It’s safe to say buying flowers and plants to decorate your home brings joy to countless people everywhere.
While the gorgeous flora may beautify your house’s interiors, for cat owners, it’s worth noting some plants and flowers may be toxic to your feline companion.
There’s one particular species of plant that’s fairly common and poses significant danger to cats as it’s highly toxic and can result in serious kidney or heart damage and even death.
Pet owners are being cautioned against having this plant in their household — or at very least, within the reach of their furry felines.
Lilies
Numerous varieties of lilies present extreme toxicity risks to cats, with every section of the plant, including petals, foliage, stems, and pollen, potentially triggering severe kidney harm and even death if consumed by our four-legged friends.
This encompasses the most dangerous varieties including Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Daylilies, Asiatic lilies, Japanese Show lilies, and Stargazer lilies. Even tiny quantities of these lilies can prove hazardous, and immediate veterinary care is essential if a cat consumes any portion of these plants.
Whilst not every lily variety triggers the same degree of kidney harm as the “true” lilies and Daylilies, some, such as Peace lilies and Calla lilies, can still provoke mouth irritation and digestive problems if eaten. Lily of the Valley, although not causing kidney harm, remains toxic to cats and impacts the heart.
Matt Cayless, founder of pet marketing agency Bubblegum Search, warns: “Cat owners should be aware that many common houseplants can pose dangers to their pets. Peace lilies, for instance, contain calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate a cat’s mouth, tongue, and throat if ingested. Always research plants before bringing them into a home with cats, and keep toxic varieties out of reach.”
It appears British cat owners are also demonstrating considerable worry over identifying poisonous plants, with searches for plant toxicity soaring dramatically over recent weeks according to fresh search data. A new study by Bubblegum Search revealed a notable trend amongst British cat owners regarding worries about harmful plants, with peace lilies leading the list of plant toxicity concerns.
Searches for “are peace lilies toxic to cats” achieved “breakout” status, showing an increase of more than 5,000% compared to the previous period. This striking surge suggests that British cat owners are especially worried about this popular houseplant.
Orchids and sunflowers
Orchids came in second place as the most searched toxic plant enquiry, with “are orchids toxic to cats”.
Fortunately, orchids are typically not poisonous to cats and are broadly regarded as non-toxic. Whilst it may be amongst the safer houseplants for felines, cat owners are still urged to remain vigilant about cats consuming large amounts of the plant and its flowers, as this could still trigger mild stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhoea in cats.
Completing the top plant worries were sunflowers, with searches for “are sunflowers toxic to cats” rising by 190%. Although this represents a smaller percentage rise than the leading two plants, it still demonstrates considerable interest in the safety of these beloved summer blooms.
The cheerful blooms are thankfully not poisonous to cats, although ingesting them in large quantities can also potentially lead to mild digestive upset, vomiting or diarrhoea.