Are Morning Glories Toxic to Cats? Vet-Reviewed Houseplants Examined
With its trumpet-shaped flowers, showy leaves, and appealing fragrance, it’s no wonder that the morning glory plant is so popular among gardeners and flower lovers everywhere. However, if you have a cat in your home, it’s important to note that this plant is toxic to cats.
The scientific name for morning glories is Ipomoea spp., and it comes from the family of Convolvulaceae. As previously stated, morning glory is toxic to cats. In this article, we’ll discuss the signs and symptoms of morning glory poisoning and more so you can keep your feline friend safe from harm and still keep this gorgeous flower in your garden.
What Is Morning Glory?
There are over 1,000 species of this flower out there, so you need to be careful which ones you have in your garden. These flowers usually bloom in the early morning, which is where they got their name from.
However, there are also morning glories that actually bloom at night.
Morning glories contain chemicals that cause hallucinations if your cat happens to eat the seeds, so it’s best to be careful of all species of this plant, though not all of them are as toxic as others. Some are toxic to not only cats but to dogs and horses as well.
What Are the Symptoms of Morning Glory Poisoning?
While all morning glories can be toxic to your pet, some are more toxic than others. For example, significant amounts of morning glory can cause the cat to have hallucinations. Other symptoms to watch out for are listed below.
- Vomiting
- Increased aggression
- Diarrhea
- Lack of coordination
- Excessive panting
- Lethargy
- Inability to stand
- Hallucinations
If you catch your cat in the morning glories and they show any of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your vet right away for diagnosis and treatment.
Make sure to take a piece of the flower with you, so it’s easier for your vet to identify the plant your cat got into.
However, if you need urgent veterinary advice, consult a vet online.
Tips for Keeping Your Cat Safe
Now that you know morning glories are poisonous to cats, you may think you can’t have any of the flowers in your yard. However, you can if you take the proper precautions.
You can put natural deterrents in your flower garden to repel the cats, but that’s not a guarantee that they’ll stay away from your poisonous flowers.
Instead, you may want to build a fence with a top around the flower garden to keep the flowers in and the cats out. This is a proven way to keep your cat safe and still have the morning glories you’ve come to love in your yard.
Final Thoughts
So yes, morning glories are toxic to cats and can even make the cat hallucinate when they eat the seeds. If you think that your cat has gotten into your morning glories, it’s best to make an appointment with your vet to be on the safe side.
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Sources
Featured Image Credit: wisconsinpictures, Pixabay
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Patricia is a pet writer and lifelong animal lover. She has two cats (Binx and Link) and one dog (Mystery). Binx was found as a kitten under her house and has been part of the family ever since! Patricia is also a published author under the pen name Skylar McKinzie. When she isn’t writing, Patricia enjoys volunteering at her local animal rescue.
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