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Lilies are highly toxic to cats. Every part of the plant, including the pollen, can cause fatal kidney failure, and there is no safe level of exposure. Dogs are affected differently: lilies usually just cause an upset stomach in dogs, but a few other common bouquet flowers, including tulips and daffodils, are more of a concern for them. Several bouquets in our range contain lilies, including You're So Golden, Lovely Lilies, Tranquility and Blushing Beauty. Dreamy, Sunflower Smile, Pretty in Pink and our rose bouquets are lily free and safe for both cats and dogs.
We get asked this more than you'd expect, usually by someone who has already placed an order and only thought to check afterwards. It's a fair thing to worry about. Lilies are one of the most popular flowers in Irish bouquets, ours included, and most people have no idea how dangerous they are to cats until someone tells them. Fewer people realise dogs have a different set of risks entirely.
So we went through our own range, bouquet by bouquet, rather than just repeating the general safe flower lists you'll find elsewhere.
Why lilies are the biggest risk, and specifically for cats
Not every flower called a "lily" carries the same risk. True lilies, meaning Asiatic, Oriental, tiger, stargazer, Easter and daylilies, are the dangerous ones. A cat doesn't need to eat the flower. Brushing against the pollen and grooming it off their fur later is enough to cause kidney failure, and symptoms often don't appear until the damage is already serious. This is why vets treat any lily exposure in a cat as an emergency, not a wait and see situation.
Peace lilies and calla lilies are a different plant family entirely and are only mildly irritating if chewed, not the same risk at all. The confusion between "true lilies" and "lily named" plants is the single biggest reason well meaning people get caught out.
Dogs are much less affected by lilies than cats. A dog that eats part of a lily will usually just have an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhoea rather than the organ failure risk that cats face. It's still worth keeping lilies away from a dog that likes to chew things, but it isn't the emergency situation it is for a cat.
What's actually a bigger concern for dogs
If lilies aren't the main worry for dogs, a few other common bouquet and gift flowers are worth knowing about instead.
Tulips and daffodils are both more toxic to dogs than they are to cats. The bulb is the most dangerous part, so this matters more for gift plants and garden flowers than for cut stems in a bouquet, but the flower heads and stems can still cause drooling, vomiting and lethargy if a dog eats a large amount.
Chrysanthemums contain compounds that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and skin irritation in dogs if chewed in quantity.
Autumn crocus, sometimes included in seasonal arrangements, is one of the more seriously toxic plants for dogs and can affect the gut, liver and bone marrow.
None of these are things you need to worry about from a normal bouquet sitting on a table, but they're good to know if you have a dog that likes to help itself to whatever is within reach.
The flowers people don't realise are a lower level risk for cats
Lilies get all the attention, but a few flowers that regularly appear in our bouquets carry a milder risk that's worth knowing about, even if it's nowhere near the same level of concern.
Eucalyptus foliage, used in several of our arrangements for its trailing shape, can cause an upset stomach if a large amount is chewed.
Peonies, chrysanthemums, carnations and hydrangea can cause mild vomiting or drooling if eaten in quantity, though this is a much lower risk than true lilies.
Baby's breath, also called gypsophila and used often as a filler flower, can cause mild digestive upset in large amounts but is low risk overall.
None of these are the call the vet immediately category that lilies are for cats. They're a reason to keep an arrangement out of easy paw's reach, not a reason to avoid a bouquet altogether.
Our range, checked bouquet by bouquet
Rather than a generic safe or unsafe list, here's what's actually in our current bouquets.
Contains true lilies. Keep away from cats, and away from dogs that chew:
- Tranquility, with white lilies
- Lovely Lilies, with white lilies
- Blushing Beauty, with white lilies alongside roses and gerbera
- You're So Golden, with lilies alongside gerbera and chrysanthemums
- Blooming Beautiful, with pink lilies
Lily free and safe for cats. Fine for dogs too in normal amounts:
- Dreamy, blush pink and cream roses only: theflowerfactory.ie/collections/featured/products/dreamy-blush-pink-flowers
- Pretty in Pink, roses, gerbera and sweet william: theflowerfactory.ie/collections/featured/products/pretty-in-pink-flowers
- Sunflower Smile, sunflowers, camomile and eucalyptus (see the eucalyptus note above): theflowerfactory.ie/collections/featured/products/sunflower-smile-bouquet
- Wild and Wonderful, lisianthus, solidago and camomile: theflowerfactory.ie/collections/featured/products/wild-and-wonderful-flowers
- Any of our rose bouquets, including Half Dozen Red Roses, Dozen Red Roses and Rainbow Roses
If you've got your eye on a bouquet that does contain lilies, just add a note at checkout or call us on 1800 108 108 and we'll leave them out and substitute something else. It doesn't change the price or the delivery time.
If a pet has already had contact with a lily or another toxic flower
Don't wait for symptoms, particularly with a cat and a lily. If you know or suspect a cat has brushed against a lily or its pollen, contact a vet straight away. Early treatment is what makes the difference with lily poisoning, and by the time a cat looks unwell, kidney damage may already be underway. For a dog that has eaten tulip bulbs, daffodils or a large amount of any bouquet flower, contact a vet if you notice vomiting, drooling, lethargy or if you know the amount eaten was significant.
Same-day delivery in Dublin for orders before 2pm. Next-day delivery nationwide for orders before 9pm. If you want to double-check what's in an arrangement before it goes out to a home with pets, contact us at support@theflowerfactory.ie or call 1800 108 108.