7 Cat-Safe Flowers to Give a Cat Owner
Want to give flowers to a friend or family member who has a cat? Here are 7 flowers that are both beautiful and safe for cats.
You always have to think twice about giving flowers to a household with a cat. The person receiving them often feels grateful and worried at the same time — "Is this flower okay for my cat?" Choose safe flowers from the start, and the recipient can simply enjoy them without a second thought.
1. Gerbera Daisy
Loved for its bright, vivid color, the gerbera daisy is safe for cats. Yellow, orange, pink, red — its range of colors adds life to any bouquet. It's easy to find at florists and looks lovely on its own or in an arrangement.
2. Rose
The classic flower of love, the rose is also non-toxic to cats. That said, the thorns can hurt a cat that plays with them, so give them with the thorns removed or keep them out of reach.
3. Snapdragon
The snapdragon is safe for cats. Its distinctive vertical spikes and range of colors add character to a bouquet. It's mainly in season in spring and fall and is easy to find at florists.
4. Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria)
The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats. Despite the name, it is not a true lily (Lilium), the genus that is deadly to cats. It turns up in bouquets often, so asking for "alstroemeria, no lilies" by name avoids any mix-up.
5. Zinnia
The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats. It's a common summer garden flower, so it also works as a potted gift.
6. Cornflower (Bachelor's Buttons)
The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats.
7. China Aster
The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats. It looks a bit like a chrysanthemum but belongs to a different genus — chrysanthemums are on the ASPCA toxic list, so check that the bouquet's flower list names the aster.
Flowers without confirmed evidence: freesia, lisianthus, waxflower
Freesia, lisianthus, and waxflower are common in bouquets and appeared in an earlier version of this list, but we took them out: there is no confirmed source for any of them where cats are concerned. That doesn't mean they are dangerous — it means we found no evidence to call them safe.
Sunflower used to be here too. On 2026-10-04 we found the evidence and moved it to safe (decision 043): a list published by ASPCA Poison Control names it as non-toxic, with the scientific name Helianthus annuus.
- Freesia and waxflower: not on the ASPCA list.
- Lisianthus: not on the ASPCA list. flower cat's lisianthus page marks it as caution.
One more thing when you give flowers
Even if you've chosen safe flowers, other flowers can end up mixed into the bouquet. When ordering from a florist, just say: "This is a gift for a home with a cat, so please leave out lilies, tulips, and daffodils and use only cat-safe flowers." Most are happy to adjust.
Search a flower's name on flower cat to check right away whether it's toxic to cats.