Chrysanthemums are popular fall flowers found in many gardens. No wonder, since they still delight us in late autumn with their bright colors. But like so many beautiful and popular ornamental plants, the chrysanthemum is poisonous - especially for animals, especially cats and dogs.
Chrysanthemums are highly toxic to cats
Toxicity depends on the chrysanthemum species
However, this general answer cannot be given for all chrysanthemum species, because by no means all of the approximately 40 species and over 5000 varieties are really poisonous. In fact, there are so-called edible chrysanthemums that can also be drunk or eaten as tea or prepared in a salad. However, this only applies to humans, not to cats. In any case, house cats should be kept away from chrysanthemums.
How to recognize poisoning
Chrysanthemum poisoning is not usually fatal for cats, but it can still have serious consequences, such as blindness or even liver and kidney failure. Drowsiness and irritation of the mucous membranes, on the other hand, indicate slight poisoning.
tips and tricks
However, chrysanthemums are not only poisonous to cats, but also to other animals. The autumn flower is also fatal for dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs as well as grazing animals (horses, cattle, sheep).