A cat owner called Tara Christmas has issued a warning for the festive season after her kitten developed poinsettia poisoning.

Six-month-old Elsa nibbled leaves from the decorative plant until she got sick and collapsed on Christmas Day last year.

Tara, 27, from Rotherham, said: "I had no idea that it was poisonous though, so when Elsa started being sick and collapsing I didn't know what was causing it."

PDSA charity carried out tests at its Sheffield Pet Hospital which revealed the cause of the kitten's poisoning, and she was put on a drip before recovering.

Though they have a bad rap, poinsettia plants are known to be only mildly toxic to cats and dogs. The milky white sap found in poinsettias contains chemicals called diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponin-like detergents.

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