While plant poisoning is not so common among cats, but they can get into the habit of nibbling on plants, especially indoor plants and the ones in the backyard, due to boredom or out of curiosity. There’s a potential risk for your cat to ingest pollen and other harmful compounds that could lead to severe poisoning. It’s important to contact the local health pet club immediately if your feline ingests a toxic plant component. Waiting until the signs of poisoning manifest can make it too late for treatment. Here are a few tips to manage plant poisoning in cats:

Contact your veterinarian
Call your vet immediately and explain what your cat ate. Your vet will give precautionary instructions that you can follow. In more serious cases, your vet will ask you to bring your pet in for further diagnosis and treatment.

Collect samples
Collecting samples of vomit, stools, and, if possible, the plant poison your cat ate are some important tips to help manage plant poisoning in cats. Take the sample to your vet and let the doctor examine it to know the type and severity of the poisoning. This will help your vet administer the right treatment in the right dose to ensure that the situation doesn’t worsen.

Watch out for the symptoms
Your cat might show various symptoms of plant poisoning soon after they ingest an allergen. While some symptoms are almost immediate, others take time to show, so check for these common symptoms in your cat if you suspect plant poisoning:

• Dripping saliva
• Breathing problems
• Tremors or shivers
• Vomiting excessively
• Stomach upset
• Skin irritation
• Confusion
• Persistent cough
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Increased thirst and passing more urine
• Dilated pupils
• Weakness and fatigue

Educate others
Informing others of the harmful effects of the plant your feline ingested is one of the important tips to manage plant poisoning in cats. Call the poison control center and explain everything in detail. Likewise, ensure that you spread the information in your community to help others tackle similar problems.

Provide immediate first aid
If you strongly suspect or are sure that your cat has ingested a toxic plant, induce vomiting by giving a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide solution. This should be given thrice with intervals of 10-15 minutes, but consult your veterinarian before giving this solution, as other crucial things may be involved.

Administer fluid therapy
Administering specific antidotes to alleviate swelling and inflammation are useful tips to manage plant poisoning in cats. This can be given under a veterinarian’s supervision for the specific type of poisoning. Fluid therapy helps stabilize a cat and will be effective for a significant amount of time.

Consider other precautions
Don’t induce vomiting if your cat is unconscious or is having breathing difficulties. Wrap your cat in a warm blanket to protect their nervous system and contact the veterinary helpline immediately. Then, take your cat to the nearest veterinary facility at the earliest.