Being a pet parent is fun and gives you a feeling like no other. However, it can also be daunting sometimes. This is when you need to decide what’s safe for your pet and what’s not.
Likewise, you would have to be careful when selecting plants to keep around your house. One popular houseplant is neane bella palm that people often adorn their house with.
Is neanthe bella palm toxic?
According to the ASPCA, neanthe bella palm is listed in the category of nontoxic plants. It is, hence, considered to be completely safe to be kept around cats and dogs. However, if any cat or dog ingests a large about of the plant, it can cause minor health effects.
Cats:
For cats, neanthe bella palm is not a toxic plant to touch or eat. Nevertheless, always remember that a cat is supposed to be fully carnivorous. This means that cats are supposed to eat meat only whether it’s fish or chicken.
Hence when a cat eats plants, even if it’s a nontoxic plant-like neanthe bella plam toxic, their sensitive digestive system may become inflamed. Unable to digest hard leaves, you might notice that your cat has started to show symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
Dogs:
Certainly, you have noticed your dog’s ultimate instinct to be attracted towards neanthe bella palm plants and, on some occasions chewing the plant leaves as well.
The good news, of course, it’s that the plant does not contain poison that could have adverse negative effects on your pet’s health. But this leave chew instinct could be triggered by boredom, hunger, or playfulness.
However, if a dog eats neanthe belle palm leaves in large amounts, it is likely to cause blockage in the long run.
Other than that, if the plant has pesticides on it, the chemicals on the leaf surface may cause mild to serious pesticide poisoning, especially if it’s a puppy.
Eating any plant, including a neanthe bella palm can cause a dog to vomit if they have a sensitive stomach.
What happens when cats & dogs eat neanthe bella palm?
Despite being listed and certified as a non-toxic and safe plant for cats and dogs, neanthe bella palm may cause a few temporary effects on your pet. Here is what you can expect your cat or dog to feel:
No effects:
The first to note is that a nontoxic plant like neanthe bella pam should not have any negative effects on pets. That is why experts suggest that you can keep this plant in your house.
If your cat or dog eats neanthe bella palm by only a small amount, you may not notice any difference in your pet’s health.
Blockage:
In puppies, one of the problems that may arise if they eat neanthe bella palm in large amounts is related to blockage.
Although blockage can be treated, a blockage is a kind of bowel obstruction as well. This could make them dehydrated and bloated. Severe blockage can also cause abdominal pain and vomiting.
Stomach upset:
Cats have a small, sensitive stomach, only meant to digest meat and protein. Since cats also tend to chew on houseplants, neanthe bella pam is no different.
This could cause your cat to get temporarily sick with vomiting, weakness, and diarrhea in some cases. A loss of appetite due to the inability to digest eh leaves properly is also a possibility.
Pesticide poisoning:
It is not a rare case that pesticides and chemicals have caused more risks to your pet’s health than the plant itself.
If the neanthe belle palm plant your cat or dog has eaten contains pesticides on its surface, you can expect a certain degree of poisoning.
This would not be fatal but can cause temporary discomfort if the amount ingested is small. Severe pesticide poisoning can damage the nervous system as well.
What palms are safe for cats and dogs?
What’s great about palms as houseplants is that most palms are safe to be kept around cats and dogs. Except for a few, the following are completely nontoxic and can be decorated in houses with pets:
Areca Palm:
If you have heard the name butterfly palm, it’s a pretty and playful looking areca plant. The look of the plant is alluring to most cats and makes them want to bite the leaves even more.
Although cats are carnivores and should be kept away from plants, biting into areca plants should not cause your cats or dogs to be sick either.
Ponytail Palm:
For people who are not keen on taking a lot of time to attend to their plants, ponytail plants are a top choice.
These palms are considerably slow on growth and can be quite tolerant to drought conditions as well.
Your plant might be attracted to the shabbier looks of it but you can be rest assured ponytail palms are safe for your cats and dogs alike.
Nontoxic ponytail palms are also known as Beaucarnea recurvata and they thrive in more sunlight.
Parlor Palm:
Parlor palms are none other than neanthe bella palms that can be kept around pets since they are nontoxic.
If you notice your cat nibbling on these plants too much, you may want to keep the plant at a distance.
Date Palm:
Belonging to the Aceraceae family of plants, is this statement décor plant that is a favorite among many as a houseplant.
Date palms are also known as Robellini. These plants favor themselves as they grow inside and recover mostly indirect sunlight.
Why does my cat keep eating my neanthe bella palm?
Cats can nibble on plants as an instinct but there are a few other reasons why you might want to keep eating your neanthe bella palm all the time:
Looks:
Cats find the shape of the parlor plant interesting. The slender, tropical looks of the plant make cats want to have a taste of the plant. Cats can be excited about nibbling whatever excites them, even if it’s a plant.
Texture:
Your cat might be fond of fiber like the texture of the neanthe bella plant. If they have tried to nibble or chew it once, they might want to come back for another bite. Chewing soft leaves of the palm tree gives cats pleasure and enjoyment as well.
Inducing vomit:
Cats are intelligent and know that eating greenery could make them throw up. Cats might intentionally eat neanthe bella palm if they feel sick on their stomach and wish to vomit it off.
Vomiting by eating palm trees is not toxic either, since this relives any stomach discomfort that the cat might be having.
Wiggling:
If you live with a cat, you might already be aware that if your cat has seen anything wiggling about, you know it would go under your cat’s controls.
With that said, because you might keep your neanthe belle palm in a room that is ventilated, it is only normal that your plant’s leaves will move and wiggle.
That could trigger your cat to be more attracted to the plant. In turn, they would bite and eat the plant out of excitement.
How to stop pets from eating neanthe bella palm?
Even if a plant like neanthe bella palm is nontoxic, you would want your pet to stay away from the plant.
Here are a few possible ways to stop your pet from eating neanthe bella palm plant:
Keep the plant away from the pet:
Anything that may pose any form of harm to your pet should be kept out of sight, or at least out of reach from your pets.
Alternative toys:
A plant to a pet is nothing but a playful, chewy toy. If you want your pet to stop eating your parlor plant, you may as well distract your pet. You can offer them a chewy toy and plant like.
However, you need to make sure that the toy is safe for your pet’s health.
Keep them active:
One reason that your pet might be after your neanthe bella palm tree is boredom and lack of exercise.
If you keep them busy and entertained, there is no reason why your pet might keep eating that palm plant.
Citrus smelling spray:
Citrus smells keeps any pet away. If you want your pet to stop eating the belle palm tree, you may want to make lemon water or orange and water spray to sprinkle is about the plant.
This would keep the pet from coming near the plant for certain.
Final Thoughts
Neanthe bella palm is also known as parlor palm and is considered to be one of the safest palms to have as a home statement décor. ASPCA has enlisted the plant as nontoxic and safe for plants. Notwithstanding, you may want to restrict your cat from ingesting the plant.