When it comes to toxicity, the experts on the yucca “palm” – which, strictly speaking, is not a palm tree at all, but an agave plant – are quite divided. At least there is neither an all-clear sound nor an explicit reference to the toxicity of this popular houseplant. However, cat owners can assume that the yucca is not safe for their four-legged furry friend.
Is the yucca palm poisonous to cats?
The Yucca palm can be dangerous for cats because its sharp-edged leaves can cause injuries and they contain a substance that irritates mucous membranes, causes diarrhea and, in severe cases, can damage the kidneys.
Yucca palm dangerous for cats in two ways
Many indoor cats like to nibble on the yucca palm in the living room without being harmed or developing any symptoms of poisoning. However, there are also a few cases known in which the house cat was damaged by the yucca in various ways. First of all, the leaves of this plant have very sharp edges, so a cat nibbling on them can easily injure itself. In addition, the stem and leaves contain a substance that irritates the mucous membranes, sometimes causes diarrhea and, in severe cases, can even damage the kidneys. So if your cat keeps having diarrhea for an unknown reason, it could be due to the yucca palm.
Many popular houseplants are poisonous to cats
In addition to the yucca palm, many other house plants are also poisonous for indoor cats and should therefore not be cultivated in a cat apartment or should be placed in such a way that the house cat cannot get to them. Houseplants poisonous to cats include:
- Yucca palm (palm lily)
- Dieffenbachie
- Philodendron / Tree Friend
- Ivy
- Cyclamen
- Dragonroot
- Azalea
- Amaryllis
- Dragon Tree
- bow hemp
- Ficus / Birch Fig
- Aralie
- Flamingo flower / Anthurium
- window leaf
- Calla
- Poinsettia
- Avocado
Tip
Be careful with cacti and columnar spurge plants - cats like to use both as scratching aids. Although cacti are generally non-poisonous, they have dangerous spines. Spurge plants, on the other hand, are highly poisonous - especially the milky sap that comes out when scratching can have dangerous consequences. These include, among others: the popular poinsettia, but also the rubber tree, the Christ thorn and many other succulents.
