Are cats really allergic to ivy or is this just a myth?

I have heard from many people that cats are seriously allergic to ivy and other house plants. I have had cats all my life and have never seen any indication of this. When I grew up my Mom always had ivy growing from pots all over the house and we currently have ivy that grows in several rooms. The cats love to play with the leaves and the long runners that the ivy puts out and will frequently chew on the vines that run along the walls. Is there any truth to the myth or have all my cats just been immune?

Are cats really allergic to ivy or is this just a myth?
Hi there...many plants can be toxic to cats when ingested and some of the ivy species of plants are considered toxic to cats if when ingested. Please consider cutting back the ivy plants or place them high enough where the cats cannot get to them.





List of toxic plants to cats:


http://www.cfa.org/articles/plants.html


List of non-toxic plants to cats:


http://www.cfa.org/articles/plants-non-t...
Reply:They will die from it, if they injest any leaves or viney pieces. Like garlic is not good for them either. If you really like your cats you might consider putting the ivy where you can watch them.
Reply:Most cats are probably not allergic to these plants but the plants may be toxic to them if eaten. I would discourage the chewing on the vines if you can.
Reply:Cats have livers that are less effective of detoxification, which makes normal everyday items dangerous to them even though they may not be dangerous to dogs or humans.





Since you asked about plants, it is never a good idea for cats to eat house plants. More so if you have no idea what kind of plant you have! Since you mentioned you have Ivy, here is a list of the Ivy plants that are potentially toxic to your kitties:





Branching Ivy


Devil's Ivy


English Ivy


Glacier Ivy


Hahn's self branching English Ivy


Needlepoint Ivy


Sweetheart Ivy





There are sprays available that will not hurt your plants but make sure your kitties don't get sick. And since all this is because of the cat's liver I don't think your kitties can become "immune". Maybe they're just smart enough to not eat it?
Reply:I wouldn't say that they are allergic to Ivy, but there are some houseplants that are toxic to cats.





If you do a search on line you'll be able to find out what plants are and aren't toxic to them.