensis, is used as an ingredient to treat medical conditions, such sunburns, and in preparations to beautify skin.

    Toxicity of Aloe Vera

    • If you grow aloe vera in your home or garden, be sure to keep it out of your cat's reach. The plant contains saponins, a chemical that can cause gastrointestinal distress. The entire aloe vera plant (as opposed to just the leaf, stem or roots) can be potentially harmful to both dogs and cats.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of toxicity may include "vomiting, depression, diarrhea, anorexia, tremors (or) change in urine color," reports the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA.) If you have observed your cat ingesting a potentially toxic plant, you may need to induce vomiting through the use of ipecac syrup or hydrogen peroxide. Follow your veterinarian's instructions.

    Saponins

    • Although saponins are considered harmful to cats, symptoms of poisoning likely depend upon your cat's health and size and how much it might have ingested. The real issue is to watch for how quickly and/or severely symptoms may set in, and act accordingly.

    Expert Insight

    • If you suspect your cat is suffering from poisoning and neither your veterinarian nor emergency vet clinic is available, call the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. There is usually a fee for services.

    Other Toxic Substances

    • Plenty of other flowers, vegetation and food items are known to be toxic--even more so than aloe vera--to cats. "The ingestion of azalea, oleander, Easter lily, or yew plant material by a cat could be fatal," says the Cat Fanciers' Association. Chocolate, coffee, onions, garlic and raisins are also known to be toxic to felines.