A Warning About Mother's Day Flowers & Cats

With Mother's Day just around the corner, you may be planning to treat your mum to that quintessential Mother's Day gift; a bouquet of flowers.

If your mum is a cat owner, however, it's important to be mindful that many types of flowers can be highly toxic, even deadly, to cats.

Lilies, for example, are a popular choice for bouquets but are among the most common causes of serious poisoning in cats.

Ingestion of any part of a lily, including the stamen, leaves, pollen or petals can lead to kidney failure in cats in as little as 48 hours. Even minor contact can cause serious symptoms - for example, if a cat brushes past the flowers and then grooms him or herself, thus ingesting traces of pollen. Ingestion of the water that any lilies have been standing in is also potentially deadly.

Serious cases of poisoning caused by lilies are much rarer in dogs than in cats, but canines are not immune to their toxicity, either.

Whilst some types of lily are more toxic than others, we recommend that cat-owning households avoid them altogether. They are not the only kind of flower that can pose a risk, however. Popular spring blooms like Daffodils can also cause sickness and irritation for our feline companions.

Mother's Day should be a happy occasion, so to prevent tragedy this coming Sunday, we suggest checking whether flowers are 'cat-safe' before bringing them into the home. This helpful Cats Protection guide provides an idea of which popular plant species to avoid; https://www.cats.org.uk/.../home-and.../dangerous-plants.

If you do suspect your cat has ingested something toxic, then do not delay in contacting a vet. Common symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, drooling, lethargy, diarrhea, seizures, and collapse.

And don't forget - chocolate is toxic to cats, too!