4 ms·

Someone sent flowers to a good friend of mine. Her cat chewed on a few of the flowers, and died of renal failure a few days later. Don't send flowers that m

Someone sent flowers to a good friend of mine. Her cat chewed on a few of the flowers, and died of renal failure a few days later. Don't send flowers that might include lilys to anyone who might have a cat! Since I made it to age 30 without knowing about the toxicity of lilys to cats, I feel obligated to mention this anecdote every time someone talks about sending flowers. I also consider it completely unforgivable that florists don't mention this to every customer who is purchasing lilys (often in arrangements where the customer doesn't even know the contents).

jhomedall 5y ago
Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up.
dylan604 5y ago
>I also consider it completely unforgivable that florists Computers can be used for evil, do computer sales people mention that to any potential customer? Do car sales mention that you can murder people with the item you are purchasing? One could flip it and say you are a bad pet parent for not knowing things are dangerous to your pet.
- pindab0ter 5y ago
  Every pet owner should read up on what plants, flowers and foods are dangerous to their pets. I’d like to see research of how many actually do.
  - dylan604 5y ago
    >I’d like to see research I'd recommend a simple search using the engine of your choice. It's not like this is a new topic that nobody has thought about. It is well documented. To the point, Home Depot's website has a search filter for Pet Safe Plants.
    - pindab0ter 5y ago
      I meant that I’m wondering how many pet owners do their due diligence.
    - quesera 5y ago
      You've missed the point. If you asked 100 people who came through MetroCat in Boston whether they could name a common flower in floral arrangements, which would cause renal failure and death in their pet, how many would answer correctly? And how many would get the whole list? And how many could identify those flowers from photographs or samples? Those are the interesting questions. I'd bet maybe 50% for the first, dropping quickly for the rest. And the cat owners who come to MetroCat specifically are probably among the most aware groups. This lack of awareness is, of course, the real problem. And that's why I made my initial comment. Florists have this awareness but not the full context of the environment where their product will be used. Flowers don't come with warning labels, but even if they did I would say that the florist has a responsibility to inquire. For the benefit of the customer, if nothing else (who wants to be partially involved in the death of their friend's cat??).
- quesera 5y ago
  You could say that, yes. But people categorize information that is/is not relevant to their lives. Friend in question was a long-time cat owner, but not a flowers person, so it wouldn't be unusual for the vague knowledge to have faded. The florist was the only one that knew 100% for sure that lilys would be included in the gift, and should have known that they were highly toxic to cats. A simple "does the recipient have a cat?" question would have gone a long way to preventing a lot of pain and anguish. I do consider it unforgiveable that the question is not asked as a matter of course. But yes, there were a few people who could have prevented this problem, and only one who was ultimately responsible.
  - dylan604 5y ago
    > do consider it unforgiveable that the question is not asked as a matter of course. This is just ridiculous. Should the florist ask if the recipient has allergies? Why not ask if there are other pets, why are you calling out cats only? Flowers can also be toxic to dogs as well. I think you are looking to blame someone for something that happened, and assing the blame to the wrong person. My thoughts are no less valid than yours wanting to blame a florist.
    - quesera 5y ago
      You're being needlessly argumentative in this thread. I said that there's only one person ultimately responsible. However, it's 100% reasonable for the florist to offer a warning. We give warnings in all sorts of situations, all the time. A warning to prevent the death of a pet, due to a very common oversight, is completely appropriate. I would consider it my moral responsibility to give a warning, if I were a florist. Any florist who does not consider it a moral responsibility of theirs, I consider immoral. You don't like that, but that's fine. I hope you never become a florist, or another person who can influence fallible humans' lives. My whole point here is that specific flower toxicity to cats is a very common oversight. Maybe you were born knowing, maybe you're better at reading the posters which (now) are common at vetrinarians' offices. Maybe you bought "Cats for Dummies" when you turned 18. Maybe you're just awesome. But lots of people who own cats do not know, and I would prefer those people to not have dead cats, more than I'd prefer to pronounce responsibilities from some perch of ridiculous absolutism.

jhomedall 5y ago

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up.

dylan604 5y ago

>I also consider it completely unforgivable that florists Computers can be used for evil, do computer sales people mention that to any potential customer? Do car sales mention that you can murder people with the item you are purchasing? One could flip it and say you are a bad pet parent for not knowing things are dangerous to your pet.

pindab0ter 5y ago
Every pet owner should read up on what plants, flowers and foods are dangerous to their pets. I’d like to see research of how many actually do.
- dylan604 5y ago
  >I’d like to see research I'd recommend a simple search using the engine of your choice. It's not like this is a new topic that nobody has thought about. It is well documented. To the point, Home Depot's website has a search filter for Pet Safe Plants.
  - pindab0ter 5y ago
    I meant that I’m wondering how many pet owners do their due diligence.
  - quesera 5y ago
    You've missed the point. If you asked 100 people who came through MetroCat in Boston whether they could name a common flower in floral arrangements, which would cause renal failure and death in their pet, how many would answer correctly? And how many would get the whole list? And how many could identify those flowers from photographs or samples? Those are the interesting questions. I'd bet maybe 50% for the first, dropping quickly for the rest. And the cat owners who come to MetroCat specifically are probably among the most aware groups. This lack of awareness is, of course, the real problem. And that's why I made my initial comment. Florists have this awareness but not the full context of the environment where their product will be used. Flowers don't come with warning labels, but even if they did I would say that the florist has a responsibility to inquire. For the benefit of the customer, if nothing else (who wants to be partially involved in the death of their friend's cat??).
quesera 5y ago
You could say that, yes. But people categorize information that is/is not relevant to their lives. Friend in question was a long-time cat owner, but not a flowers person, so it wouldn't be unusual for the vague knowledge to have faded. The florist was the only one that knew 100% for sure that lilys would be included in the gift, and should have known that they were highly toxic to cats. A simple "does the recipient have a cat?" question would have gone a long way to preventing a lot of pain and anguish. I do consider it unforgiveable that the question is not asked as a matter of course. But yes, there were a few people who could have prevented this problem, and only one who was ultimately responsible.
- dylan604 5y ago
  > do consider it unforgiveable that the question is not asked as a matter of course. This is just ridiculous. Should the florist ask if the recipient has allergies? Why not ask if there are other pets, why are you calling out cats only? Flowers can also be toxic to dogs as well. I think you are looking to blame someone for something that happened, and assing the blame to the wrong person. My thoughts are no less valid than yours wanting to blame a florist.
  - quesera 5y ago
    You're being needlessly argumentative in this thread. I said that there's only one person ultimately responsible. However, it's 100% reasonable for the florist to offer a warning. We give warnings in all sorts of situations, all the time. A warning to prevent the death of a pet, due to a very common oversight, is completely appropriate. I would consider it my moral responsibility to give a warning, if I were a florist. Any florist who does not consider it a moral responsibility of theirs, I consider immoral. You don't like that, but that's fine. I hope you never become a florist, or another person who can influence fallible humans' lives. My whole point here is that specific flower toxicity to cats is a very common oversight. Maybe you were born knowing, maybe you're better at reading the posters which (now) are common at vetrinarians' offices. Maybe you bought "Cats for Dummies" when you turned 18. Maybe you're just awesome. But lots of people who own cats do not know, and I would prefer those people to not have dead cats, more than I'd prefer to pronounce responsibilities from some perch of ridiculous absolutism.