Are tulips toxic to cats like lilies? Can pollen on clothes harm them?

Question

For Linda g Ty as always. Someone today gifted my brother tulips. He’s not in the us but I would just like to make sure that they aren’t like lilies. Do they cause any type of organ failure. Should I worry about him coming back & maybe having the pollen on his jacket & touching my cat? Or do they just cause an upset stomach? Should I worry about this? Pet's info: Cat | Feral | Female | 2 years and 9 months old | 12 lbs

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

Tulips are part of the lily family and can be toxic to cats. They contain a chemical known as Tulipilan A that can cause allergic reactions in humans just from touching a tulip. But because humans are larger than cats and don’t typically eat tulips, the toxin doesn’t pose as much risk for us. Tulipilan A is found in all parts of the tulip, but it is found in the highest concentrations in the bulb of the plant. The flower, leaves, and stem all contain smaller amounts of the toxin, but it is still enough to cause respiratory issues for small animals such as cats. Although your cat eating a tulip flower or leaf is still cause for concern, it’s not as bad as it would be if he were to consume some of the tulip bulbs.Tulips may or may not pose serious problems for your cat. It just depends on how much of the plant your cat ate, what part of the plant he ate, and how big he or she is. But, even with eating a small amount of tulip, your cat is likely to exhibit symptoms. Even if you didn’t see your cat eat the tulip, noticing any of the following signs are good indications that he did.If your cat took a small bite out of the less toxic part of a tulip, including the flower, leaf, or stem, he or she may exhibit minor symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive drooling. Your cat also may seem depressed or lethargic or express a general sense of not feeling well. Although these symptoms are considered minor compared to what your cat will experience when eating a large amount of tulip, it doesn’t mean that he will recover on his own. You should still seek treatment for your cat to prevent the symptoms from becoming more serious. That means a trip to your trusted vet. You do not need to worry unless the cat ingests the bulb portion of the flower.

Are tulips toxic to cats like lilies? Can pollen on clothes harm them?

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