Love-lies-bleeding

Love-lies-bleeding has no official toxicity data, so it is hard to say for certain whether it is safe. Its crimson tassels hang like rope, and it is grown both as a cut flower and as a garden plant.

The Amaranthus the ASPCA has assessed for cats is Amaranthus hypochondriacus, which has its own page in this app. Love-lies-bleeding is not listed there separately, and its NC State Extension page has no poison entry. Celosia spicata, which is easy to confuse with it by name, belongs to a different genus and has its own page here as well.

NC State actually records the seeds and leaves of this species as edible — it has long been grown as a grain and a leaf vegetable. But that people eat it is not evidence about cats. The only grounds this app treats as safety are pet-specific toxicity assessments, and this species does not appear in one.

At home, start with where the vase goes. Florist stems are often treated with preservatives, so keep your cat from drinking the water, and mind the height — the drooping tassels tend to hang right at cat level. Sweep up the florets and seeds that shed, the same day.

Check what else came in the bundle, too. If even one lily is mixed in, that is a far greater risk. If you find the tassels have been chewed, note roughly how much and when, and contact your vet if vomiting repeats or your cat seems listless.