A Little List Of Witchy Ingredients That Are Toxic To Cats

A Little List of Witchy Ingredients That Are Toxic to Cats

Generally speaking, pet safety is important when it comes to hoarding plants and herbs, and cats in particular have extremely finicky little digestive systems. They’re obligate carnivores, so you should pretty much assume that you should keep them out of your planty stuff just in general. But here’s a list of potential spell ingredients that are particularly hard on our little black cat friends:

garlic, chives, onions, leeks, & scallions 

This is probably the most toxic vegetable group to cats. Even a small amount eaten can make them very sick and affect their red blood cell count.

chamomile

This can be a confusing one because German chamomile is generally safe for pets but English/Garden/True chamomile can cause a lot of problems for both cats and dogs, even sometimes allergic reactions.

st. john’s wort

This can give cats skin reactions if they rub against it.

cocoa

It’s pretty well known that chocolate is really toxic to both cats and dogs.

lilies

This again depends on the type of lily, but honestly your best bet is to avoid all of them. Easter lilies in particular are extremely dangerous for cats. Even just breathing the pollen can cause kidney failure.

alcohol & raw dough

This is another where you’ll want to take your cat to the vet immediately if they ingest any because even small amounts of alcohol can be deadly. Raw doughs that contain yeast will basically become alcohol in their bellies.

lemongrass, mint, oregano, & tarragon

These ones aren’t as deadly but they will give your cat the shits.

marijuana

Unfortunately your cat can’t toke, I know, this is a tragedy.

grapes & raisins

Can cause kidney failure.

bay leaf

Yes, our favorite banishing leaf will also banish your cat’s bowels. This is another diarrhea joke.

azaleas, daffodils, cyclamen, kalanchoe, oleander, tulip, hyacinth, & sago palm

These flowers and houseplants can also be deadly to cats. Generally speaking, if you have cats, you should always research a houseplant before bringing it into your home, because these guys will often find a way to munch on them. It’s also helpful to keep houseplants away from curious cat level.

pine needles

Pine needles aren’t really toxic to cats, but they’re dangerous for a cat to eat anyway because, well… they’re sharp and they could poke your cat’s insides if they swallow them. It’s grim to think about, so please be careful.

cloves and allspice

These are bad for your little friend’s liver.

essential oils

PLEASE keep your cat out of your oils. They should not be ingesting any of that. Even strong smells and smoke cleansing can be hard on them, so be careful if you’re burning anything with them in the room.

This is by no means an exhaustive list (I mean it, cats are just notoriously averse to plants), but I tried to cover some of the particularly dangerous and common ones. A good rule of thumb is to 1) always research the plants you have around the house and 2) just straight up try to keep your cat out of herbs and non-meat foods and stuff like that. It’s just better to play it safe with these nosy little beasts!