Have a safe Valentine’s Day
Who doesn’t love flowers? Meowmy is always delighted to come home to a bouquet of fresh flowers, and I love them too! Along the years, we’ve learnt which flowers however have no place in our cat home. To avoid a tragic end this Valentine’s Day and find the purfect petals to pair with our Valentine cards, follow our guide to 3 Valentine flowers that are safe for cats.. and 3 that aren’t.
3 Common flowers that are safe for cats
Roses
Rose () | Scientific Names: Rosa Species | Family: Rosaceae
Hurray! The iconic flower is perfectly safe for cats, including the stems, petals and leaves. They do have thorns however so don’t let your cat play in the rosebush, and if you have a bouquet at home, snip off the thorns to avoid an upset stomach if he tries to chew the stems and leaves. They could also scratch up his face and cause little injuries we could easily avoid. So let your cat enjoy a good sniff of the roses! Not all flowers with the word “rose” are safe. Toxic roses to cats are: moss rose, desert rose, primrose, rosebay, rose of Sharon.
Gerbera Daisies
Gerber Daisy (Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy, Veldt Daisy, Gerbera Daisy, Barberton Daisy) | Scientific Names: Gerbera jamesonii | Family: Compositae
These beautiful bog blooms are safe for cats and come in a huge variety of bright colours, making for a joyful bouquet that differs from the traditional rose. The large stems and leaf free bouquets make them an eye-catching bunch, and you cat can’t harm himself by burying his head among their colourful petals.
Orchids
Phalaenopsis Orchid (Moth Orchid, Moon Orchid) | Scientific Names: Phalaenopsis sp. | Family:Orchidaceae
Also called the Moth Orchid or Moon Orchid, this is your most common flat and wide petaled orchid, which seemed to carry a bad rep for being dangerous to cats. This could not be less true, and according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) it is actually among the many flowers and plants that are non-toxic to dogs, cats, and even horses, alongside other orchid types, such as the Pansy Orchid, Lace Orchid, and Leopard Orchid to name but three. We still won’t recommend that your cat chew the plant as this could lead to mild stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea — all very normal in terms of how you cat’s body is trying to get rid of the foreign matter. Which we would all rather avoid — your cat first and foremost!
3 Common flowers that are toxic to cats
Day Lilies (many varieties)
Day Lilies (many varieties) () | Scientific Names: Hemerocallis spp. | Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae
Unfortunately, these very popular regal looking flowers are highly toxic to cats, and must be kept away from us at all times! In fact, any plant with “lily”in its name is to ban from the house. Every part of the plant is toxic, and even a little pollen that may have fallen onto our coats while we walked past, once ingested from grooming, can cause deadly consequences. Yes, kidney failure and death are not uncommon when dealing with intoxication from this plant, so if you suspect your cat to have come in contact with lilies, keep a close eye and if in doubt, go straight to an emergency clinic.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangea (Hortensia, Hills of Snow, Seven Bark) | Scientific Names: Hydrangea arborescens | Family:Hydrangeaceae
Thanks to their boutiful clusters, these flowers are appreciated for their volume, and may well enlighten your home but not without risk. Also not as dangerous as lilies, they can cause vomiting, depression and diarrhea. Cyanide intoxication is rare — usually produces more of a gastrointestinal disturbance more than anything else. But who wants to be stuck in the litter box on Meowentine’s day?
Daisies
Daisy (Chrysanthemum, Mum) | Scientific Names: Chrysanthemum species | Family: Compositae
Who didn’t make daisy crowns and chains? Harmless enough, right? Don’t be fooled; despite their innocent appearance, daisies contain a handful of irritants and don’t make for cat-friendly florals. Not to confuse with the Gerbera Daisy, which is quite safe as we saw above, common daisies induce vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination and dermatitis. Swap them for white gerberas.
We hope you have a safe Meowentine’s Day
