5 Garden Plants Toxic to Cats & What to Plant Instead

When talking about true lilies, know that they are extremely toxic to cats, right at the top of the list. Avoid planting them in your garden, cat pawrents. If your cat ingests even a tiny amount, or its pollen, or even water from a vase you have at home - your cat might suffer fatal kidney failure within 72 hours of contact.

Don't get your kitty into an urgent medical emergency; plant this instead:

While they share the name “lily”, the canna flowers actually come from a completely different botanical family, which doesn't even make these flowers cousins. The canna lilies don't have that kidney-failure ingredient in them. But they're still not food - your cat's tummy might be upset if they monch on it, but nothing more.

Canna lilies are just as colorful as true lilies, and their banana-like leaves have even more color variations than those of standard lilies, making them even more striking. A fitting lily alternative.

Sago Palms are extremely poisonous, leading to fatal poisoning in cats. Literally every part of this pointy plant carries materials toxic to your cat - the leaves, roots, seeds, and even the nuts. Even a tiny amount can be dangerous and fatal to your kitty. 

And if that's not enough, it's just so prickly it shouldn't be anywhere they can poke you. Plant this one instead:

The good news is that if you want a palm with long leaves in your garden, you can safely plant the ponytail palm. It has absolutely no poisonous parts for your cat, and it actually looks pretty.

Just mind these long leaves - their edges can be sharp, so if your cat takes a bite, they might irritate their throat. Still, this is not food.

Oleander is like a stranger danger - this is not a plant that could finish off just your cat, but also you. It's extremely toxic to humans as well. It contains very powerful toxins that directly affect the heart's entire function, even in the smallest amounts. It just takes a nibble from your cat to cause this.

Don't mess with the oleander; plant this in your garden instead:

Bottlebrush has a funny name and silly appearance, but is also striking in color and looks pretty neat. Oh, and it's completely safe for your outdoor cat. Just make sure to plant one of the common types, like crimson bottlebrush or weeping bottlebrush - these are the non-toxic types we're talking about.

Just don't confuse this fuzzy plant with the similarly named bottlebrush buckeye, which doesn't contain toxins your cat should avoid.

Rhododendrons are severely toxic to cats, and that's nothing to play with. All parts of the plant - and we mean all of them, even the nectar - contain toxins that should never be ingested by your cat. Ingesting even as little as 0.2% of your cat's body weight can lead to serious poisoning that even rushing to the vet can't help.

Please avoid this bush and plant this one instead:

The camellias have no harmful materials inside for your cat, and they're just as beautiful as the rhododendrons, if not more. They're vibrant, large, pretty, and completely safe. If you aim for a colorful flower bush in your cat-friendly garden, the camellia is your buddy.

But beware of toxic lookalikes - the camellia is so beautiful it has copucats. Don't confuse them with toxic garden shrubs like azaleas, which are highly poisonous to cats.

Don't let the 17th-century story of the tulip mania confuse you. People back then in the Netherlands went crazy for tulip bulbs, but they are the most poisonous part of this flower. In fact, this entire flower is toxic to your cat, and you should definitely avoid having it in your garden. Eating the bulbs, or large amounts of the flower itself, can cause a myriad of problems with breathing, heart rate, and even seizures.

Never let your cat near a tulip; plant this flower instead:

Snapdragons can create that same colorful flower garden effect sought after by many, and it's completely safe for the feline kind. With a flower bed of snapdragons, we're sure your garden will look the nicest in the neighborhood. Especially if your cat sleeps in it, like the meowjestic star they are.