Plants and pets: four species to decorate the house without risks

Research already says: the number of dogs and cats present inside Brazilian homes is already greater than that of children. In the world, there are 130 million domestic animals that are part of a family and, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in partnership with the Brazilian Association of the Pet Products Industry (Abinpet), Brazil has the second largest pet population in the world, with 22.1 million felines and 52.2 million dogs.

With so much affection inside the house, it is to be expected that they are curious and very playful with anything they see ahead, including, plants.

To the plants It is flowers they exhale unique perfumes, they have different textures and colors, attracting the attention of the animals, which can be very dangerous since some species are highly toxic to them.

Avoid!

To the azaleas, for example, they usually adorn several gardens and it is possible to find them during a walk in the street, however, they are one of the plants that pose risks to pets. “The azalea has a unique beauty, but it is toxic to the animals, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmia, blindness and even lead them to a coma”, warns Flores Online’s partner florist, Juana Martinez.

Other plants that can even cause the death of the little animal are a glass of milk, anthurium, fern, lily and Saint George’s sword. Including, the toxicity of the fern can be so potent, that even the dry and dead leaves that fall to the ground are dangerous.

They are released!

But many other little plants do not offer these risks and are as beautiful and fragrant as the others, like the sunflowerThe OrchidThe phytonia and the echeverias.

“The sunflower is charming by nature and phytonia has a different aspect that brings a lot of beauty. They can be planted in gardens or pots. In addition, orchids, with different colors and shapes, are beautiful for decorating spaces and don’t usually attract the attention of dogs and cats,” says Juana.

“Echeverias are a kind of succulent and, in addition to not being toxic to animals, they are excellent for placing on balconies, small spaces or even for creating pictures”, says the florist.

All of this does not mean that, if you have one of the plants that are toxic to pets, you should get rid of them – just change their location, so that it does not facilitate access to them. Still, you have to be very careful with the curiosity of dogs and the skills of cats who love to climb and climb. Research a lot about the species, as it is possible to have a beautiful house decorated with many plants and still have the joy of pets, without having to give up one or the other.