Photo by Yuliya - Getty Images
Cat with tulips
There can be hidden dangers in our homes. Not only are dangers lurking around for you when you least expect it, but dangers for your pets are also in plain sight and you may not even know it.
Recently my husband Michael brought home beautiful flowers for Mother’s Day and was happy he found a bouquet of flowers without lilies. We have two cats, Babebelle and Sir Lancelot, and Michael and I know that lilies are poisonous to cats. Later as I was cleaning up the stems, I noticed the tulips had the same look to them on the inside as lilies. I thought “Lilies can’t be the only plant poisonous to cats” and a quick Google search revealed that tulips are in fact also poisonous to cats!
Tulips are part of the lily family; they contain alkaloid and glycoside compounds as well as allergenic lactones, which are harmful if ingested. Actually, Google displayed 20 plants poisonous to cats and found many of the same plants can also be poisonous to dogs and children. I had those tulips out in plain sight on the counter where the cats can go if they want. They usually don’t go on that counter, but now with new flowers the cats could have a reason to explore, especially if they are bored.
Do you know that chip bags and other snack bags and pet food bags left on the kitchen counter, living room table, under a bed or even in your car can harm your pet? The dog or cat puts its head inside the bag to get a lick and the bag tightens when the pet inhales. The pet can suffocate in a couple of minutes!
I recently came across a Facebook group and website, PreventPetSuffocation.com. Bonnie Harlan, Founder of Prevent Pet Suffocation, Inc., is bringing awareness to the danger of pet suffocation. Bonnie’s dog, Blue, suffocated in a chip bag in December 2011. Here are some of the tips Bonnie shares to help prevent pet suffocation:
- Serve snacks to your family in glass bowls.
- Cut up bags before throwing them away.
- Keep your trash bin safely secured where your pets cannot access it.
- Safely store all pet food and snacks away where your pet cannot reach them.
- Take a pet CPR class.
Pet CPR classes will be starting soon at Bark N’ Scratch Outpost. Keep an eye out for the upcoming dates. Please share this information with everyone with a pet. The pet you save may be your own.
At Bark N’ Scratch Outpost we think outside the bag.
Content sponsored by Bark N’ Scratch Outpost. Locally owned since 2006, Carrie, Michael and staff are dedicated to educating pet owners about healthy options for their pets. Bark n’ Scratch is located at 5835 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213. milwaukeepetfood.com
