Cats Beware! Lilies are Toxic

 

We love our cats. We love beautiful lilies, too. Unfortunately, we must never enjoy them together. No one knows exactly why lilies are toxic to cats, but we do know that they are; VERY toxic, in fact. Virtually every species of lily plant will cause acute kidney failure in cats. Just a couple little nibbles of the bloom can cause death. While the flower itself is the most toxic part, even if a cat sips the water the bouquet sets in, he/she can experience issues. The pollen, which falls on the counter and attaches to anything that brushes it, is also toxic. If you see any pollen dust on your kittie, please bathe him/her immediately before the dust is ingested during personal grooming. It is imperative that you see your veterinarian immediately if you witness your cat eating or licking a lily, or if you discover some of the plant missing.

 

The lilies to which we refer include: Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum), Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum), Day Lily (Lilium hemerocallus), Asian lily (Lily asiatic spp.) and Rubrum Lily (Lilium rubrum). All of these varieties are popular in both bouquets and in gardens. Most bring us big, five or six-petaled orange, red, yellow or pink flowers. The leaves are either long slender clumps at the base of the plant, or dark leathery green leaves that ascend the tall stem.

A cat ingesting any part of a lily plant may experience abdominal distress including vomiting, lack of appetite or lethargy. If not treated within 2-4 days, signs of kidney failure may begin to show. These symptoms can consist of loss of appetite, depression, vomiting, and lack of urination.

 

There is no definite diagnostic test for determining lily toxicity. Your veterinarian will likely run blood tests and check your cat’s urine for abnormalities which point to kidney failure.
Sadly, there is also no cure for lily ingestion at this point. Treatment involves emptying the stomach of lily contents, administering medications to lessen the absorption in the intestines and induce diuresis through intravenous fluid therapy. Depending upon many factors including amount ingested and time elapsed before therapy, your cat may possibly recover completely over time. The prognosis for most cats, however, is guarded; most have permanent kidney damage and a percentage will not survive at all.

With this knowledge, we strongly urge you to prevent any opportunities for your furry friend to even come in contact with these deceptively dangerous plants; ideally, the flowers will stay outside and your cat in.