ASPCA Guide to Pet-Safe Gardening

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) experts field tens of thousands of calls each year involving animal companions who’ve had potentially hazardous contact with insecticides, weed killers and pet-toxic plants.  

"Keeping animals safe from accidental poisonings should not end once you've stepped outside," says Dana Farbman, APCC pet poison prevention expert. "Protecting your pet from potential hazards in your yard is just as critical."

While gardens and yards are lovely for relaxing, they can also prove dangerous for our animal companions.
Our experts recommend you watch out for the following:

Poisonous Plants
When designing and planting your green space, it's a good idea to keep in mind that many popular outdoor plants—including sago palm, rhododendron and azalea—are toxic to cats and dogs. Sago palm and other members of the Cycad family as well as mushrooms can cause liver failure, while rhododendron, azalea, lily of the valley, oleander, rosebay, foxglove and kalanchoe all affect the heart. Please visit our full list—and pics!—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your garden. 

Fertilizer
Just like you, plants need food. But pet parents, take care—the fertilizer that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts of our furry friends. Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give your pet a good case of stomach upset and may result in life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction. Be sure to follow instructions carefully and observe the appropriate waiting period before letting your pet run wild outside. 

Cocoa Mulch
Many gardeners use cocoa bean shells—a by-product of chocolate production—in landscaping. Popular for its attractive odor and color, cocoa mulch also attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate, it can pose problems for our canine companions. Depending on the amount involved, ingestion of cocoa mulch can cause a range of clinical signs, from vomiting, diarrhea and muscle tremors to elevated heart rate, hyperactivity and even seizures. Consider using a less-toxic alternative, such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark, but always supervise curious canines in yards where mulch is spread.

Insecticides
Like fertilizer, herbicides, insecticide baits, sprays and granules are often necessary to keep our gardens healthy, but their ingredients aren't meant for four-legged consumption. The most dangerous forms of pesticides include snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms of rat poisons. Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas—and read the manufacturer's label carefully for proper usage and storage. 

Compost
You're doing the right thing for your garden and Mother Earth—you're composting! Food and garden waste make excellent additions to garden soil, but depending on what you're tossing in the compost bin, they can also pose problems for our pets. Coffee, moldy food and certain types of fruit and vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats, so read up on people foods to avoid feeding your pet.

Fleas and Ticks
Since fleas and ticks lurk in tall brush and grasses, it's important to keep those lawns mowed and trim. Fleas can cause excessive scratching, hair loss, scabs, hot spots and tapeworms as well as anemia from blood loss in both cats and dogs. Ticks can cause similar effects and lead to a variety of complications from tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Babesia.

Garden Tools
Unattended garden tools may seem like no big deal, but rakes, tillers, hoes and trowels can be hazardous to pets and cause trauma to paws, noses or other parts of a curious pet's body. Rusty, sharp tools caked in dirt may also pose a risk for tetanus if they puncture skin. While cats don't appear to be as susceptible as dogs to tetanus, care should be taken by storing all unused tools in a safe area, not haphazardly strewn on the ground.

Allergy-Causing Flora
Ah-choo! Like their sneezy human counterparts, pets have allergies to foods, dust and even plants. Allergic reactions in dogs and cats can even cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock if the reaction is severe. If you do suspect your pet has an allergy, please don't give him any medication that isn't prescribed by a veterinarian. It's also smart to keep your pet out of other people's yards, especially if you're unsure of what kinds of plants or flowers lurk there. Keeping your pet off the lawn of others will make for healthy pets and happy neighbors.

Originally published by the ASPCA.

Keep Your Cat Safe in a Heat Wave

The temperature is soaring, and it’s only going to get hotter. Make sure you know how to keep your cat safe in the summer heat.

1. Watch out for heatstroke. Symptoms include panting, lethargy, drooling, fever, vomiting and collapse. If you think your cat may have heatstroke, get the vet ASAP — the condition can cause permanent organ damage and death. Learn more about heatstroke in pets.
2. Offer your cat several ways to cool off. Leave a fan on in a place where your cat can sit in front of it, add some ice cubes to her water or offer her a cool treat (check out our recipe for catsicles.)
3. Let your cat find cool spots in the house. Your cat will seek out the cooler parts of your home, so make sure she has access to areas with tile floors or rooms that don’t get much sun.
4. Play in the morning or evening. Any exercise should take place during the cooler hours of the day. This is especially important for young kittens and seniors, both of whom are very vulnerable to heatstroke. (If your cat has just eaten, make sure you give her some time to digest before you begin playtime.)
5. Brush your cat often. A well-groomed, tangle-free coat will help keep your cat cool. (Learn more about grooming your cat.)

