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Old July 12th, 2009, 09:55 PM
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sugarcatmom sugarcatmom is offline
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The problem with these lists is that they don't usually tell you which parts of the plants are toxic, or how much a cat has to ingest for it to be toxic, or what the level of toxicity is. For instance, honeysuckle is on the list but it's actually only the berries of the Japanese honeysuckle vine that are an issue. And a cat would have to eat a fair amount for it to have an effect. Otherwise, the honeysuckle wood itself is a fun intoxicant for cats along the lines of catnip.

And then there's aloe vera. The "toxic" part is only found in the cells just underneath the rind of the leaves. A large amount of these cells would have to be consumed, which isn't likely unless you have a really weird cat. The toxic effect might consist of short-term digestive upset, which is hardly life-threatening. So ya, it's good to be cautious, but take these lists with a grain of salt. It's probably not necessary to ban everything on it from your existence. Know your cat, and research the plant further if you have any doubts.
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