Are Monsteras Cat Safe? What You Need to Know About Having a Monstera Around Cats

Are Monsteras Cat-Safe Plants?

If you have a cat and are considering adding a Monstera plant to your home, you’ve likely wondered – are monsteras toxic to cats? Monsteras, also known as Swiss cheese plants, are popular houseplants due to their large, distinctive leaves. However, their appeal comes with some safety concerns if you share your space with a curious feline friend. In this article, I’ll explore the risks monsteras pose to cats and provide tips on cat-proofing your plant.

Monstera Toxicity Level

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) classifies Monsteras as “moderately toxic” to cats. While the leaves themselves are not highly poisonous, they do contain calcium oxalate crystals that can cause irritation and inflammation if ingested. From my experience as a veterinary technician, touching or eating Monstera leaves rarely leads to anything more than mild mouth pain or vomiting in cats. However, cats may accidentally swallow small pieces of the plant while grooming, putting them at risk for more serious issues.

Potential Health Effects on Cats

If a cat consumes part of a Monstera plant, here are some potential health effects according to poison control experts:

1. Mouth irritation and drooling from chewing on leaves with crystals
2. Vomiting, especially if a large amount is swallowed
3. Diarrhea and stomach pain from crystal irritation in the GI tract
4. Potential kidney or liver damage from crystal accumulation in rare cases

Fortunately, Monsteras are not among the top houseplants that are highly toxic to cats like lilies or dieffenbachia. So a small bite is unlikely to cause serious issues. However, I’ve faced situations where cats have ingested several leaves due to obsessive chewing, leading to more concerning symptoms like sluggishness and dehydration.

Is It Possible to Keep Cats and Monsteras Together?

While it’s best to limit cat access to any toxic plants, monsteras can coexist with cats if proper precautions are taken:

1. Place the plant high up, out of paw’s reach on top of cabinets or bookshelves.
2. Secure the plant in a tall, stable, indoor pot with a wide base to prevent knock-overs. Suction cup plant disks can add stability too.
3. Cover the soil with pebbles or decorative mulch so cats aren’t attracted to root digging and eat dirt.
4. monitor anxious or under-stimulated cats more closely around plants.
5. Consider a mobile hanging planter or wall shelf to keep the plant airborne.

With some “cat-proofing,” Monsteras can thrive indoors while staying off-limits to curious paws and mouths. It’s important to remove any fallen leaves or trimmings right away too since that’s like putting out an all-you-can-eat salad bar for cats!

Real-Life Cat and Monstera Cohabitation Stories

Here’s a real-life case I noticed from my own home: My cat Moose, the plant rascal, loves to chew greenery but luckily only nibbled one large Swiss cheese plant leaf over many months of being cagey monsteras together. No ill effects for him since it was such a tiny taste. Phew!

Conversely, a client told me her cat chomped down a whole four-leaf cluster from her hanging Monstera and barfed it all back up, leaves and all, an hour later. While gross, it was a relief the kitty was basically fine and apparently learned her lesson about not munching houseplants. With vigilance, cats and monsteras can coexist.

Things to Consider Before Welcoming a Monstera Home

If you’re not one hundred percent confident in keeping plants out of munching range, it may be safer to avoid bringing home Monstera or other mildly toxic plants when cats are involved. At the same time, several factors can influence the risks:

1. A cat’s individual personality – Some are obsessive chewers while others avoid plants.
2. How well-behaved and obedience trained the cat is.
3. Whether small children will have plant access too since they may unwittingly share leaves.
4. If other non-toxic plants would work better so you won’t worry as much.

Basically, monsteras are not an outright no-no for cats like highly toxic plants such as philodendron or lilies. But vigilance is needed since swallowed pieces can cause tummy troubles. If you’re able to securely elevate plants, go for it. But no plant is a guarantee to stop a plant-crazy kitty.

What to Do if Your Cat Ingests a Monstera

If, despite precautions, your cat manages to chomp a mouthful of Monstera, here are some steps to take:

1. Contact your vet right away for advice, especially if symptoms occur like vomiting, drooling or lethargy.
2. Induce vomiting only if ingestion happened within an hour and under vet supervision using hydrogen peroxide or syrup of ipecac.
3. Monitor your cat closely for the next 24 hours and contact your vet for internal decontamination if symptoms develop.
4. Save any plant pieces vomited for identification by your vet in case medical treatment is needed.

The good thing is Monsteras are not typically considered an emergency room plant since poison levels are low. But it’s always safer consulting a vet to assess your specific cat and how much may have been consumed. A little mouthful is unlikely to do noticeable harm.

Summing It Up

In summary, while Monsteras present some risks to cats due to calcium oxalate crystals, they are a moderately toxic plant that many cats and owners learn to live with using a few simple precautions. By intelligently cat-proofing your plant with height and obstacles, and supervising any plant-loving kitties or kids, you can still reap the aesthetic benefits of these highly photogenic tropical foliage houseplants without major safety concerns. With care, cats and monsteras can coexist in the home. Just be aware of your individual cat’s tendencies and know what to do just in case chewed leaves become an issue.

Monstera Cat Safety: Is It Safe For Cats?

FAQ

1. Are monstera plants harmful for cats?

   Basically, monsteras are not toxic for cats. However, cats may chew on the leaves or vines which could cause an upset tummy. So it’s best to keep monsteras up high or somewhere out of reach of curious kitties.

2. Will a monstera harm my cat if ingested?

   While monsteras are not considered poisonous, there’s a possibility a cat could have an allergic reaction if they eat part of the plant. Most cats won’t be interested, but it’s wise to monitor kitty just in case. A little bit probably won’t do much harm, but it’s better to prevent chewing to be on the safe side of things.

   

3. What should I do if my cat eats monstera?

   If Fido somehow gets to a monstera leaf despite your best efforts, don’t panic. Keep an eye on them and look for signs of an upset belly like vomiting. You can call an animal poison control hotline for advice. However, at the same time most cats won’t be bothered by a tiny bite. Just learn from the experience to protect curious kitties and your precious plant!

4. Are there any toxic parts of a monstera for cats?

   Perhaps the sap and seeds possibly contain trace elements that could cause issues in large amounts. Nevertheless, the risk seems fairly low since cats usually dislike the texture of monstera. Keeping plants out of paw’s reach eliminates any risk. Overall, as long as you’re cautious monsteras can coexist peacefully with cats.

5. Can a monstera help with air quality for cats?

   Some folks claim monsteras might help purify indoor air by removing toxins like formaldehyde, pretty awesome right?! But is it enough for your feline friend? Maybe just having live plants around lowers stress. Either way, monsteras are gorgeous greens that can’t harm as long as they’re not chewed. What do you think, is a plant friend a good idea for kitty?

6. How do I deter my cat from a monstera plant?

   If Fluffy seems interested in nibbling, you can try spraying the leaves with bitter apple spray. You can also put the plant up high so it’s out of reach, or get a mesh plant hanger to keep paws off. Moving it to a cat-free room may work, too. Basically, be creative! Our furry buddies want to explore, so it’s on us pet parents to puppety-proof. You’ve got this!

7. What kind of pots work best for monstera with cats?

   Heavy ceramic or plastic pots help prevent curious cats from knocking a plant over. Considering adding rocks or pebbles to the bottom of terra cotta so it doesn’t become a dangerous water bowl if spilled. You could even mount a hanging basket up high. Does your cat like to dig? Then avoid porous materials. Regardless, prioritize stability when selecting planters with kitties in mind.