By Cait Challenger, Volunteer Blogger
It’s Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air! With this being the most popular day of the year for florists around the world, there’s a lot of pollen in the air, too! While those beautiful bouquets of flowers might make us humans feel all warm and fuzzy inside, many of them are toxic to our feline friends and can cause them serious harm.
In fact, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center indicated that flowers and plants rank at #5 on their list of top 10 pet toxins. Certain plants and flowers that are toxic to cats can even cause acute kidney failure, which can be fatal without immediate veterinary assistance.
This is especially true for Lilies.
Certain varieties of Lilies are extra dangerous for our kitty companions, including the Easter Lily, Stargazer Lily, Asiatic Lily, Tiger Lily, Western Lily, and Japanese Show Lilies. These lilies are so potent that ingesting any part of the plant is toxic to cats, including making contact with the pollen.
To help keep your cats safe & sound this Valentine’s Day, here are some of the most common flowers that are toxic and non-toxic for our feline friends.
Non-Toxic Flowers:
- Roses
- Sunflowers
- Pansies
- Petunias
- Orchids
- African Violets
- Asters
- Freesia
- Snapdragon
- Gerber Daisies
- Wax Flower
Toxic Flowers for Cats:
- Lilies
- Tulips
- Daffodils
- Poinsettia
- Holly
- Azaleas
- Peonies
- English Ivy
- Sago palm
- Hyacinth
- Autumn Crocus
- Oleander
- Rhododendrons
- Kalanchoe