Violets are blue, roses are red, you love your clan but still want to keep your cat safe too. Whether it’s Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, flowers can evoke a smile and soften even the hardest of hearts. However, some of these plants are not totally safe for your pet. In fact, they pose some serious safety and health risks for cats that you should be aware of if you have a kitty under your roof.
Here’s a quick premise on that.
1. Lilies
They bloom late in spring and are quite popular around Easter. But despite their gorgeous and delicate looks, Lilies are considered to be extremely dangerous and toxic to cats. A cat risks developing kidney toxicosis if it eats a lily accidentally, even if it’s just a tiny bit of it. Therefore, it pays to exercise caution and avoid leaving lillis strewn all over your house if you have a kitty in the same space. Speaking of which, look for signs of lethargy, lack of appetite and vomiting if you suspect that your cat has accidentally ingested some lilies. Consult a vet immediately you begin seeing these initial signs of food poisoning.
2. Poinsettias
You may have already heard that these flowers are toxic to most animals. But, in reality, their toxicity is a bit overplayed compared to other more dangerous flowers such as lilies. It’s, at worst, just irritating to the stomach and mouth when the cat accidentally eats it. Still, you may want to keep them well away from your beloved kitty since these not-so-fun symptoms could pave way for more serious complications.
3. Tulips
They look exceedingly beautiful when mixed with roses in bouquets; but make no mistake, they are potentially dangerous to cats. Ingesting a tulip would make your cat very lethargic to the point of putting it into a medical coma. Diarrhoea after 12 to 24 hours is also another possible side effect especially if the cat has eaten just a small amount of it. Overall, the bulb is the worst part of the tulip as far as this goes. You can mitigate this by snipping the stalk and putting it in a vase well away from the kitty’s rich.
In Closing
Get into the habit of putting flowers away from the easy reach of your cat. Also, call the vet as soon as you suspect that the cat has eaten a flower or anything suspect.
References: AEC Memphis, PetMD center
