Let’s Talk about Lilies!

This is a story from our Winter Edition of Paws, Claws and More. You can download the full newsletter here

Lilies are a very popular house plant is actually one of the most dangerous plants for you beloved feline friends. This is any lily and not just your peace lilies. Early detection is the key to treating lily toxicity however, if treatment is delayed by 18 hours or more the cat will most likely have irreversible kidney damage which may cause loss of life.

The entirety of a lily plant, including the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and roots, is deathly toxic to cats. Ingesting even a small amount, including drinking water from the pot, can cause renal (kidney) failure for an unsuspecting cat in less than 3 days. Not all types of lilies are highly toxic, but most lilies can cause other issues such as heart arrhythmias, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness. Lower activity levels Excessive drooling Vomiting Loss of appetite

Early signs of lily toxicity that appear 0-12 hours after ingestion include: Increased urination (peeing) Excessive drinking Dehydration Signs of kidney damage that may occur 12-24 hours after ingestion include: Some alternatives and more cat friendly flowers include: Roses Orchids Sunflowers Pansies Bottle brushes Gerberas Snapdragons Rosemary We still suggest you keep any plants, cat safe or not, out of reach to your feline friends as ingesting plants of any kind has the potential to cause gastrointestinal issues.