Article originally published by PetFinder.

Adult Cats in Shelters: Give Them Hope

If you have ever been to an animal shelter, you have probably seen a sad sight: dozens of adult cats desperate for homes, most of which have little chance of getting out.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states that every year, about 5 to 7 million pets enter the animal shelter system, of which more than half are cats. Unfortunately, approximately 70% of those cats are euthanized simply because no one wants them, and most shelters don’t have the funds to board them for more than a few weeks.

Why aren’t these cats getting homes?

Supply vs. demand
 
Even though more animals are being spayed or neutered, 75% of animals coming into the shelter are still intact. One unspayed cat can produce many litters of kittens over the years, and those litters produce their own litters. The supply of cats is simply too large.

Michael Moyer, VMD, AAHA president, Rosenthal director and adjunct associate professor of Shelter Animal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, says, “There are more [cats] heading into shelters than there are people going to shelters to adopt, or than are being displayed off-site from shelters to get adopted.”

The rate of intake of adult cats at shelters is significantly higher than the rate of adoption, and in spring, when the “kitten season” begins, the margin increases alarmingly. When given the opportunity to adopt a cute little kitten, people tend to ignore the older cats.

The American Humane Association has dubbed June “Adopt a Cat Month”—June has the lowest rate of adoption from shelters, therefore the highest rate of euthanasia. Kittens usually go fast, but unfortunately, the majority of shelter cats are over 5 years old. Some are “boring” looking, like tabbies or black cats, and others are part of a bonded pair, which means they would be miserable without their friend. Some have easily remedied medical conditions, while others aren’t well socialized. These cats stand no chance against the puppies, kittens and dogs in the shelters.

Location, location, location
 
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 33% of Americans have at least one cat. Of that number, only 21% were adopted from animal shelters. The rest came from a hodgepodge of sources: friends, family, coworkers, wandering strays or unplanned litters of kittens. Because people are getting cats from these other sources, they don’t turn to the shelter for adoption.

Part of the problem has to do with the shelters themselves. Because of city noise regulations, most shelters are located in industrial or other “undesirable” neighborhoods. People often don’t even know there’s a shelter in their area. “Most shelters are not in highly desirable foot-traffic neighborhoods,” Moyer says. Also, cities frequently lack the funds to modernize shelters, so walking through them can be dismal.

Decreasing odds
 
Numbers aren’t the only reason for low shelter adoptions. The shelter environment, specifically the cage, can dramatically decrease a cat’s odds of being adopted. The shelter is a loud, scary place, and with no consistent or regular exercise, cats can become depressed and fearful.

Cats need about 9 square feet to be comfortable, but shelter kennels are smaller than that. The animals need vertical space for jumping and horizontal space for play and sleep. When they are forced to live in cages, they have some serious adjusting to do. It may take up to 5 weeks for a cat to feel comfortable in a new environment, but most shelters aren’t able to keep them that long.

Illona Rodan, DVM, DABVP and founder of the Cat Care Clinic in Madison, Wis., says, “Cats are fearful in unfamiliar environments, and fearful cats tend to hide or flee. If caged, they will most likely hide in the back of the cage, as far away as possible in an attempt to protect themselves. To potential adopters, these cats appear unfriendly and undesirable.”

Ideal companions
 
With litters of cute kittens prancing around, who would want to adopt an older cat? Smart people! With adult cats, what you see is usually what you get. You may have to look a little harder, past the fearfulness, but, as Rodan says, “Adopting an adult cat allows one to know the personality you are getting.”

Older cats, especially in pairs, are also great for seniors and people who don’t want a huge time commitment. “Kittens require a lot of time and energy, and are usually more costly to care for than an adult cat,” says Rodan. Adults are more well-adjusted to life, and pairs keep each other company.

But more than anything else, adult cats are grateful. “Adult cats that find their way into homes can be the most loving pets of all—perhaps they know how lucky they are to have found a loving and caring home,” Rodan says.

How you can help
 
If you are thinking of adopting a cat, visit your local shelter first. Sure, your coworker might need a new home for her cat, or your neighbor might have a litter in the back yard, but those cats are “safe,” meaning they aren’t in immediate risk of being euthanized.

