Roses are red, violets are blue, cats can’t resist anything new. Roses and tulips are trendy outdoor flowers. They are also given as potted gifts for friends to enjoy indoors. While they may spruce up your home and smell delightful, are they safe for your cats? Let’s discover the dos and don’ts involving cats, roses, and tulips.
Should You Worry If Tulips Are Toxic to Your Cat?
Tulips are lovely and come in a myriad of vibrant colors, all with a lovely springtime smell. In some countries, tulips are a very big deal. In Holland, for example, tulips are everywhere. They even have an annual tulip festival that draws millions of visitors. Hopefully, no cats will attend it!
Tulips are very toxic to cats for a couple of different reasons. One is that the plant contains alkaloid and glycoside compounds (tulipalin A and tulipalin B). It also has strong allergic properties that can affect cats. The entire tulip plant is unsafe for cats, though the bulb is the place most saturated in toxins. You may already know that lilies are toxic to cats, and tulips are also part of the lily family. Eating small amounts of the plant is nowhere near as harmful as eating part of the bulb. As the flower ages, the petals will fall and might interest your cat. The petals are the least toxic part of the plant but are still dangerous and warrant an immediate vet visit.
What Happens When Cats Ingest Tulips?
The side effects depend on the quantity and part of the tulip your cat has eaten. If a small number of the plant’s petals are eaten, expect drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and overall malaise. If your cat snacked on the stem or leaves, the toxin is more concentrated in that part of the plant and will likely have more severe symptoms experienced with petal eating.
Your cat may also have more serious symptoms like fast, difficulty breathing, rapid or irregular heart arrhythmia, severe stomach pain, coma, and even death. It depends on the cat, what part of the plant is eaten, and how much time has passed since digestion. If you believe your cat may have ingested some of your tulips, immediately get them to the vet. The sooner your vet can start the necessary procedures, the more likely your cat will return to normal soon.
What Will Your Vet Do If Your Cat Ingests Tulips?
Once your cat has reached the vet, they will begin working to get what they can of the tulip out of the digestive tract by inducing vomiting with medication or pumping your sick cat’s stomach. This is similar to what they might do in the emergency room when people are poisoned. Another human doctor trick involves charcoal, which, when eaten, will absorb the toxin in your cat’s stomach and stop it from further harming your cat.
If the poisoning is severe and your cat is very ill, your vet might keep it overnight. They will administer intravenous fluids around the clock to help your cat eliminate the toxin from its system. This can be costly and stressful.
Are Roses Toxic to Cats?
Most people love roses. They are the most frequently given flower on the planet. Many do not know if there are dangers of keeping roses around cats and might be shocked to find out how they will affect your furry buddies. A cat can quickly swipe a fallen rose petal or chew on the leaves when you aren’t looking. The good news is that roses are nontoxic to cats, and displaying them in your home is fine. This is wonderful news since so many houseplants are toxic to cats.
Of course, the fine print states that roses can be toxic if they have been treated with pesticides or chemicals or had their colors enhanced with dyes and chemicals. Those awesome tie-dyed roses might be better for those without furry pets.
What Happens When Cats Ingest Roses?
Just because eating your roses won’t hurt your cat, it’s not exactly something they should do. They can also cut their mouths or paws on the sharp thorns. Eating a rose or two might make your cat have an upset tummy for the day. They might vomit, have diarrhea, or not want to eat. Overall, a small amount of a rose is not going to cause much harm to your cat. They are carnivores, and though they may seem very intrigued by your plants, they are curious by nature and are not out for a meal. Sometimes, they just decide they want an unconventional snack.
What’s the Best Way to Keep Your Cat Safe from Toxic Plants?
Cats can be troublemakers. They are always getting into things they shouldn’t be. Cats do spectacular gymnastics to get to whatever their curiosity draws them to. They seem to sense what they shouldn’t mess with of ours, then go to work scheming away and making plans to get what they want before you can stop them. As their loyal servants, we must outsmart them and keep them safe at all costs. A costly vet trip isn’t fun for you or your cat. One way to avoid this is to keep a bored cat entertained and keep plants that aren’t toxic in your home.
One way to allow your cat to have its way with a plant while staying safe is to buy some cat grass or catnip from a pet store. You can also grow your own! The inexpensive grass is an excellent blade that is easily digested and chewed, so your cat will not choke. It is simple to care for and can benefit your cat for a long time. It might be enough that they stop trying to steal bites from your plants, but don’t count on it. They are cats, after all.
