#cat safe

Various syscopunk + endo/cat safe userboxes.

The first four flags are by me, the last flag is by @sysresources

The flags can be found here, here, here, and here.

As an anxious cat parent I had this list on hand so thought I'd share~

SAFE FOR CATS:

Alyssum

Apple

Banana

Basil

Blueberry

Bottlebrush (AKA Callistemon)

Calendula Flower

Carob

Catnip

Cinnamon

Coriander

Cornflower

Chestnut

Cucumber

Dandelion Root

Dill

Echinacea

Goldenseal

Jasmine (Depending on the subspecies, check first)

Lemon Balm

Lemon Verbena

Licorice Root

Mulberry

Orchid (Specifically Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Oncidium, and Phalaenopsis)

Plumbago (AKA The cape leadwort or Cape plumbago)

Poison Ivy

Poison Oak

Rockmelon

Rose (Rosa)

Rosemary

Sage

Salt

Stevia

Strawberry

Sunflower

Snapdragon

Thyme

Valerian Root

Venus Flytrap

Watermelon

Witch Hazel

NOT RECORDED AS TOXIC (MAY BE AN IRRITANT OR TOXIC IN LARGE AMOUNTS)

Black pepper - Irritant

Chilli powder - Irritant

Cumin - risky in large quantities

Horehound

Mugwort

Paprika

UNSAFE FOR CATS

Aloe

Azalea

Baby’s Breath (mildly toxic)

Bay leaves

Bergamot

Chamomile

Cherries

Cloves

Daisy

Daffodil

Eucalyptus

European pennyroyal

Fig

Garlic

Geranium

Grape

Grapefruit

Lavender

Lemon

Lemongrass

Lily

Lime

Marjoram

Mint (Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen)

Moses-in-the-cradle ( AKA Tradescantia spathacea, the oyster plant, or boatlily)

Orange

Oregano

Raisins

Sandalwood

St. John’s Wort

Tarragon

Tea Tree (AKA Melaleuca alternifolia)

Tomato

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (AKA Brunfelsia pauciflora, morning-noon-and-night, kiss me quick or Brazil raintree)

Ylang Ylang

Essential Oils (thank you @colonialwitch) - please always check. Plants that are cat safe could possibly be unsafe in concentrated essential oil form eg: Cinnamon, Rose, Rosemary, Thyme. Essential oils can be toxic via skin contact, ingestion and diffusion.

ADDENDUM

This is by no means a comprehensive list, just things I've personally come across and researched as I went. Please feel free to add on it this!! I will be keeping this pinned and updating it with new info as it comes IMPORTANT NOTES:

Cats have tiny lungs, so even if something is considered non-toxic you should never burn it around your cats. Any incense, herb bundles etc should only be burnt in a well ventilated room that is closed off to cats. Use non-burning methods wherever possible

Even if something is non-toxic, please ensure that it is safely stored and there are no chances of your cat ingesting large amounts of it. This may still make them ill and it's always best to be cautious.

SAGE

[Salvia officinalis / Garden sage / Golden sage]

INFORMATION

Used since ancient times for warding off evil, medicating snakebites, increase fertility and more.

In the Levant & Egypt it is used as a flavour for hot black tea, or boiled as a herbal drink.

Store dried sage with potatoes to help them keep longer

CAT SAFE

PRIMARY CORRESPONDENCES

Immortality/Longevity

Wisdom

Protection

Wishes

Grieving

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

Taking extracts of common and Spanish sage (4 months) seems to improve learning, memory and information processing in people with mild Alzheimer's

Taking common sage leaf extract 3 times daily (3 months) lowers fasting blood sugar and average blood sugar over time in diabetes. Can also reduce “bad” cholesterol and increase “good” cholesterol.

Taking common sage extract (8-12 weeks) improves symptoms of menopause.

MAGICKAL USES

Write your wish on a sage leaf, sleep with it under your pillow for 3 days. If you dream of your wish it will come true, if you don’t, bury it in the ground

Add to mojo bags to promote wisdom and overcome grief

Burn at funeral and remembrance ceremonies to relieve grief

Carry to improve mental ability and bring wisdom

Place near a personal object of a person who is ailing when performing healing spells

CUMIN

[Cuminum cyminum / Cumino]

INFORMATION

We commonly use the seeds which are taken from the dried fruit

Drought-tolerant, tropical, or subtropical crop

In the ancient Egyptian civilization, cumin was used as a spice and a preservative in mummification

Cumin was a significant spice for the Minoans in ancient Crete, Greece, and also used heavily in ancient Roman cuisine

CAT SAFE IN SMALL AMOUNTS

PRIMARY CORRESPONDENCES

Fidelity/Loyalty

Truth

Protections/Warding off thieves

Thwarting the evil eye

Exorcism

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

Some research shows that taking cumin may help to lower levels of cholesterol or blood fats.

May improve weight loss by a small amount in obese adults

MAGICKAL USES

A Middle Ages superstition claimed the scattering of cumin powder or seeds kept both chickens and lovers from wandering

Cumin seeds can be blended with frankincense and smoldered on charcoal ,then scattered on the floor for protection. Or scattered on the floor with salt to drive out evil

To help prevent theft, mix a pinch of cumin with frankincense, juniper berries, and vetiver and cense the perimeter of the house and its openings

In Germany and Italy, cumin is put into bread to keep the wood spirits or even people from stealing it

THYME

[Thymus vulgaris - Thymos] INFORMATION

Aromatic, perennial, evergreen

A member of the mint family

Used by Ancient Egyptians for embalming

Ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples as a source of courage and purification

Best cultivated in a hot, sunny location with well-drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring.

CAT SAFE

PRIMARY CORRESPONDENCES

Confidence/Courage/Fearlessness

Beauty

Protection

Purification

Healing

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

The essential oil of common thyme contains 20–54% thymol. Thymol, an antiseptic, is an active ingredient in various commercially produced mouthwashes.

Before modern antibiotics, oil of thyme was used to medicate bandages.

Some research shows that taking thyme by mouth, alone or in combination with other herbs, reduces coughing in people with bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infections, or the common cold. MAGICKAL USES

Burn a sprig during a courage spell or right before you need a boost of courage (particularly for fear of speaking).

Anoint yourself with an infusion of fresh thyme as a beauty potion for your skin. Also great as a cleansing bath before beauty spells or rituals honoring Aphrodite

It’s said that the space between the leaves of this plant is the doorway to the Fae. Grow this herb in your garden to win their favor

Create a floor wash by infusing this herb with water. As you wash your floor, draw protection sigils onto the floor to boost.

Add with rosemary to a green bag and bury it on your property to protect your home.

Combine thyme essential oil with a carrier oil for a magical massage potion. Perform a massage within sacred space as part of a healing ritual to restore physical strength to a person.