It’s safe to say buying flowers and plants to decorate your home brings joy to countless people everywhere.

While beautiful plants can enhance your home’s interior, it’s crucial for cat owners to recognize that some of these plants and flowers can be harmful to their feline friends.

One common plant species is especially hazardous to cats because it is highly poisonous and can lead to severe kidney or heart damage, and in some cases, even be fatal.

Pet owners are being cautioned against having this plant in their household — or at very least, within the reach of their furry felines.

Lilies

Various types of lilies carry extreme risks for cats, as every part of these plants—flowers, leaves, stems, and even pollen—can cause severe kidney damage and potentially be deadly if ingested by cats.

This includes some of the most perilous types such as Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Daylilies, Asiatic lilies, Japanese Show lilies, and Stargazer lilies. Even small amounts of these lilies can be dangerous, and swift veterinary intervention is crucial if a cat ingests any part of them.

While not all lily types cause as severe kidney damage as “true” lilies and Daylilies, others like Peace lilies and Calla lilies can still cause irritation in the mouth and digestive issues if eaten. Lily of the Valley, although not affecting the kidneys, is toxic to cats and can impact the heart.

Matt Cayless, the founder of the pet marketing agency Bubblegum Search, advises: “Cat owners should be mindful that many common houseplants can be harmful to their pets. Peace lilies, for example, contain calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate a cat’s mouth, tongue, and throat if consumed. Always check the safety of plants before introducing them into a home with cats, and ensure toxic varieties are kept out of their reach.”

It appears British cat owners are also demonstrating considerable worry over identifying poisonous plants, with searches for plant toxicity soaring dramatically over recent weeks according to fresh search data. A new study by Bubblegum Search revealed a notable trend amongst British cat owners regarding worries about harmful plants, with peace lilies leading the list of plant toxicity concerns.

Searches for “are peace lilies toxic to cats” achieved “breakout” status, showing an increase of more than 5,000% compared to the previous period. This striking surge suggests that British cat owners are especially worried about this popular houseplant.

Orchids and sunflowers 

Orchids came in second place as the most searched toxic plant enquiry, with “are orchids toxic to cats”.

Fortunately, orchids are typically not poisonous to cats and are broadly regarded as non-toxic. Whilst it may be amongst the safer houseplants for felines, cat owners are still urged to remain vigilant about cats consuming large amounts of the plant and its flowers, as this could still trigger mild stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhoea in cats.

Completing the top plant worries were sunflowers, with searches for “are sunflowers toxic to cats” rising by 190%. Although this represents a smaller percentage rise than the leading two plants, it still demonstrates considerable interest in the safety of these beloved summer blooms.

The cheerful blooms are thankfully not poisonous to cats, although ingesting them in large quantities can also potentially lead to mild digestive upset, vomiting or diarrhoea.