It’s about two weeks to go for the jingle bells to be ringing and the Christmas trees to be up. Everything is going to have the magical touch of Christmas- covered in red, and white. Adding to the elegance of these decorations is a natural beauty- the Christmas cactus. No matter how beautiful the plant looks, you have to be careful, when you have cats and dogs at home.
Unlike the other forms of cacti, these epiphytic succulents are usually seen in the tropical rainforests of Southern Brazil. They can’t be exposed to sunlight like other members of their family. In contrast to other cacti, these need high humidity, warm temperatures, and less sunlight. Now the main trouble is if these plants are safe for your cats and dogs.
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How Harmful Are The Christmas Cactus To Your Cats And Dogs?
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Christmas cactus is non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Neither the cactus nor the flowers are harmful. But still, your pets are not out of trouble. Things will get worse if the animals chew on or eat these plants. A large amount of fibrous material present in the cacti can cause gastronomical irritation in pets.
Eating and chewing on the cacti can make your pet vomit or can even cause diarrhea. So if you find your cat or dog eating the plant, check for gastronomical troubles. And the first thing one can do is to ring up the veterinarian. This has to be done even if the symptoms are mild.
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Other Plants That Can Be Toxic To Cats And Dogs
Now the Christmas cactus may not cause much harm but there are other plants used for decoration that cause be toxic for your pets. These are also common Christmas plants. Christmas tree needles and water, mistletoe, amaryllis, poinsettia, holly, and lilies are some plants you need to keep out of your pet’s reach.
There are only a few precautions that can be taken in order to avoid your pet from being harmed. One thing you can do is completely avoid the toxic plants on Christmas and another is to enclose these plants with a pet gate. This way you can keep your pet safe.
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