5 common Outdoor plants that are toxic to cats and dogs

In 2018 alone, the ASPA’s Animal Poison Control Center received over 10,000 calls relating to plants that are toxic to cats and dogs. Cats and dogs are naturally curious creatures, so they tend to sniff and taste new items around the yard unless they are trained not to. This life-saving information is vital to share with new pet parents, gardening companies, or vet patients. This article will help you pick non-toxic plants for your yard so your outdoor cats and dogs can roam your garden safely. After all, it’s important to remember that this is our pet’s world and that we’re just living in it. 

Let’s start with outdoor plants that are toxic to dogs. Dogs are indoor and outdoor pets who often spend time in the yard or the garden. Avoid the following plants in your garden if you are worried about your dog consuming the plant and becoming ill: 

5 outdoor plants that are toxic to dogs

1) Tulips

Tulips are bright, colorful flowers that pop up in springtime. While these flowers have an attractive curb appeal, they should be avoided if you have an untrained dog because they have toxic glycosides known as tuliposide A, tulipalin A, and tulipalin B. If your dog ingests these toxins, they can cause heart problems, oral irritation, decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Thankfully, toxicity from tulips is mild compared to other poisonous plants for dogs, but you should consult your vet if your dog is having symptoms of discomfort. 

2) Monstera plant

Monstera plants, often called Swiss cheese plants because of their Swiss cheese-like holes, are also poisonous to dogs. When chewed or ingested, they will cause severe irritation and burning feelings on lips, tongue, mouth, or throat. These outdoor plants also produce fruit that dogs should not eat. If you have monstera plants in your yard and you are worried about your dog ingesting them, consider putting a fence around them or putting them in a place that your dogs can not access so they do not get sick. 

3) Bird of paradise

Birds of paradise are beautiful outdoor plants that look like birds. If ingested, these pretty plants can cause pretty big issues for your dogs like vomiting, nausea, and difficulty swallowing. 

4) Daisies

Daisy flowers are common garden flowers that have yellow centers and white leaves. Daisy flowers should not be consumed by your dog. If your dog eats daisies, they will have negative reactions like incoordination, dermal allergies, and vomiting. 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a plant that people like to plant because of the fresh smell. If you have untrained dogs, you should avoid planting eucalyptus because ingesting the plant can cause an upset stomach, depression, or even liver and kidney damage. 

Now that we’ve discussed some common outdoor plants that are toxic to dogs, let’s dive into the outdoor plants that are toxic to cats:

5 outdoor plants that are toxic to cats

1) Daffodils

Daffodils are pretty flowers with yellow bulbs that people like to plant in springtime. Unfortunately, daffodils are toxic to cats and can cause negative effects like abdominal pain, lethargy, nausea, and even labored breathing. These symptoms appear within 2 hours of ingesting the flower, so keep a close eye on your cat if you see them hanging around your daffodils! 

2) Azaleas

Azaleas, otherwise referred to as Rhododendrons, are stunning flowers that come in different color shades of pink, orange, yellow, and white. These outdoor plants are extremely toxic to cats because eating just a couple of leaves could cause serious immediate vomiting or even long-term effects. 

3) Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are a popular home garden flower that many people like to plant for floral arrangements. If you have cats that hang out in your garden, avoid planting hydrangeas because they are toxic to cats. If cats ingest hydrangeas, they can experience negative health issues like stomach pain and weakness. 

4) Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear plants, which are common in warmer climates, are also poisonous to cats. These common outdoor plants that are toxic to cats can cause vomiting and nausea so you should avoid planting them if you have cats. 

5) Potatoes

Thinking of growing your own potatoes for homemade French fries? Think twice if you have a cat. Potatoes contain a chemical called solanine that is toxic to cats. Both the potato and the green part of the plant are toxic so keep that in mind before picking your garden vegetables. 

Tips for Training Your Pets to Avoid Toxic Plants

We understand that some people are reading this article who already invested time and energy into planting the said toxic plants in their garden. These are some tips for training your pets to avoid toxic plants:

• Tell your pet “NO” when they show interest in the toxic plants

• Build a fence around the toxic plants

• Use a retaining wall or the Dirt Locker hillside planters to keep your plants high up away from your pets

• Keep your pet in a designated area outside like a fenced-in play area

• Ask your vet if they recommend a non-toxic plant spray that tastes bad so your animal won’t eat the plant

Final thoughts

The point of this article is to educate, not intimidate. It is very possible to grow these plants in harmony with your cats and dogs, however, it is imperative to train your animal to avoid these toxic plants. Failing to train your pets to avoid these toxic outdoor plants can result in unnecessary vet visits or even life-long health issues. We love cats and dogs, especially the ones who spend quality time with us in the garden, so we wanted to get the word out about these toxic plants that are common for planting. 

Thank you for enjoying this article on outdoor plants that are toxic for cats and dogs. If you have a picture of your cat or dog in the garden, send us a picture via email or DM so we can give your pet a shoutout! 

Dirt Locker is a sloped landscaping solution for hillside backyards that experience erosion and irrigation issues. We're on a mission to solve your sloped yard's engineering issues with our simple product! Dirt Locker can get your garden dirt locked and ready to load with fresh fruits and vegetables in a matter of hours. Visit our site DirtLocker.com to see hillside transformations from a variety of steepness levels. If you have any questions about this article, contact us and we will be happy to return your email within 2 business days. Thank you for reading!