All members of the plant genus Lilium, including Easter lilies, contain a chemical that can damage cat kidneys.
Ingestion of even a small amount of plant material from certain types of lilies is a veterinary emergency for cats and early treatment is essential to a successful outcome.
If you live with cats, it is a good idea to keep lilies out of your home and garden.
If you think your cat may have chewed on or ingested lily, seek veterinary care immediately.
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Lilies are lethally toxic to cats. In fact, they are so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase containing cut lilies. The lily toxin, which only affects cats, has not been identified. If dogs ingest lilies, they do not develop kidney failure, although they may have an upset stomach.
All members of the plant genus Lilium produce a chemical that is present in all parts of the plant that can damage cat kidneys. However, Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum), Stargazer lilies (Lilium ‘ Stargazer’ hybrid), and Asiatic lilies (Lilium asiaticum) seem to be the most hazardous. Daylilies, which are in the genus Hemerocallis, are also toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure. Other types of lilies that are not in the genus Lilium, such as calla lilies and peace lilies, do not cause kidney failure in cats, but can still be harmful. Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) can cause heart problems when ingested, including irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure, which can lead to seizures or coma.
Some cats appear to be more susceptible than others are to lily toxicity. The severity of the resulting kidney failure also varies from cat to cat. 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. If you think your cat may have chewed on or ingested lily, seek veterinary care immediately.
What are the clinical signs of lily toxicity in cats?
Initial clinical signs of lily poisoning in cats include vomiting, lethargy, drooling, and loss of appetite. Increased urination and dehydration may be seen 12 to 24 hours after ingestion and are signs of kidney damage. Later in the disease process, the kidneys may fail with no urine being produced; this is a life-threatening emergency. A cat that has consumed the lily toxin can experience kidney failure, which can lead to death, within 36 to 72 hours unless he or she receives appropriate treatment.
How is lily toxicity diagnosed in cats?
Lily toxicity is diagnosed in cats by finding a chewed on piece of the plant or pieces of the plant in vomit, or by knowing that a cat in kidney failure has been in contact with lilies. Kidney function is evaluated through testing of blood and urine. If possible, bring the plant, or a picture of the plant, with you to the veterinary clinic or hospital to aid in the diagnosis (but make sure that your cat does not have access to the plant or any of its components).
How is lily toxicity treated in cats?
Vomiting may induced if the cat recently (within a few hours) ingested the plant and has not vomited. The cat may be given activated charcoal to bind any toxin remaining in the stomach. Intravenous (IV) fluids may be initiated to support kidney function and to protect the kidneys from the circulating toxins. Urine output will be monitored. In severe cases, dialysis may be necessary to keep a patient alive.
The prognosis is variable. Delayed treatment (by more than 18 hours after ingestion) generally leads to irreversible kidney failure.
How can lily toxicity be prevented in cats?
The best way to prevent lily toxicity is to keep your cat away from these particular types of lilies. Do notbring lilies into your home if you have a cat, and do not plant them in your garden if you or your neighbors have cats that have access to the outdoors.
For more information:
UC Davis Veterinarians Warn of Lethal Toxicity of Lilies
UC Davis, 10 Garden Plants That Are Toxic to Pets
UC Davis Center for Companion Animal Health - Beware: pets and toxic plants
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Toxic Plant Garden
*This article may not be reproduced without the written consent of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
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.
The effects of lily toxicity are rapid. Within 1-3 hours of ingestion, cats become nauseous leading to a decreased appetite, drooling and vomiting as well as display signs of depression and lethargy.
If you get treatment within the first few hours of your cat eating the lily, the first step will be to induce vomiting. You should never induce vomiting on your own unless your vet recommends it. Your vet may also give your cat activated charcoal to soak up any toxins that are still in their stomach.
Yes, lilies are highly toxic — from their stems to their leaves to their flowers — and even their pollen. And yes, there have been cases of cats getting very sick just from sniffing or licking the pollen from a lily or even drinking water from a vase that had lilies in it.
However, not all lilies are poisonous to cats, while some species such as Calla, Peace and Peruvian lilies do not cause kidney damage, but can still cause irritation and gastrointestinal signs if ingested. To avoid your cat coming to any harm, it is a good idea to cat-proof your garden.
Treatment ideally should be started within six hours of the cat eating the lily. Those seen more than 18 hours after the initial ingestion have a very poor prognosis, but even early, aggressive treatment can still result in death, and surviving cats often have permanent kidney damage.
Cats that receive prompt veterinary care have a higher chance of recovery. However, if treatment is delayed 18 hours or more after ingestion or your cat ingested a significant amount of lilies, your cat will likely have irreversible kidney failure.
Most of the treatment will involve alleviating symptoms and keeping the cat in stable condition until the toxins have been processed out of her system. Your veterinarian might induce vomiting, give the cat activated charcoal to absorb toxins in the gut, give the cat intravenous fluids, or provide other medications.
As with all toxins, the sooner you get your cat treated, the better. The longer you wait and the more symptoms that develop, the worse the prognosis will be. In all poisoning cases, cats need immediate medical attention by their veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian.
If your cat ate a lily or any part of it and nothing happened, consider yourself and your cat extremely fortunate – though they may not be if it were to happen again! This is not a "wait and see" situation. Time is of the essence to get your cat looked at by a veterinarian, as it could become a deadly situation.
If you think that your cat could have ingested any part of a lily plant, gotten pollen on their coat or in their mouth, or drunk the water from the vase, call the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 and take your cat directly to the veterinarian's office or an emergency vet as soon as possible.
Treatment includes intravenous fluid therapy and protection of the intestinal tract with specific medications. Cats will need to be hospitalized for several days while their kidney function is monitored. For Woody, an American Shorthair cat. -The cost to treat the lily poisoning at the veterinarian was $1,542.74.
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. Although cats and dogs often share allergies, the lily plant is not one of them.
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.
“Cats have a general framework of smells they like and dislike, but their system isn't foolproof,” Dr. Greenstein says. Unfortunately, many cats find the highly toxic lily as delightful smelling as we do.
Different toxins affect cats differently, so it can take anywhere from minutes or hours to days for a cat to show signs of poisoning. For example, a lily leaf will make a cat sick immediately, while painkillers may take two to three days before symptoms show.
Within minutes of ingesting any part of the plant, they might become lethargic or begin to vomit. As the substance begins to affect their body, these signs worsen.
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