One of my neighbors used to grow foxgloves in his garden. And suddenly, one day, his cat ate a bit of foxglove, which resulted in the death of his cat.
Till that day, he was unaware of the fact that foxgloves are poisonous to cats.
So, if you are also wondering – are foxgloves poisonous to cats? Then the answer is- Yes! They are highly poisonous or toxic and can lead your cat to death.
If you have foxgloves in your garden too, then either stop growing them or keep your cat away from them.
But what if the cat accidently inhales foxglove? What to do, how to understand that, or how to save your cat? And why is foxglove poisonous?
Well, we got answers to all of the questions. Keep on reading to keep your cat alive from not only foxglove but also some other poisonous plants.
More information about foxglove poisoning: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/foxglove-poisoning
What are foxgloves? Some Interesting Information about It
Foxgloves plants are quite beautiful, right?
So, I thought of diving deep to know more about this beautiful but deadly plant.
Here you go….
Foxgloves, or digitalis, is a medicinal herb that grows 1-3 feet tall. It is native to Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. This medicinal herb has some other names, too, called – lady’s glove, fairy’s glove, virgin’s glove, witch’s glove, and dead man’s glove.
And do you know that the name “fox glove” comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word “foxes glew”, which means “fox music”.
Furthermore, though the foxglove is used for medicinal purposes, direct contact with this plant’s flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds can cause harm to living beings.
You already know that foxgloves are poisonous to cats. But you will be shocked to know that they are toxic to dogs, livestock, and humans too.
Well, after knowing all this information about foxglove, the saying – “Every coin has two sides,” came in my thoughts. This saying goes really well with this herb, right?
How fascinating the foxglove is! It is a medicinal herb, but, on the other hand, it is also dangerous to living things.
Know more about foxgloves or digitalis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitalis
Clinical Signs of Different Effects Caused by Foxglove
As said earlier, every part of the foxglove plant is poisonous to cats, and it can cause severe problems for the cat’s body.
Some major sections of problems are- cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system.
And to identify, which organ of the cat is affected, consider the below symptoms:
1. Cardiovascular
If your cat’s heart rhythm is abnormal or if the heart rate has either decreased or increased, then the foxglove has affected your cat’s cardiovascular system.
2. Gastrointestinal:
Signs of gastrointestinal problems include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
3. The central nervous system:
The signs that will tell you that your cat’s central nervous system has been affected are- tremors (shaking of hand), seizures, and dilated pupils.
Diagnosis of the Problems
Signs or symptoms are not enough to determine which part of your cat has been affected by the foxgloves.
So, after taking your cat to the veterinarian, he/she has to get the help of some medical diagnosis processes, such as baseline tests, electrocardiograms, and echocardiograms.
Treatment for the cat
There is no alternative to foxglove poison other than the immediate treatment.
As soon as you realize that your cat has eaten any of the parts of the foxgloves, or as soon as you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms or signs in your cat, rush to the veterinarian.
Once you take your cat to the veterinarian, he or she will start treating your cat accordingly.
Some other plants that are toxic or poisonous to cats:
Not only foxgloves, but there are some other plants that are toxic to cats.
Oh well, do you know why foxgloves or the below-mentioned plants are poisonous to cats?
That’s because, foxgloves and the below-mentioned plants contain cardiac glycosides, which are toxic.
And the other toxic plants are– milkweed, lily of the valley, Nerium oleander, yellow oleander, star of Bethlehem, dogbane, and kalanchoe.
All these plants contain cardiac glycosides, and they are dangerous for your cats. But the toxicity level of each plant is different.
And do you know that the water (water of vase) where these plants are kept also gets poisonous or toxic?
Well, there are some other plants or flowers which doesn’t contain cardiac glycosides but every part including the vase water of these plants is poisonous. Names are stated below:
1. Lilies (every part is toxic)
2. Blue-green algae
3. Spring flowers (every part is toxic. But its bulb is the most dangerous part)
4. Mushrooms (all mushrooms that contain the following things in them are poisonous: 1. Amanitin toxins 2. Muscarine 3. Muscimol and ibotenic acid)
5. Sago palm (female plant is the most poisonous part)
Information source: Check This Ebook Out.
The conclusion
That’s all about the toxic foxgloves or digitalis. And I hope you got your answer to the question- “Are foxgloves poisonous to cats?”
And yes, they are poisonous. In fact, very poisonous, and there is no way to prevent your cat from getting them except one way. And that way is that you need to stop growing in your garden if you are doing so.
