We all love our kitty companions, but what many of us don’t know about cats, household plants, and common flowers could do our feline friends some serious damage. We encourage you to be aware of what you’re bringing into your house and what your cats have access to—because it may be toxic to them.
Lilies Lead the Flower List
As we near Easter, it’s especially critical to remind cat owners that lilies are incredibly poisonous to our felines, and that means every part of the plant, from the pollen, flowers, and leaves, to the stems and even water the flowers rest in. The smallest amount of any kind of lily—sniffing or eating just a couple of grains of pollen—can give your cat fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days. Please, keep lilies away from your cats!
Other toxic flowers to be aware of:
- Amaryllis
- Baby’s breath
- Carnations
- Chrysanthemums
- Daffodils
- Daisies
- Gardenia
- Gladiolas
- Iris
- Lavender
- Ranunculus
- Tulips
- And more
Poisonous Plants to Watch For
Unfortunately, it’s not just toxic flowers that are the problem. Plenty of plants are also poisonous for cats. You’ll want to keep your cat safe from the following:
- Aloe
- Azalea
- Dieffenbachia
- Ficus
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Ivy
- Jade plant
- Lemon or orange tree
- Lily—all types
- Philodendron
- Pine tree (aka, Christmas trees, even the water in the stand)
- Oleander
- Poinsettia
- Sago palm
- And more
So What’s Safe?
If those lists seem long, don’t worry! There are still plenty of cat-safe plants and flowers to fill your house with greenery and color. Picking ones that won’t harm your felines will make everyone happy.
Pet-safe plants:
- African violets
- Boston ferns
- Calathea
- Cat grass
- Catnip
- Echeveria
- Lemongrass
- Orchids
- Parlour palm
- Prayer plants
- Spider plants
Pet-safe flowers:
- Asters
- Freesia
- Gerber daisies
- Orchids
- Pansies
- Petunias
- Roses
- Snapdragon
- Statice
- Stock
- Sunflowers
- Wax flowers
- Zinnias
Keep Your Cats Safe
These lists aren’t exhaustive, and we encourage you to check the possible toxicity of any plant or flower that your kitties will be anywhere near to be sure you don’t have any tragic accidents.
You can find a thorough list of toxic and non-toxic plants for cats on the APCA site. Please enjoy the holidays and keep your kitties safe and healthy!
