Summer is finally in full swing, which means that beautiful flowers abound! The lovely purple shades of coneflowers, and vibrant yellows of the day lilies herald in this glorious mid summer. While it may be tempting to pick a colorful bouquet to brighten the dining room table or kitchen counters, it’s vitally important to remember the safety of your furry family when doing so.
As we all know, cats certainly do enjoy munching on that most favorite of delicacies, the houseplant. If I had a dollar for every houseplant or bouquet of flowers my cat, Gabby, has destroyed in her life, well, I’d have a lot of dollars for my next Tree House donation! Because of that, though, Gabby is foremost in my mind whenever I’m choosing which plants can come into my home. For the safety of all my curious kitties, I research every flower or potted plant’s toxicity before it’s allowed a place on my table, and I highly recommend that every cat owner do the same.
While some plants and flowers are harmless when ingested by cats and dogs, some can actually cause very serious illness or death if even the smallest amount is eaten. Lilies, for example, are the most dangerous plant for a cat to eat. One bite from a lily plant (Easter Lilies, Asiatic Lilies, Tiger Lilies, Day Lilies, etc) could cause death within 24 hours of ingestion. No lily should ever enter a cat owner’s home! Other common toxic plants to cats include Daisies, Tulips, Azaleas, Daffodils, and Crocuses. Some “toxic” plants may only cause slight stomach upset like vomiting or diarrhea, while others could lead to severe neurologic damage, organ failure, and death, so it’s important to know your facts before buying that lovely bouquet.
There are many plants known to be toxic, but luckily, there are also some great resources available to know the difference. The ASPCA website has the most comprehensive database of all plants known to be toxic to cats or dogs, and can also tell you which ones are known to be safe. Whenever I find myself standing in the garden section of my local hardware store, dreaming about which new plants would look great in the kitchen window, I’ve got the ASCPC website on my smart phone, to search the name of a plant or flower easily, and to quickly know how safe that plant would be for my kitties to nibble. Check out this handy, searchable database at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants.
If you suspect that your cat or dog is ill or has ingested a toxic substance, call your veterinarian immediately, or contact the ASPCA’s 24-hour animal poison control hotline at 888-426-4435. Time is of the utmost importance if a toxin has been ingested, so you must act quickly.
Now go out and treat yourself to a beautiful bouquet of roses and sunflowers, and sit back to enjoy their splendor, knowing your cats can (and will) safely steal a nibble or two.
The post Before Picking Summer Flowers: Common Toxic Plants to Cats appeared first on Tree House Humane Society.