You can also spread the word in your community that adult cats in shelters need homes, too, and encourage people to visit their shelter first, either to adopt or to volunteer. “More adoptions is what shelters need, by whatever means can be found within that particular community,” says Moyer. “There is a role for vets, for shelters and for the community to step in and make a better outcome possible for cats.”

And, you can help with prevention. In the words of Bob Barker, “Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.” And encourage others to do the same.

This article originally appeared in PetsMatter May / June 2012, published by the American Animal Hospital Association. Copyright © 2012 AAHA.

Can Cats and Houseplants Just Get Along?

If your houseplants are looking a little ragged or your cat shows symptoms of illness, interaction between them could be the cause. Houseplants may be good for the health of a home but can be dangerous for our feline friends. It is possible, however, to create a level of détente between them.

Although cats aren’t herbivores (their teeth aren’t designed for grinding plant matter), they do like plants as both toys and snacks. “I haven’t seen any consensus or definitive answer on why,” said Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC, owner of Cat Behavior Associates in Nashville, Tenn., who is a former veterinary technician and author of the recently released Think Like a Cat. “Chewing greenery may help with digestion, or something may be lacking in their diet. Boredom can do it; plants become something dangling and irresistible to bat and play with, and the next step is to chew on them.”

The problem is that “plants are either deadly or, at the very least, toxic to cats,” Johnson-Bennett said. “If they don’t kill your cat, at least it will experience intestinal disorders. Even the most basic houseplant, such as philodendron, is toxic, and toxicity can be extremely painful. Dieffenbachia can cause the cat’s tongue to swell, which affects breathing.”

Signs of Trouble

It’s fairly easy to tell if your cat has chewed on or swallowed a plant; the symptoms are vomiting, difficulty in breathing and lethargy. “If you see bits of plant matter in the vomitus or stool, there’s a good chance” the cat has snacked on your plants, according to Johnson-Bennett. Be sure you know the names of plants in your house, because knowing what plant your cat has eaten can affect treatment; inducing vomiting is sometimes the right move, but that can sometimes make matters worse.

If you notice these behaviors, call the veterinarian right away. “I don’t wait,” Johnson-Bennett said. “If I think my cat has ingested something poisonous, I am on the phone to the vet right away. Don’t have a wait-and-see attitude.”

The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ poison control center (aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/plant-list-cats.aspx) may be able to help, but nothing replaces getting to the vet right away.

Creating a Safe Harbor

A big believer that cats can be trained, Johnson-Bennett said that cats can be discouraged from eating houseplants if you apply bitter antichew spray made specifically for plants to the tops and bottoms of leaves. “You have to use it a couple of times at first, and reapply it on occasion.” (Be sure to wear gloves and a mask when using such a spray, and to wash your hands immediately after using it.)

Give cats a safe alternative that fulfills their apparent need for greenery; grass is the best bet. “You can grow cat grass in a place away from your plants; there are kits at pet stores and organic food stores. Wheat grass is very safe,” Johnson-Bennett noted. This may cause vomiting as well in some cats as a natural reaction when eating grass.

The best way to encourage cats to leave plants alone is to make sure they have enough play time, activities and toys to distract them from the plants, she said.

By the way, cats aren’t the only animals to pose a threat to houseplants; dogs may also nibble on houseplants when bored or lonely. “Dogs are chewers, so that problem can be solved by providing chew toys—something that is self-soothing, encourages comfort behavior and reduces separation anxiety,” Johnson-Bennett said.

Even better than training your cat to stay away from your plants is to “train the plants”:

• Trim the trailing leaves and fronds of plants in hanging baskets to keep them out of reach.
• Move plants away from areas where your cat likes to play or relax, and out of the path to the litter box.
• Put garden netting or double-sided tape in planters in a criss-cross pattern to keep cats out.
• Put large (too big for the cat to swallow and too heavy to move easily) river stones on top of dirt so that potting dirt isn’t easily accessible, which is both effective and decorative.

RESOURCES

• The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals maintains a list of plants that can be safe versus toxic to cats (aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/plant-list-cats.aspx).
• The Cat Fancier’s Association also maintains lists of plants that are safe for (cfa.org/client/plantsnontoxic.aspx) or poisonous to (cfa.org/client/plants.aspx) cats.

This article originally appeared in PetsMatter March / April 2012, published by the American Animal Hospital Association. Copyright © 2012 AAHA.