Are Your House Plants Safe For Your Cats?

Having houseplants around your home can really add to your decor, but if you also have a cat you will need to be careful about what plants you choose. This is because there are some common house plants that are actually quite dangerous for cats to lick or ingest.

Cats are curious creatures and they will try to chew on many different items within your home including your plants. If your cat decides to nibble on the wrong plant, it can wind up needing an emergency trip to the Staten Island Cat Hospital.

What Plants Are Toxic To Cats?

You might be surprised at how many common house plants are dangerous for cats. For example, an Aloe Vera plant can cause diarrhea, vomiting and tremors. Begonias, those lovely flowers, can cause intense burning of the mouth, difficulty swallowing and excessive drooling. Tomato plants can cause severe gastrointestinal problems, weakness and slow heart rate.

Lily flowers are one of the most dangerous plants for cats. If your cat eats a tiger lily, Easter lily or star-gazer lily it can suffer from acute kidney failure and even death. It’s hard to believe that such a beautiful flower can be so seriously deadly, but it is important to know so that your cat doesn’t suffer such a tragic and preventable fate.

For a full list of plants that are toxic to cats, ask your Staten Island cat hospital.

Cat-Safe House Plants

Luckily, if you still want to add some green to the décor of your home there are plenty of plants that will not send your cat rushing to the Staten Island cat hospital. Bamboo plants are completely safe, as well as Blue Echeveria and Christmas Cactus. Spice Orchids will not cause any problems and Pony Tail Palms are totally non-toxic.

Decorate your home with safe options and make sure to always look up a plant online to see if it is safe before bringing it home.

Should You Let Your Dog Sleep in the Bed With You?

There is something nice and comforting about having your furry best friend snuggling up next to you or warming your feet while you sleep and many people sleep with their dog in the bed with them. However, as any dog trainer or Animal Doctor Staten Island will tell you, establishing Alpha Position is important and letting your dog know who is boss will help you to curb any behavior issues. Many people have asked their animal doctor Staten Island whether or not sleeping with the dog in the bed is a good idea. After all, won’t it make your dog think you are on the same level and cause him to become disobedient?

The general consensus among most dog trainers is that dogs should not sleep in the bed with humans. When a dog is in a pack in the wild, the coziest sleeping spot is always kept for the higher members of the pack. Your dog needs to respect you as the leader of the pack, as this is the best way to train and manage behavior problems. You will find that if you let your dog sleep in the bed, he will not respect you at other times when you are giving him commands. 

If you really want to let your dog sleep in the bed with you, he should not jump up of his own accord but rather be invited up by you on your terms. If he tries to push you out of the way or take up room on the bed, he should lose his bed privileges. It is better to teach the dog to curl up at the foot of the bed rather than sleep up with you on your pillow. 

To learn more about dog training, contact your Animal Doctor Staten Island.