Which Spring Flowers Are Poisonous To Cats?

With Spring fast approaching and Mother’s Day coming up, soon enough our homes and gardens will be festooned with flowers. And as with anything new, your curious cat is sure to investigate that beautiful bouquet on your window! Unfortunately, many of our most common spring flowers are poisonous to cats. Make sure kitty comes up roses by reading on to find out which flowers to avoid this spring.

Disclaimer: These lists are not exhaustive. Cat’s Protection, ASPCA, and other online resources have more complete information. Always err on the side of caution and please contact your vet with any doubts!

Ten Toxic Spring Flowers

And while lilies may not be a spring flower, as some of the most toxic flowers out there they deserve a mention regardless! Even brushing against a lily or floating pollen can be deadly for your cat. Ingesting any part of a lily can cause kidney failure and death.

Symptoms of Flower Poisoning

Treatment

If your cat shows any of the above symptoms, or if you know or think your cat has been poisoned, contact your vet immediately.

Remove any plant material from your cat’s mouth, skin, or fur if you can. Keep your cat indoors and somewhere that you can observe them. If you know which plant your cat has been in contact with, please identify it to your vet or take them a sample.

Inducing vomiting at home is not safe – don’t try it!

Five Safe Spring Flowers

Keep your home beautiful for both you and your cat with these five safe spring blooms:

Plus, year-round favourite roses are safe for cats, too!

Keep Your Cat Away From Your Flowers

Even safe plants can cause an upset stomach if your cat goes in for a munch! Discourage your cats from nibbling on your flowers with the following tips:

• Keep flowers in hard-to-reach places, like a high shelf or in a hanging planter.
• Put some cayenne pepper or a few pieces of lemon peel around the base of your plant. Alternatively, a spritz of Grannicks Bitter Apple Spray on the pot is sure to deter your kitty!
• Terrariums or wire cages help protect your plants, although really inquisitive cats will still do their best to poke their paws in!
• Draw their attention elsewhere with their own plants! A pot of cat grass or catnip is much more inviting than a vase of roses.

How do you keep your cats away from your plants?