Dear Miss Paws: There has been quite a bit of publicity on foods and plants which are toxic to dogs, but are there foods and plants that are also toxic to cats? Yes, and several are foods and plants that are also toxic to dogs, the most notable being onions, garlic and related root vegetables, chocolate, grapes and raisins in the food category. In addition, tomatoes and green raw potatoes are very toxic. There have been instances where cats nearly died from eating one cherry tomato. Milk, while not toxic to cats, may have adverse effects because many cats are lactose-intolerant. This means that milk and milk products may produce stomach upset, cramps and gassiness. If your cat loves milk, give her a small amount of cream occasionally. The more fat in the milk, the less lactose. Another compromise is “CatSip” a product made from skim milk with an enzyme added which helps the digestion of lactose. CatSip is available in supermarkets and pet products chains. The bottom line is to feed your cat nutritious food developed with his needs in mind and choose treats designed for cats instead of table scraps. As for plants poisonous to cats one of the worst is the Tiger Lily. A beautiful spring flower but the “worst” since ingestion of any part of the plant can ultimately lead to death. Not so pretty! Others plants poisonous to some degree to cats are chrysanthemums, daffodils, hydrangeas, iris, ivy, marigolds, and wisteria. I have wisteria and since the seeds and pods are the toxic parts, I “deadhead” my blooms so the pods don’t develop. Most of the poisonous parts of these other plants are the stems and leaves, but hydrangeas’ and chrysanthemums’ flower heads are also poisonous. With Iris, it is the bulbs that are dangerous. The good thing is that pets seldom have any interest in these plants although they may nibble or taste the leaves out of curiosity or boredom, and this seldom leads to serious toxicosis.
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