As a dedicated cat owner, it is our duty to do our best to always try and keep our kitties safe from harm. But what many people do not realize is that their homes are filled with hidden dangers. As we know, cats are naturally curious little beings. And one of the things that they are naturally curious over is plants in our home. Those tempting leaves and fragrant smells are often alluring to our cats, but there are many plants which are highly toxic to cats. So much so, that coming in contact with them can lead to organ failure and become fatal in some cases.
For one devastated cat owner named Kim, she is hoping that her poor kitten’s tragic tale can help to spare another cat’s life.
I reached out to her when I caught wind of her cat’s story, hoping that she would allow me to share it so that we could spread awareness and help prevent other tragic accidents from happening. It only takes a second for tragedy to strike when it comes to many of the toxic plants to cats. For the late Bartholomew, sadly he is not here today after losing a nine day battle at the hospital fighting for his life.
When Kim discovered that her cat had come in contact with an amaryllis bulb that she had brought home, she immediately rushed him to the vet. Her tuxedo kitten experienced a complete kidney shutdown almost immediately after coming into contact with the bulb. At the time of the incident, Kim was completely unaware of the lethal dangers of the plant.
Kim shared the story of her cat in a Facebook group dedicated to cats for cat owners called Cat Lovers Group, hoping that her cat’s story could help other kitties from being spared of this deadly plant:
This was the post that I had seen and wanted to share with others. The date of the posting was December 11th, 2019. Not long after Kim shared it, simply hoping to help any other cat owners out there, her beautiful Bartholomew crossed the rainbow bridge.
Kim told me that, “He was only 8 months old. I have no plants in my whole house, and I brought home a bulb! We found the bulb on the floor the next day. Not sure he even ate any, but that is all we can figure what happened.”
Unexpected goodbyes are never easy, and the holidays is the time of year that makes our hearts even heavier to hear this tragic news. Please, share this post so that perhaps another cat’s life can be spared. Bartholomew was loved and spoiled, and this was something that could have happened to any cat owner should they not be aware of the countless dangerous plants to cats.
For a detailed list of dangerous plants to cats, please read my article I’ve written on the subject here: Toxic Plants That Can Harm Your Cat
Remember, accidents happen every day. And knowledge is power. If we can share this to help save the lives of other cats, it will serve the memory of the late Bartholomew well.
All Images Courtesy of Kim Wells
