Poisonous Holiday Plants at Christmas, and Other Dangerous Holiday Plants That Are Toxic for Cats by Boris’ Mom

Guest Post by Boris’ Mom

My trusted breeder Joan of JFRH-Cattery, was the first to alert me of holiday decorations and their dangers.  She home-delivered my bundle of fur joy on December 24, 2012, and our enchanting Christmas tree was the main attraction for our new Ragdoll kitten, Boris.

My tortured, hapless Christmas tree was a dreadful sight after the first 48 hours of Boris’s arrival. Boris was chewing the holiday decoration with glitter and the electrical wirings on the tree. The thousands of “No” was falling on deaf furry ears, and his wild excitement could not be contained.

Usually, every year, my tree would stay decorated until after my birthday in January but last year was a first for me. Sadly I heeded cautioned and extracted all holiday decorations and my frazzled tree back to its storage boxes on Boxing Day.
This year I have yet to give our Christmas tree a second thought; knowing Boris’s destructive playfulness and his pilot’s license, the tree would be his main landing strip.

My ragdoll Boris tends to be airborne when he gets his “krazies.
A week ago, my husband surprised me with a small, live potted fir variety. I hid the plant overnight among my other “casualties of Boris” plants. I witlessly hoped the fir would survive the holidays and that I could research whether it was toxic to cats the next day.

“My furry ball of cuteness,” Boris, saved me the trouble. We awoke to find the tree beaten, dragged, and entirely plucked with feathered leaves on the living room floor the following day.

Thankfully he was not harmed. I got to my routine, “bent over,” cleaning up his mess, and like clockwork, he ran and springboards onto my back and into the air. I have always suspected he is beating and uprooting the plants because he knows I will be his launch pad into the air.

I want everyone to have this information and know the dangers of some holiday decorations, flowers, and poisonous plants that can be deadly to our beloved cats. I hope these links can be helpful to you for your animal:

Dangers and hints:

• Winter Pet Safety Tips

If you want to be adventurous and try prevention methods, try hanging the tree from the ceiling. Of course, there are no guarantees that this will work, especially if your Ragdoll can fly and has a pilot’s license like my Boris. However, it does save a lot of space, leaving room for your Ragdoll to romp as he likes without worrying that he will crash into the tree.

Toxic plants and berries

• Plants and Your Cat by The Cat Fancier’s Association

If you’re not sure what the plant looks like, Google – Image search its name online

Cat-safe house plants

• Houseplants Safe for Cats

Other everyday holiday items which are swallowing hazards to cats:

• Twist Ties
• Ribbons
• String
• Pins
• Staples
• Rubber Bands
• Adhesive Tape
• Cable Tie, also known as “Hose Tie,” “Zap-Strap,” “Zip Tie,” or “Tie-Wrap.”

These are usually cast aside without thought while opening our gifts.

Some Ragdolls, like my Boris, are tempted to play with these items. Unfortunately, they can chew bits off or swallow them whole, requiring expensive, invasive surgery or, even worse, death.

Please remember to secure them away from your ragdoll while opening your gifts.

Do have an enjoyable and cat/dog, pet-safe holiday 🙂

Read more about things that poison cats: