tulips plant

Tulips are breathtakingly colorful, upright flowers with cupped vibrant blooms—they’re tough to miss. These little clustered beauties pop up in flowerbeds all over in the springtime. But are they safe for your feline friends if ingested? Absolutely not.

In fact, tulips can be deadly to cats, dogs, and even horses—permitting enough is in their system. Luckily, the likelihood of your cat eating a tulip is probably as high as eating a plastic bag—there’s no taste benefit for your cat whatsoever.

Since tulips naturally lie outside of your cat’s regular daily diet, you shouldn’t have to worry much about warding them off. But if your cat ate some unbeknownst to you, seek vet attention immediately. Find out why.

Why Are Tulips Toxic?

Tulips are gorgeous flowers with hardy stalks, making them sturdy and rich in appearance. These flowers are abundant in springtime and look excellent in any flowerbed or as a table centerpiece. People love these beauties, chosen for bouquets, botanical art, and even tattoo pieces.

However, looking so innocent, could a tulip be toxic for your pals? These sneaky flowers are a member of the lily family, which are all pretty toxic to cats. These plants contain irritating glycosides that inhibit protein synthesis in Tulipian A and B cells.

According to the ASPCA, these plants are also toxic to dogs and horses. Even humans might have an allergic reaction to handling tulips (atypical, but possible.)

So, while they might seem fun to pick and put in a vase, they can have drawbacks. Also, if you’re a gardener, you might want to wear gloves for protection.

tulips flowers in dark background
Image courtesy of Pixabay

How Dangerous Are Tulips?

While the entire plant is toxic for cats, the bulbs are particularly concerning. They contain the highest traces of glycosides, meaning a cat would have to eat much less for more trouble.

If your cat eats enough of the tulip, it can be deadly. However, severe illness is more likely. Tulips are dangerous since they smell sweet and don’t taste terrible—they can be incredibly alluring for some curious pets.

Tulip Toxicity Symptoms

If you suspect your cat was snacking on a tulip, despite the part of the plant consumed, pay attention to symptoms—but don’t wait for them to show up.

Symptoms of tulip toxicity include:

  • Rapid heart rate
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Trouble breathing
  • Abdominal upset
  • Tremors
  • Coma
  • Sudden death

On your way to the vet, report any adverse effects you have noticed and tell a professional about what you noted.

Treatment for Cats Eating Tulips

Treatment varies depending on several factors like:

  • How much did they consume?
  • How long has it been since they’ve eaten the tulip?
  • What portion of the tulip did they eat?
  • How big and how old is your cat?

Some cats might be totally fine with minor irritation at worst. This is the best-case scenario. However, your cat would have to have its stomach pumped, or your vet might often induce vomiting. Another standard method is putting charcoal in the mouth to soak up present toxins.

If the reaction is severe enough, treatment might even require hospitalization. So, this is very time-sensitive.

abyssinian cat teeth check by vet
Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Are Cats Attracted to Tulips?

Tulips are bright and colorful—and your cat is curious against their best interest sometimes. They might be drawn to the flower, or even try to catch all the interesting, fast-moving bugs they see.

But since cats are obligate carnivores, they only crave meat. Sure, your cat takes on your buffet of houseplants like a hotdog eating contest, but they don’t particularly like/need/benefit from eating plants.

Cats Eat Plants Sometimes

If your cat eats a tulip, it likely has nothing to do with taste or scent attraction. However, you can even observe big cats in the wild gnawing on grass, but why?

As observation would show, there are a few reasons your cat might much on plants. Let’s explore.

Upping Fiber for Optimal Digestion

Your cat knows their body and acts accordingly. If you often see your cat munching on plant material, it might be a natural means of adding fiber to their diet. Fiber helps regulate the digestive tract, helping the process run smoothly. Cats who are constipated or dehydrated benefit greatly from plants.

Natural Healing for Internal Upset

Plant consumption might also link to another concern, which could be intestinal upset, constipation, allergies, and illness. Eating plant matter is a way they combat the problem, as it has properties to nourish the body and alleviate potential difficulties.

How Cat Grass Might Help Plant-loving Cats

If you have a cat naturally drawn to plants, investing in cat grass might be a good option. Cat grass is generally simple seeds like oats and barley that come in a compact little kit. You can grow this grass next to any window with available light.

As the cat grass grows, you can let your kitty munch on it at their leisure. In just a few days, you should see sprouts. This way, your cat can feel like they have their own little patch to snack on, and they just might leave those tulips alone.

Cat grass has grown so popular that you can find it in just about any location—online or in-store. You can check out the brands and pick the concept you enjoy most.

Cats + Tulips: Final Thoughts

It’s best your cat never has a run-in with a tulip and decides to eat it. But it’s hard to avoid the potentially bad plants lurking in the great outdoors, even in your flowerbeds.

If your cat ate any tulip at all, seeking vet attention is critical. It doesn’t matter if they consumed a small or large amount, any portion of the plant can make them sick—and you might even lose them entirely if you delay.

So, if you know your cat ate a tulip, don’t wait on symptoms to display before you get them to the kitty doctor for further evaluation.


Featured Image Credit: Pixabay