What is there about cats and baby’s breath? I am referring to that white filler flower that is used in many floral arrangements. All of my cats have always headed straight for the baby’s breath–just like it was catnip. Forget the red roses! Many of my flowers have had to be kept in locked rooms or left at the office. Baby’s breath is classified as potentially toxic. When cats ingest this flower, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and lack of appetite may result.
And what goes with white baby’s breath? Well, a dozen long stemmed roses of course! They are classified as non-toxic and no harm results if the rose petals are eaten (by humans or animals!). But if your cat eats the thorny stem, this could result in mechanical damage.
So with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, please be mindful of the kind of flowers you are giving to your friends and family that have cats as well as what you are bringing into your house. We may need to remove baby’s breath or ask the florist to substitute a different non-toxic flower. Or we can consider giving other types of flowers such as African violets, orchids or even silk arrangements. These will last longer than a week anyway, and our fur friends will not become ill if they decide to nibble when we are not looking. Chances are they will!