Cat - safe climbers

We have had many threads about this subject.

This was my answer on one of them (five years ago):-

"Cats, especially, are extremely good at knowing which plants are no good for them. They don't eat poisonous plants and rarely go near lilies growing outside.

They occasionally get problems with seeds from grasses, and similar plants, getting in their eyes and paws - but this is very rare. Unlike dogs, cats are pretty good at getting those sort of things out of their paws with their rasping tongue. They seem to instinctively avoid getting things in their eyes and, I think, tend to have their eyes almost closed when walking through potential problem plants.

In other words, cats are pretty good at looking after themselves and you shouldn't worry.

If you have lilies as houseplants you should cut off the pollen bearing stamens - which you should do anyway because they can stain your clothes and carpets."

And this is from another one 16 years ago (not mine):-

If you really want to scare yourself, take a look at:

http://www.realgardeners.co.uk/goodbadpois/poisonous_plants.htm

http://www.horseweb-uk.com/features/plantmain.htm

http://www.takingthelead.co.uk/2/Health/poisonplants.htm

There is even a CD-ROM from Kew http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/poisplts.html

Perhaps the BBC has a more balanced view: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/poisonousplants1.shtml

I know that I grow many toxic plants in the house and garden. Do you know them too? Thing is that most of these poisonous plants are also highly effective medicines. Forewarned is forearmed and the real risk is to children, pets and livestock.

Don't have nightmares