What Should I Do If My Cat Ate a Tulip?

Out of curiosity, your cat may ingest one of your beautiful tulips from a flower arrangement or tulip plant. Because the tulip bulb is toxic to cats, you need to seek the help of a veterinarian to help treat your cat and prevent a possibly serious reaction to the toxins in the flower.

  1. Tulips

    • Tulips, scientifically named Tulipa gesneriana, come from the Liliaceae family of flowers. These brightly colored, spring bulb flowers come in a variety of colors, most commonly red, yellow and white. Although originally from Asia, the flowers are most popular in the Netherlands and are commonly given as colorful bouquets for various holidays all over the world. The flowers have large bulbs, which contain a high concentration of Tulipalin A and B. These are chemicals that are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if ingested, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

    Effects

    • If your cat ingests any part of the tulip, including the stems, leaves or bulbs, the toxins contained in the plant can lead to signs of poisoning in the cat. These signs include vomiting, depression, diarrhea and drooling, according to the ASPCA. Other possible side-effects include cardiac issues or convulsions, says the Earth Clinic website. The amount of the plant your cat has ingested and which part will determine the severity of the symptoms, some of which can occur hours after eating the tulips. The highest concentration of toxins is contained in the flower bulbs.

    Action

    • Immediately stop your cat if you see it eating a tulip. If you notice or suspect that your cat has eaten a tulip, place any chewed pieces of the flowers, along with a whole flower, into a sealed plastic bag for proper identification. Contact your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic and bring your cat in, along with the sealed bag, as quickly as possible. If you cannot get to a veterinarian right away, you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, which is available 24 hours a day, every day. The service charges a $65 consultation fee for each call, as of August of 2011.

    Treatment and Prevention

    • At your veterinarian's office or over the phone with the ASPCA, describe the cat's symptoms and its age, weight and breed, as well as how much of the plant was ingested and approximately when. The doctor, or you, will most likely have to induce vomiting using three-percent hydrogen peroxide. You administer the peroxide to your cat with a medical syringe, without a needle, or with a turkey baster. Follow the directions given to you by either your veterinarian or the poison control personnel at the ASPCA. Prevent your cat from eating tulips by keeping them in an area your cat cannot access or by spraying them with a taste repellent, such as citrus oil.