Geraniums, also known as cranesbill, is a species of plants that are largely found in the Eastern Mediterranean regions.Geranium plants are known to have healing properties for humans. They can serve as an alternative for ointments to cuts and bruises and even sunburns.Geraniums, however, are known to be toxic to cats and dogs. As much as the idea of having pets at home is appealing, it also comes with a huge responsibility. Cats are the curious kind, and therefore can be found sniffing and nibbling around the house all day long. Keeping a safe environment is therefore extremely necessary. Geraniums, because of their beautiful features, tend to make the perfect bedding plants for any garden. However, with dogs and cats in the household, one needs to think twice before bringing this beautiful yet poisonous plant into the house. Here’s a list of ways on how to prevent your dog or cat from eating this plant.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about are cats supposed to eat catnip and are carnations toxic to cats here on Kidadl?Are geraniums poisonous for cats?Geranium plants, because of the beautiful flowers they bloom, are usually kept in a garden. However, such may not be the case if there are pets present inside the household.Geraniums, commonly known as cranesbills, are species of poisonous flowering plants that can be found across most parts of the world. Although for humans, they might have healing properties, they do not do so for cats. The two ingredients of these plants that make them so poisonous for cats and dogs are geraniol and linalool. These two substances (also found in aromatic oils) are extremely poisonous to cats and can cause vomiting. Even a small amount of ingestion of the leaves is harmful and can cause vomiting and can make pets very uncomfortable. If the cat owners suspect that their pets have come in contact with this plan, the immediate step should be to call the vet immediately and seek treatment.What To Do If Your Cat Eats GeraniumsGeraniums are often kept indoors as house plants. Given the inquisitive nature of dogs and cats, keeping them always under supervision might turn out to be a tedious job for the owners.If one sees their cats eat the leaf or flower of geraniums plants, the first step should be to take the cat away from the plant as soon as possible. Following this, one needs to remove any remaining matter of the plant from the mouth of the cat, using a wet cloth, and then call the vet immediately. Even a small portion of the toxin can cause serious effects to the pet. If the cat vomits, then a sample of it needs to be collected to be carried along to the vet as well.What Happens To A Cat If It Eats GeraniumsAfter a cat has nibbled on the leaves of the geranium plant, there might be irritation on the skin surrounding the mouth, which has come in contact with the leaves of the plant.The two toxic substances of this plant, namely, geraniol and linalool (also found in aromatic oils), can cause skin irritation, loss of appetite, and vomiting to both cats and dogs alike. The cat may also vomit to bring out the toxic substance that it has ingested. There may also be a change in the appetite of the cat, followed by depression as well. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomit, depression, irritation, weakness, seizures, and tremors. The more severe symptoms show only when the cat has eaten a large portion of the poisonous leaves. Even a small amount of leaves is ingested, it can cause toxic effects. Although it might not kill your feline, it can cause extreme discomfort to the pets. If the dog or cat shows any signs of eating this plant, one should call the vet immediately to seek treatment. The pet’s recovery depends on how quickly the vet has been called and the pet has undergone treatment.How To Keep Cats From Eating GeraniumsThroughout the whole day, cats can be found sniffing and nibbling around the entire house. It might turn out to be dangerous if there are poisonous plants at home. There are several ways to keep the tiny paws of your cute fluffy ball of happiness off from these poisonous plants.One of the most successful ways of preventing a cat from ingesting geraniums is through negative reinforcement. It can be done by introducing a bitter flavored repellant to the cat and then allowing the cat to spit it out. Repeating this behavior a few times will act as a stimulus for the cat to steer clear of the repellant. Then use that same repellant on the leaves of the geranium plant, and the cat will automatically maintain its safe distance from the plant. Other ways might be to keep the animals under constant supervision so that it does not get any close to this poisonous plant. However, the most effective way is to never keep any kind of plant that can be harmful to your loved ones. Geranium plants are among the many other species of plants that are toxic to cats and dogs. Keeping this dangerous plant, scented or not, at one’s home when there are pets or feline around is not a very good idea. One needs to be extremely cautious to keep their pets away from this plant because they might cause harmful health effects to the feline.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for, ‘Are geraniums poisonous to cats?’, then why not take a look at, ‘Are begonias poisonous to dogs?’, or ‘Are azaleas poisonous to dogs?’
Geraniums, also known as cranesbill, is a species of plants that are largely found in the Eastern Mediterranean regions.
