Cats & elder berries

by Mo » 05 Oct 2018, 13:22

Is anyone else's cat interested in them?
There are elder berries dropped from the hedge onto our drive and I've seen Pat crouched looking at them more than once.
Do you think he's eating them, or sniffing after a mouse that's been eating them or what?

by **Gwenoakes** » 05 Oct 2018, 13:54

Just had a quick google and it says all parts of elder berries are poisonous to cats.
Our Molly is 18 yrs old and still goes after plants including lily's which I know are poisonous.
There is a whole list of plants poisonous to cats on the cats protection site.

by **lancashire lass** » 06 Nov 2018, 12:04

Gwenoakes wrote:Just had a quick google and it says all parts of elder berries are poisonous to cats.

I don't think raw elderberries are any more poisonous to cats than other animals, and you still have to eat a fair quantity to feel very unwell (I wouldn't advise eating them raw but the odd couple of berries shouldn't make you ill) Other parts of the elder tree such as bark and roots contain much more potent amounts of cyanidin glycosides and alkaloids than berries.

by Mo » 07 Nov 2018, 20:57

lancashire lass wrote:
Gwenoakes wrote:Just had a quick google and it says all parts of elder berries are poisonous to cats.

I don't think raw elderberries are any more poisonous to cats than other animals, and you still have to eat a fair quantity to feel very unwell

That's just as well really, as he still seems interested in where they fell. I wonder if it's some kind of medicinal thing, like eating grass.