Spider Plants & Outdoor Cats

My mum just phoned me and mentioned, in passing, that her cat Maunzi has been chewing at a spider plant for the past six months.

What I want to know: Is this poisonous? It doesn't seem to be, if Maunzi has been chewing on it for a while; but poisoning isn't always immediately apparent so I figured I'd ask to be safe. Should I tell my mom to put the spider plant where Maunzi can't get to it?

Also, my mom has been leaving the door open for "fresh air". She says Maunzi is too scared to go outside; and she doesn't want to "keep her a prisoner"; but I'm worried Maunzi may become adventurous. How can I possibly convince my mom that the outdoors is dangerous for cats like Maunzi?!

This is what I mean by "spider plant"--the big plant in the foreground:

According to this list, spider plants are hazardous so I guess you have to tell your mom to keep it away from Maunzi. To be honest though, I have spider plants in my garden and my cats go out. They don't chew on them though, just play hide-and-seek or use it as a toilet door.

Originally Posted by yayi

According to this list, spider plants are hazardous

Click to expand...

That's interesting. According to this website, they're not toxic (there's a list of toxic plants on there as well).

Cats are often 'too scared' to go outside.. at first, but somewhere along the way they get up enough nerve, and then all of a sudden make a mad dash for it, and if there's traffic, or a dog out there, or another cat, can react very unpredictably and either take off, or get into a fight, get run over, etc. etc. So tell your mother she's playing Russian Roulette with the cat, and one day she may be very sorry.

The idea that keeping cats inside makes them a prisoner is misguided, as you know. The best way to convince your mom to keep her in is to explain all the dangers to her as calmly as you can, and have a discussion about why you think its better that the cat stay inside, especially if she seems so scared of it now. If your mom wants fresh air, can't you get a screen door?

As for spider plants, I think they're fine. Incidentally, that one is freaking huge!!! What do you feed it? I've never seen one with so many offshoots.
Are we all sure we're calling the same thing a spider plant?

Well, considering my mom, she probably dumps her leftover tea into the plant's pot... I don't live at home so I don't know.

I'm going to try talking to her again about leaving that door open. Whenever I try to tell her how dangerous it would be if Maunzi got outside, she just says Maunzi's too much of a scaredy cat ever to try it... Honestly!

Larke is right--it really is "Russian Roulette".

Maybe I can get my mom to keep a screen door on by scaring her about mosquitoes transmitting West Nile Virus or something... Underhanded, I know; but I feel I'm justified if it keeps Maunzi from getting hurt.