Amaryllis belladonna, Chrysanthemum, Amaryllis vuya, Amaryllis belladonna is the common name for a species of flowering plant in the genus Hippeastrum. This widespread clear bulbous flowering herb has many different forms and colors with a crooked stem. It is prominent to occur naturally in all tropical areas including Africa, Asia and Australia. Some varieties include variegated leaves. It grows from a bulbous base and is consider as a poisonous to cats. So the point is that are amaryllis poisonous to cats? Let discuss below:
Table of Contents
What is Amaryllis poison to cats?
The flowers of this plant are appear to be toxic and potentially deadly. Cats are familiar carriers of many plant toxins, including a variety of poppies and belladonna, both are well known to be “deadly nightshade.” Some sources say the poisonous effects of Amaryllis poisoning can be sense within three hours after coming into contact with the plant.
Symptoms
Symptoms of ingestion of Amaryllis include drooling and other evidence of gastrointestinal upset. The cat may also act confused or seem to be having difficulty with mental acuity. Some cats show a complete loss of balance and coordination. Since these symptoms can be bring about by many things and conditions, the best way to know for sure whether your cat has been poisoned by Amaryllis is to see a vet for professional analysis as quickly as possible.
Other symptoms include depression, seizures, low body temperature and coma.
Treatment:
If a vet believes there is little chance of survival without treatment, the cat should be admit to the hospital and given a dose of activated charcoal to help absorb any remaining toxin in the gut. Supportive treatment may need to be manage to deal with ongoing gastrointestinal upset. A blood test will undoubtedly show no evidence of poison ingestion. An X-ray of the abdomen may also show evidence of obstruction.
Prevention and reaction to Amaryllis poisoning
First of all, the plant itself is call us a poisonous. But you must also consider that a cat may accidentally stumble upon the plant or even eat it if it is throw out in your garden or elsewhere. Regardless, there is a high probability that your cat will go and look for the plant and ingest some. A mild reaction may be perceive immediately after ingestion. In most cases, cats appear to suffer no ill effects. Also, there is a slight possibility of having a severe reaction in some cases.
Precautions to take and prevent Amaryllis poisoning
The best way to avoid a potential Amaryllis incident is to keep your cat away from the plant and all other plants that can be toxic. Also, you should not allow your cat to access poisonous plants that have been discarded on the ground or in piles of dirt. You should always keep your garden areas clean.
If you do leave a plant of this type in your garden and are worried about your cat getting into it, you can surround the plant with a tall chicken wire type fence or similar barrier to keep your cat away from it. As a matter of fact, you can also place it far away from the garden so that only you will have any access to it and other plants in the area. If you have a garden that is outside, think about using an electric fence. As these are especially effective as they are more mobile and can be move around as require. You can find more information on these in our article: Useful Electric Fence for Keeping Cats out of Your Garden
If you notice your cat acting unusually strange, get to the vet – fast! Amaryllis poisoning can be extremely dangerous and could require immediate hospitalization.
Summary
From the above conclusion, it is hence cleared that how are amaryllis poisonous to cats. Cat owners should always be aware of the type of plants they use in their home. Some common household plants are poisonous to cats. The Amaryllis is one of these. Cats do not know any better and will most likely try to eat a plant if it is accessible to them.
A cat may accidentally ingest the plant, act strangely or immediately begin to suffer from a poison reaction. If you suspect your cat has ingested this plant or any other type of poisonous plant, contact your vet and get medical help as soon as possible.
