I mentioned this a few months ago when I was talking about Christmas plants that were dangerous to cats, but since Easter lilies are extremely poisonous to cats, I wanted to highlight them specifically. Easter lilies and cats are a bad combination!
PetMD includes a list of the most deadly lily species for cats. The Lilium species are all toxic to cats and include Easter lilies, Asiatic lilies, Stargazer lilies, Tiger lilies and others. Daylilies and Lily of the Valley are also poisonous to cats, but less likely to be included in bouquets.
According to the FDA, all parts of the lily plant are toxic to cats. This includes the flower, petals and even the pollen, so even letting your cat rub against a lily could cause damage as your cat might digest pollen while grooming. The ASPCA also warns that even water that a cut lily was in could be dangerous to your cat!
PetMD recommends seeing a vet immediately if you suspect your cat has had contact with a lily. They say it might also be useful to bring the plant with you to help the vet determine the type plant and therefor the type of treatment needed. Even if they haven't ingested any of the plant, if they have pollen on their skin or fur, a bath may be be order to avoid them grooming it off and ingesting toxins that way!
PetMD says immediate signs that your cat has ingested part of a lily could be vomiting and drooling. Your cat might also paw at it's mouth because of pain or meow to let you know! Within the first 12 hours, cats could develop sores on their gums, become lethargic and have low blood pressure and a fast heartrate. Within 12 to 24 hours, kidney damage begins and your cat may have increased thirst and increased urination. By 24 hours, your cat may develop seizures, be unable to walk and have permanent kidney damage! The ASPCA says that if treatment is delayed more than 18 hours after ingestion, exposure to lilies is often fatal to cats!
I would recommend not allowing lilies in any home with cats! As any cat parent knows, they like to get into things and I can't think of a place in my home that would be safe from my cats if they were determined to get something! To me, it's just not worth having something so toxic so close to my best friends!
Thank you to Sandra Grünewald on Unsplash for our cover photo!
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