Is coleus toxic to cats? 

Coleus is toxic to cats. The toxic principles are volatile essential oils and an irritant sap.

What is coleus? 

• Family: Lamiaceae
• Scientific name: Solenostemon scutellarioides
• Variety: syn. Plectranthus scutellarioides
• Common names: Painted nettle, Flame nettle, Coleus, Indian borage, Bread and butter plant, Indian thyme, Country borage, East Indian thyme, Spanish thyme, Stinging thyme
• Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
• Toxicity: Mild to moderate
• Toxic principle: Volatile essential oils (coleon O and diterpene coleonol) and irritant sap

Coleus is an annual or perennial shrub in the mint family and native to Southeast Asia and Africa consisting of 60 species.

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Can cats eat potatoes? 

Yes, cats can eat the flesh of cooked potatoes as an occasional treat. Potatoes are rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese.

Do not allow a cat to eat any other part of the potato including the leaves and skin which can be deadly if green. This is because green potato skins may contain solanine, a glycoalkaloid neurotoxin. Solanine develops when the potato is exposed to light and has both fungicidal and pesticidal properties, making it a natural chemical defence.  Solanine poisoning induces gastrointestinal and neurological disorders.

Peeled and cooked potatoes are safe for cats to eat as long as they don’t contain additional ingredients that are toxic to cats, including garlic and onion. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must consume meat to survive. Potatoes are nutritionally incomplete and should only be fed as an occasional treat.

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Six cat-safe cut flowers at a glance

1. Moth orchid
2. Rose
3. Sunflower
4. Gerbera
5. Zinnia
6. Hollyhock

Cats and flowers can be a dangerous combination as many plants are toxic to cats. Due to their curious nature, cats may be accidentally poisoned if they ingest the wrong plant. Symptoms can range from mild dermal (skin) irritation to acute kidney failure.

Mixed bouquets can be problematic because they usually contain a mixture of toxic and non-toxic flowers, therefore we recommend sticking to one variety of cat-safe flower.

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Can cats eat olives? 

Yes, cats can eat olives as they are non-toxic to cats. Olives are packed with nutrients including calcium, iron, copper and vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant. A small amount of olive is safe for a cat to eat, but treat foods should only make up 10% of the cat’s diet, and therefore should be given as an occasional treat and should not be a part of the cat’s daily diet.

Olives contain isoprenoids, which is chemically similar to nepetalactone in catnip and may induce a high in some cats. 

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What is a pedigree cat?

A pedigree cat is a type of cat whose parents are the same breed and who is registered with a recognised cat association. Pedigree cats are bred to meet a specific physical characteristic outlined by a breed standard. The lineage of a pedigree cat is recorded on its pedigree.

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The carpal pad is a paw pad that is located rear of the cat’s forelimbs where the wrists (carpus) is located. Unlike the other paw pads, the carpal pad doesn’t make contact with the ground. Its purpose is to provide traction when the cat comes to a sudden stop or descending a steep slope such as a tree or a fence. Think of it as an anti-skid mechanism.

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A ginger and white cat is a type of coat colour and pattern commonly found in mixed breed as well as purebred cats. It consists of a red tabby colour intermingled with white.

The orange (O) gene is dominant, which means if the cat inherits one copy of the O gene from a parent, it will override any other colours, however, this is where it becomes a bit confusing. The O gene is located on the X chromosome, the female has two X chromosomes (XX), while the male has one X and one Y (XY). As the female has two X chromosomes, if she inherits the O gene from one parent and the o (non-orange) gene from the other parent, she will be a mixture of orange and non-orange (usually black or brown). The reason for the patchwork effect in female cats heterozygous for the O gene (Oo) is X chromosome inactivation – one of the X chromosome in every cell in the embryo is randomly inactivated, and the gene on the other X chromosome is expressed.

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What is a non-pedigree cat called? 

There are several terms used to describe a non-pedigree cat:

• Moggy
• Moggie
• Mixed breed
• Domestic
• Domestic shorthair (DSH)
• Domestic medium hair (DMH)
• Domestic longhair (DLH)
• Random bred

Sometimes, a cat’s coat colour and pattern are used to describe a cat, the most common examples of this are the tuxedo and calico cats. Somebody might say ‘I have a two-year-old calico’, or ‘I have a tuxedo‘. These colours and markings are often confused as a breed, but while they are not a specific cat breed, they are descriptive terms to describe the cat.

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