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Poisonous Plants

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A couple of months ago i was mooching in one of our local stores when i came across a buy 1 get 1 free Clematis deal. I was instantly attracted to the thought of getting a couple. It really did look an attractive plant in full bloom and im a sucker for a decent buy 1 get 1 free deal.

Having my mobile phone to hand, i thought to take a quick readup on it there and then.

Well i was shocked to find that this quite lovely plant had a "poisonous to cats and dogs" tag on it with quite disturbing symptoms.

I certainly didnt want my kitty being stricken with fits of vomiting or diarrhea or anyone elses for that matter, so decided against buying it.

Poisonous? Really? Im pretty sure the Clematis isnt the only garden plant labelled with such a tag (im new to this)

Are there precautionary planting measures one takes when considering such? Does anyone have accounts of pooch and pussy poisonings? Was i over cautious?

 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    I think that cats and dogs (most animals really) are quite bright - if clematis presented a real danger to them cats would probably be extinct by now.

    Very very occasionally a cat will do something totally daft and eat something it shouldn't - far more likely that a dog will do it, labradors see almost anything as a culinary challenge - and if the animal is then taken ill it's helpful to the vet to know what might have contributed to it, but I don't know of any cat keeping gardeners who avoid clematis.

    Lilies do present a problem because if a cat gets the pollen on it's coat and then licks it off it can make it ill so my daughter does not grow lilies in her garden. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Over the years I've known lots of cats in gardens full of all sorts of plants and no cat ever got ill. I think they still have some sort of instinct/common sense that we've lost.

    Not so sure about dogs



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Good point. Mind you my cat is a little on the loopy side. Hmm is there a "poisonous to slugs' alternative? image

    I guess i just homed in on the word `poisonous` and never took the thought further. Might have a rethink next year.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    In my (long) experience loopy cats are the ones with brains - it's the dullards that have no intuition - they're like people in that way image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • TootlesTootles Posts: 1,469

    What a cutie Michael! That puddy cat looks very comfy! I have a kitty and a clematis and have not had any problems. Would suggest planting it away from any long grass that your cat might consume for digestion in case said cat takes a mouthful in error. 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    Michael, if you are going to look up every plant you might buy to check for adverse problems you will cut out very, very many plants.

    I do think you are being too cautious.

  • Everday will be a learning curve for me. Its taken the best part of my life in gaining an interest in actually planting stuff rather than just mowing the lawn every now and then. My skills and knowledge are zero image This is where you guys come in image

    I fear there`ll be even sillier questions in the pipeline as i go along. Welcome me to your bosoms and be patient with me lol.

    Awe Tootles, he is cute isnt he? Alas its just a random Google kitty feeling unwell. Not sure where mine was at the time.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    We're very patient Michael - gardeners have to be - some things take a long time to grow image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    michael 58, welcome and ask as many silly questions as you like

    I have an Aconitum which I did not realise is toxic and I hear that Datura is pretty bad too. Every Primary School used to have a Laburnam (?) with yellow flowers in the playground; also toxic I think!image

  • Wow the more i read about it the more the list gets longer.  Think Welshonion may have been quite correct.

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