The entire lily plant is toxic: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase. Eating just a small amount of a leaf or flower petal, licking a few pollen grains off its fur while grooming, or drinking the water from the vase can cause your cat to develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days.
With true lilies and day lilies, signs of toxicity occur within 6-12 hours after ingestion, and fatal kidney failure can develop in less than 72 hours. General signs of lily poisoning in cats: Vomiting. Diarrhea.
Most cases of untreated lily intoxication cause acute renal failure within 12-36 hours, with death occurring 3-5 days after exposure. Cats exposed to the toxic plants will display vomiting, lethargy, and anorexia within two hours of exposure.
Some poisoned cats recover with minimal therapy, while others require costly dialysis to live long enough for the kidneys to possibly repair themselves. Many affected cats never recover kidney function following lily toxicity, and die or are euthanized within days of becoming ill.
But lilies are toxic to cats according to Tina Wismer, DVM, MS, DABVT, DABT, a veterinarian and senior director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Lilies are bad for cats, from the petals and leaves to the stems and roots—even sniffing the pollen or drinking the water in a vase holding lilies can be harmful.
Contact your vet immediately if you think your cat has eaten or licked any part of a lily plant - never wait for symptoms to develop. Symptoms usually appear within a few hours, but kidney failure can take a bit longer to develop (often a few days). Common symptoms include: Vomiting (being sick)
Our curious kitties love to investigate anything aromatic, especially plants and flowers. So, being their natural, lovable selves, they'll nudge against them, smell them, and maybe even eat them to see if they taste as good as they smell. However, this can be dangerous—and even fatal—depending on the flower or plant.
Some toxins may take 3 to 4 days to show any effects. The types of symptoms a cat will exhibit will depend on the toxin she has been exposed to. If your cat begins to display any odd symptoms, she should be taken to the vet immediately.
If you do receive lilies, cutting out the stamens can reduce the pollen drop and therefore the risk. However, as all parts of the lily are toxic and even lilies which are not 'true' lilies can cause discomfort, not bringing lilies into a house with cats is considered the safest and recommended course of action.
It's possible the vet will use a tube and hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting in your cat. From there, activated charcoal will be administered through the same tube to absorb as much remaining toxin as possible. The long-term risk of lily poisoning is kidney failure.
Recovery from poisoning will greatly depend on how much of the poisonous substance your cat has been exposed to and how quickly you have gotten them to the vet for treatment. Outcomes for cats who receive early treatment for poisoning are much better than for cats who experience a long delay before receiving treatment.
Depending on the plant species that has been ingested, the early signs and symptoms of poisoning can vary greatly. Irritants may cause symptoms such as: irritation around the mouth, itchiness, swelling, and red or watery eyes.
These sweet and cute creatures are happy and love to be around plants, which is why lilies are dangerous. The vibrant colors attract cats, which is a defense mechanism the plant has against animal prey. Interestingly enough, lilies are not toxic to humans or dogs.
The exact nature of the lily toxin is unknown, but all parts of the lily plant are harmful to cats. The most dangerous and potentially fatal lilies for cats are found in the genus Lilium and Hemerocallis, but there are other varieties that are harmful as well.
-The cost to treat the lily poisoning at the veterinarian was $1,542.74. -Pets Best reimbursed Woody's pet parents $1,149.99. Learn more about pet insurance for your cat.
Unfortunately, many cats will not show any immediate symptoms after ingesting the lily toxin. Acute kidney failure may develop within 2-4 days after ingestion. Cats may be lethargic, anorexic, drink more water, and/or vomit as signs of kidney failure.
Safe lilies include peace lilies, Peruvian lilies and calla lilies (however calla lilies can cause irritation to the mouth and esophagus if ingested).
Milk is not a remedy or antidote for poisons, nor does it protect the stomach from an ingested chemical or toxin.
Keeping Cats Away from Toxic Plants
Don't worry, though, as there are less than 10,000 cases each year, and rarely are they fatal. Cats have natural instincts and know when to stay away from toxic-smelling plants.
Signs of shock include rapid breathing (which may be noisy), rapid heart rate with a weak pulse, pale mucous membranes (gums, lips, under eyelids), severe depression (listlessness), and cool extremities (limbs and ears). Your cat may vomit.
Lilies. This beautiful unofficial symbol of Spring is among the most toxic flowers to cats. All varieties - including the Easter, Tiger, Stargazer, Red, Wood, and Day - are unsafe. With some flowers, the petals and the buds are the hazards for cats but, with lilies, it's also the pollen, the leaves, and the stems.
However, in most cases of tulip poisoning, it merely causes intense irritation to the tissues that it comes into contact with. This results in the salivation, vomiting and diarrhea that affected cats will go through. The allergenic properties of tulipalin also result in the 'dazed' state that many cats will enter into.
If you're ordering a bouquet for someone or yourself, keep in mind, that flowers can be toxic to animals. Different flowers can be toxic to different pets; we're going to stick to generic flowers that are non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Although, in any case, your pets should not consume flowers/plants.