Plant safety · 2 min read

Are Tulips toxic to cats?

No — dangerous

Yes. Tulips — especially the bulbs — contain toxic glycosides (tulipalin A and B) that cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

If your cat has just eaten tulips

  1. Move your cat away from any remaining tulip. Do not try to make them vomit at home — this is dangerous in cats and rarely works.
  2. Note how much was eaten and when, and keep the packaging or a photo of the plant/substance if you can.
  3. Call your vet immediately, even out of hours. Tell them your cat's weight, what they ate, and when.
  4. If you can't reach your vet, call Animal PoisonLine (01202 509000) — paid triage, 24/7 for guidance. They can advise on urgency and route you to emergency care.

What's the full picture?

Tulip bulbs are the most toxic part of the plant. Cats digging in garden beds or pot plants can chew bulbs directly. Flowers and leaves are less concentrated but still contain enough toxin to cause symptoms.

Bouquet tulips are a common indoor exposure route, especially in spring.

Symptoms to watch for

0–6 hours
Drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite.
6–24 hours
Depression, rapid heart rate, breathing changes in large bulb ingestions.

Questions owners ask

My cat ate a tulip petal — is this an emergency?

Any tulip ingestion warrants a vet call. The bulbs are the most toxic part, but petals and leaves also contain the allergenic lactones. Even a petal can cause significant drooling and vomiting. Call your vet — severity varies and early assessment is safest.

Are tulip bulbs the same risk as lily bulbs?

Tulip bulbs are toxic but through a different mechanism than lily bulbs — tulips cause severe GI irritation and, rarely, cardiovascular effects, while true lilies cause kidney failure. Both are emergencies; lilies are more acutely dangerous and time-critical.

My cat dug up a tulip bulb from a pot — what do I do?

Call your vet immediately. Tulip bulbs contain the highest concentration of toxins in the plant. Take the chewed bulb with you so the vet can estimate how much was ingested.

If you're worried right now

Call your vet or out-of-hours emergency vet first. For poison advice, the Animal PoisonLine (UK) is on 01202 509000 — 24/7, charges apply. Your vet can also call the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) directly.

Cyclamen no Daffodils no Hyacinths no

About this guidance

Every entry on this site is compiled from published UK veterinary toxicology sources — International Cat Care, Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) references, RCVS-registered practice materials, and peer-reviewed feline medicine literature. Where the evidence is mixed, we err on the cautious side because cats are unusually sensitive to many common substances that are harmless to humans and even to dogs.

This is general information written for UK cat owners. It is not personalised veterinary advice for your specific cat, their age, weight, medical history, or the exact exposure you're dealing with. If your cat has eaten something or is unwell, call your vet first. The Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 is available 24/7 for a small fee and can tell you whether an emergency visit is needed.

Entries are reviewed and updated as new research emerges. Spotted an error? Let us know — corrections are investigated and applied within 24 hours. For more context on how we work, see about and our full disclaimer.

Last reviewed: · By the What Can My Cat Eat? editorial team

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