What do people give the grandmother/great-grandmother, elderly neighbor/friend for birthdays and other occasions? Plants and flowers. I love them, but as soon as I receive them I go to the internet and look that particular plant or flower up to find out, “Is this plant toxic to cats?” Almost always the answer is “Yes.” Darn it. So the gorgeous arrangement or potted plant is remanded to the outdoor deck.
Lilies, for example, are a popular bouquet flower and 
they are highly toxic to cats. No problem, you say, for settled cats who are not interested in plants or flowers. But you bring in a kitten or a new older cat, whose habits are unknown, and you have to go on alert.
So which plants and flowers are safe around cats and kittens? Let’s start with flowers—yes, please: Safe, according the research, are roses, daisies, lilac, camellias, sunflowers, moth orchid and African violets, to name a 
few. Yay!!!
As for potted plants, (according to research) you’ll be okay with the Christmas cactus, bamboo palm, Boston fern, maiden hair fern, parlor palm, prayer plants, and money tree, for example. Beware, however, of a frolicking and curious cat or kitten digging in the dirt or chewing on the plant or batting the flowers around. These plants won’t hurt the cat, but it might break your heart when they make a mess on your white carpet or tear the plant apart. Remember, for a young cat, especially, everything’s a toy and, from the cat’s point of view, “It’s all mine!”
