Red Poinsettia House Plant, how poisonous to animals are they?

[Sticky23]

Has anyone else bought one of the attractive poinsettia house plants from Morrisons, and if so have you had any problems with regards to your pets? We bought one last week and have had it on our cabinet. We found our cat dead this afternoon and initially we thought he had been hit by a car. We took him to the vet who said that the most likely cause was that he had been hit by a car, but with no sign of external bleeding the injuries were most probably internally, and only a post mortem would tell us the true cause of death. I just really wanted to lay him to rest so brought him home and buried him in the back garden. However, my partner was watching Paul O Grady tonight and said that a vet had been on the show and said to watch your animals with the poinsettia, 'The Christmas Plant' as they are poisonous. After doing some research there are many different varities of the plant, and I wouldn't expect Morrisons to sell a poisonous variety as a house plant in their stores.

 

Anyone else know anything, would like to hear if so.

[EdnaKrabappe]

Mm going off to do some research as I've bought one f these plants this evening too.

 

So sorry to hear about your cat.

 

SPECIAL NOTES: Please note that if you accidentally break a stem or leaf on your Poinsettia the sap that appears on the stem is very poisonous especially to young children and animals. Always wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the sap. First website i went on ....I didn't know this... I've moved mine to a cat free area. Thank you for sharing this even though in your case it's a sad story.

[Sticky23]

Don't want to worry you, like I said we don't know what caused his death, just wanted to see if other people had any problems.

[SpecialKay]

I'm sorry to hear about your cat. Everything I can find on the matter says that the toxicity of Poinsettia is a widespread urban legend. Many plants related to poinsettias are poisonous and the name sounds a bit like 'poison' so maybe that's where the confusion lies. I'm sure it's not a good idea to eat any houseplants at all but this reference below argues that the plant is not poisonous to children or domestic animals. Hope this helps put your mind at rest that it wasn't your fault. My sympathies to you.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8906768&dopt=Abstract

[skala]

We have one of these plants also from morrisons but ours did say on the packaging that it was poisonous. Our cat is always eating our plants, he's had a go at this one too but touch wood he is fine. i'll move it now though, sorry for your loss though by the way xxxx

[pattricia]

Has anyone else bought one of the attractive poinsettia house plants from Morrisons, and if so have you had any problems with regards to your pets? We bought one last week and have had it on our cabinet. We found our cat dead this afternoon and initially we thought he had been hit by a car. We took him to the vet who said that the most likely cause was that he had been hit by a car, but with no sign of external bleeding the injuries were most probably internally, and only a post mortem would tell us the true cause of death. I just really wanted to lay him to rest so brought him home and buried him in the back garden. However, my partner was watching Paul O Grady tonight and said that a vet had been on the show and said to watch your animals with the poinsettia, 'The Christmas Plant' as they are poisonous. After doing some research there are many different varities of the plant, and I wouldn't expect Morrisons to sell a poisonous variety as a house plant in their stores.

 

Anyone else know anything, would like to hear if so.

Yes, I saw this on Paul O`Grady.The vet defintely said the red flowered variety,also he said Mistletoe was also poisonous to animals.Had your cat been eating the flowers or leaves of the Poinnsettia ?

[alirosdan]

Sticky, you don't live in Wincobank do you because ther have been a lot of poisoned cats there recently.

 

Sorry to hear about your cat by the way, it's so traumatic when something like this happens.

[Dark Moomin]

I had always been told that poinsetta were poisonous specifically to cats (rather than just poisonous in general).

 

I'm so sorry for your loss so close to Christmas.

 

I haven't bought a plant for a fwe years, but I'm surpised there's no warning on the packaging.

[SpecialKay]

Maybe this is why there's no warning on the package. The scientific, medical, and horticultural communities no longer consider the plant to be toxic.

 

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/flowers/poinstta.htm

 

http://www.rabbit.org/care/poinsettia.html

 

http://www.paghat.com/poinsettias.html

 

http://www.aboutflowers.com/gandb/poins.html

 

http://www.mnpoison.org/index.asp?pageID=202

 

http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss27p15.shtml

[md25]

Poinsettia isn't poisonous - it has extremely bitter leaves that will make anything eating them feel very ill until it works its way out, which is different from something truly poisonous (such as chocolate, which is lethal).

 

So it looks like a car got your cat