Common flowers you may find in floral arrangements, potted flowers that are toxic to cats and common garden flowers which can be cut and brought inside.
Tulips
- Scientific name: Tulipa spp.
- Toxic compound: Tulipalin A and B
- Toxic parts: All parts, the bulb is the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Dizziness, nausea, drooling, abdominal pain, loss of coordination, lethargy, and weakness
Daffodils and jonquils
- Scientific name: Narcissus spp.
- Toxic compound: Lycorine
- Toxic parts: All parts, the bulb is the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and cardiac arrhythmias
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, seizures, abdominal pain, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias.
Amaryllis
- Scientific name: Amaryllis
- Other names: Belladonna Lily, Naked Lady, Resurrection Lily, Butterfly Amaryllis, St Joseph Lily
- Toxic compound: Lycorine
- Toxic parts: All parts, the bulb, and leaves are the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and tremors.
Dahlia
Photo by Tinuke Bernard on Unsplash
- Scientific name: Dahlia spp.
- Toxic compound: Unknown
- Toxic parts: All parts
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, skin irritation
Lilies
- Scientific name: Lilium and Hemerocallis
- Other names: Rubrum Lily, Tiger Lily, Asiatic Lily, Day Lily, Stargazer Lily, and Easter Lily
- Toxic compound: Unknown
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Kidney failure
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, increased urination followed by decreased/absent urination.
See more on lily poisoning here.
Calla lily
- Scientific name: Zantedeschia aethiopica
- Other names: Arum Lily, Calla Lily, Florist’s Calla, Pig Lily, White Arum, Trumpet Lily, White Arum, Garden Calla
- Toxic compound: Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals
- Toxic parts: All parts, the roots are the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal and oral irritation
- Symptoms: Drooling, oral pain, difficulty swallowing, oral ulceration, vomiting, loss of appetite
Hyacinth
- Scientific name: Hyacinthus orientalis
- Toxic compound: Calcium oxalate crystals and lycorine
- Toxic parts: All parts, the bulb is the most toxic
- Causes: Oral and gastrointestinal irritation
- Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood), drooling and oral irritation
Chrysanthemum
- Scientific name: Chrysanthemum spp.
- Other names: Daisy and Mum
- Toxic compound: Sesquiterpene lactones and pyrethrins
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and incoordination and rash
Delphinium
- Scientific name: Delphinium spp.
- Other names: Larkspur
- Toxic compound: Diterpene alkaloids
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Cardiotoxic and neuromuscular paralysis
- Symptoms: Drooling, constipation, abdominal pain, paralysis, tremors, weakness, dilated pupils, abnormal heart rhythm and convulsions
Gardenia
- Scientific name: Gardenia jasminoides
- Other names: Cape Jasmine, Cape Jessamine, Danh-danh
- Toxic compound: Genioposide and gardenoside
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Vomiting and diarrhea
Carnation
- Scientific name: Dianthus caryophyllus
- Other names: Clove pink
- Toxic compound: Unknown
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Mild gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Mild vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and skin irritation (swelling and redness)
Anthurium
- Scientific name: Anthurium scherzeranum
- Common names: Pigtail plant, painter’s pallet, laceleaf, oilcloth flower, flamingo lily, and tail flower
- Toxic compound: Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Mild gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Drooling, pawing at the mouth, oral swelling and pain, vomiting, loss of appetite
Peace lily
- Scientific name: Spathiphyllum spp.
- Toxic compound: Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Mild gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Drooling, pawing at the mouth, oral swelling, and pain, vomiting, loss of appetite
Gladiola
- Scientific name: Gladiolus spp.
- Toxic compound: Unknown
- Toxic parts: All parts, the bulbs are the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy
Hydrangea
- Scientific name: Hydrangea arborescens
- Other names: Hortensia, Hills of Snow, Seven Bar
- Toxic compound: Cyanogenic glycoside
- Toxic parts: Flowers and leaves
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation, large amounts can cause cyanosis
- Symptoms: Vomiting, nausea, drooling, loss of appetite, skin irritation, difficulty breathing
Cyclamen
- Scientific name: Cyclamen spp.
- Other names: Sowbread
- Toxic compound: Terpenoid saponins
- Toxic parts: All parts, the tubers are the most toxic
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and abnormal heart rhythm
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy and abnormal heart rhythm
Bird of paradise
- Scientific name: Strelitzia reginae
- Other names: Crane Flower, Bird’s Tongue Flower
- Toxic compound: Unknown
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Vomiting, nausea, drooling and loss of appetite
Poppy
- Scientific name: Papaver spp.
- Toxic compound: Opium and morphine
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Central nervous dysfunction
- Symptoms: Sedation, wobbly gait (ataxia), loss of appetite, dilated pupils, decreased heart rate
Peony
- Scientific name: Paeonis officinalis
- Toxic compound: Paeonol
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Symptoms: Vomiting and diarrhea
Poinsettia
- Scientific name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
- Toxic compound: Sap
- Toxic parts: Sap
- Causes: Irritation to the mouth and skin
- Symptoms: Drooling, redness, swelling and occasionally vomiting
Iris
- Scientific name: Iris spp.
- Other names: Bearded iris, Douglas’s flag, snake lily, water flag, western blue flag, yellow flag, yellow water iris
- Toxic compound: Pentacyclic terpenoids (zeorin, missourin and missouriensin)
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic, the highest concentration is in the rhizomes (bulbs)
- Causes: Gastrointestinal disturbances and skin irritation
- Symptoms: Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea
Clematis
- Scientific name: Clematis spp.
- Other names: Virgin’s Bower, Leather flower
- Toxic compound: Irritant glycoside (Protoanemonin)
- Toxic parts: All parts of the plant are toxic to cats
- Causes: Skin irritation
- Symptoms: Vomiting and drooling
Ornamental onion
- Scientific name: Allum spp.
- Toxic compound: N-propyl disulfide and sodium n-propylthiosulfate
- Toxic parts: All parts are toxic to cats, but the highest concentration is in the bulb
- Causes: Heinz body anemia
- Symptoms: Vomiting, weakness, jaundice (yellow gums), blood in the urine, abdominal pain, elevated heart rate, lethargy, collapse
Foxglove
- Scientific name: Digitalis purpurea
- Toxic compound: Cardiac glycosides (digoxin and digitoxin)
- Toxic parts: All parts are toxic to cats
- Causes: Heart abnormalities
- Symptoms: Cardiac arrhythmias, decreased heart rate, drooling, vomiting, tremors, weakness, dilated pupils, collapse
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