What plants cause kidney failure in cats?
Lilies are beautiful, fragrant flowers that are often found in gardens and floral arrangements, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately, exposure to lily plants can cause kidney failure in cats and remains one of our most common feline emergencies.
Acute Renal Failure
It can happen in cats of any age and typically results from poisons, trauma, infection, organ failure, urethral blockages, dehydration and other causes. Poisons, such as toxic plants, pesticides, cleaning fluids and human medications, are the most common cause of acute renal failure.
Toxic plants can cause a variety of problems in livestock. There are families of plants found in Northwest Florida that can cause kidney failure if eaten in sufficient quantities. Plants that contain oxalates and tannins are the usual suspects when kidney failure occurs.
The most common toxins in cats are lilies, ethylene glycol/antifreeze, certain antibiotics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen). With acute kidney failure, kidney cells are damaged to the point that they cannot receive oxygen from red blood cells.
While most cats aren't interested in eating grapes or raisins, some find the stems interesting or like to chase them on the floor, which can lead to ingestion. Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in cats (and dogs) and should be kept out of reach.
It can happen in cats of any age and typically results from poisons, disorders, diseases, organ failure, medications and other causes. Acute renal failure can often be reversed if caught in time.
Unfortunately, once the kidneys are damaged, they have very limited ability to recover. However, with proper management, most CRF cases progress very slowly. With treatment, your cat may have several years of good quality, active life ahead.
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.
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.
A new study published March 4, 2022, has validated more local plants for the prevention and treatment of kidney diseases. Top on the list is ginger, grape, turmeric, beetroot juice, stinging nettle, onions, apples, tea, papaya, bitter leaf, and guava leaves.
Can house plants cause kidney failure in cats?
Only plants belonging to the genera Hemerocallis and Lilium have been shown to cause kidney failure in cats.
- Encourage your cat's water consumption. ...
- Keep your cat at a healthy weight. ...
- Make using the litter box a stress-free experience for your cat. ...
- Visit your family veterinarian regularly for kidney disease screening.
Chronic kidney failure in cats is a gradual condition that typically develops over several months or even years.
- Cleaning products containing ammonia. ...
- Cleaning products containing bleach. ...
- Air fresheners containing phthalates (sometimes listed as fragrance) ...
- Disinfectants containing benzalkonium chloride.
CKD is a progressive disease that slowly worsens, but the rate of progression is highly variable. Cats diagnosed with early disease have an average survival time of 3 years. Those with moderate disease live an average of 2 years. Those with advanced disease generally succumb to CKD within months.
How common is CKD? CKD can be seen in cats of any age, but is most commonly seen in middle to old-aged cats (those over 7 years), and it becomes increasingly common with age. It has been estimated that around 20-50% of cats over 15 years of age will have some degree of CKD present.
- A special diet. ...
- Potassium supplementation. ...
- Fluids given at home. ...
- A drug for excess stomach acid. ...
- A phosphate binder. ...
- A drug for high blood pressure. ...
- An anabolic steroid. ...
- A drug to regulate the parathyroid gland and calcium levels.
From a life long diet of dry cat food will eventually lead to urinary tract issues and chronic kidney disease, especially for older animals. Other complications as a result of dry kibble include feline type II diabetes and the formation of urinary crystals or stones.
To combat this, you'll probably need to administer fluids subcutaneously (under the skin) daily or every few days. Fluids help flush waste products that the kidneys can no longer filter out of the body on their own. Giving fluids only takes two to five minutes and contributes greatly to your cat's well-being.
If lily consumption is noticed and treated quickly, the cat may survive. If even one day goes by without treatment, the outcome becomes very dire, with most cats dying of kidney failure within days. Many people are unaware of how deadly these common plants can be to a cat.
Is it OK to have lilies in the house with a cat?
But the entire lily plant (leaf, pollen, and flower) is poisonous to them, according to Melanie McLean, a veterinarian at FDA. Even if they just eat a couple of leaves or lick a few pollen grains off their fur, cats can suffer acute kidney failure within a very short period of time.
While the exact toxin is still unidentified, cats who are not treated promptly develop acute renal failure and die, generally within 3-6 days afterwards. Cats with acute renal failure typically have vomiting, depression, partial or complete loss of appetite and dehydration.
Symptoms and Types
In addition, cats that are experiencing lily poisoning will often exhibit signs of depression, diarrhea, dehydration, and lack of appetite (anorexia). If the condition is left untreated, death can occur within four to seven days of ingestion (sooner if the cat consumes a larger amount of the plant).
Flowering Plants: | ||
---|---|---|
Amaryllis | Hyacinth | Asian Lily* |
Climbing Lily* | Lily of the Valley* | Cyclamen |
Daffodil | Poinsettia | Day Lily* |
Rubrum Lily* | Easter Lily* | Stargazer Lily* |
Lilies are extremely toxic to cats, causing kidney failure.
Plant protein may help lower your risk of kidney disease. Eating less meat and more vegetables has many health benefits. Plant protein may help lower your risk of kidney disease.
Botanicals used to treat kidney failure include: Rheum palmatum (Chinese rhubarb, da huang), Ephedra distachya (ephedra) stem, Geranium thunbergii (Thunberg's cranesbill) root, Cinnamomum cassia (cassia) bark, Bao yuan da huang tang (a decoction of Panax ginseng [Asian ginseng] root, Astragalus membranaceus [astragalus ...
...
- Bananas.
- Avocados.
- Citrus fruits and juices, such as oranges and grapefruit.
- Prunes and prune juice.
- Apricots.
- Dried fruits, such as dates and raisins.
- Melons, such as honeydew and cantaloupe.
- Lilies. Members of the Lilium spp. ...
- Marijuana. ...
- Sago Palm. ...
- Tulip/Narcissus Bulbs. ...
- Azalea/Rhododendron. ...
- Oleander. ...
- Castor Bean. ...
- Cyclamen.
- Cat Grass. While not as common as it is in dogs, many cats enjoy chewing on grass. ...
- Catnip. Yes, this is the same funny-smelling stuff found in many cat toys. ...
- African Violets.
- Bamboo Palm (also known as Parlor Palm)
- Areca Palm.
- Air Plants.
- Boston Fern.
- Phalaenopsis Orchids.
What kind of plants can cats eat?
Felines enjoy attractive edible flowers such as zinnias, marigolds and Johnny-jump-ups, as well as catnip, cat thyme, oat grass, rosemary and bean sprouts. Although catnip has a reputation as a cat favorite, you might want to try some on your cat before you plant it, because not all cats like it.
The nutritional changes that need to be made depend on the severity of the kidney disease, but in general, pets with kidney disease should be fed diets reduced in phosphorus, protein, and sodium and supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil.
Functions of the kidney
A cat suffering from CKD is likely to be experiencing both physical and emotional pain due to the number of side effects associated with the disease; vomiting, dehydration and anorexia for example.
Cats diagnosed with early disease have an average survival time of 3 years. Those with moderate disease live an average of 2 years. Those with advanced disease generally succumb to CKD within months. Despite these general rates, the survival time of any individual cat is impossible to predict.
How common is CKD? CKD can be seen in cats of any age, but is most commonly seen in middle to old-aged cats (those over 7 years), and it becomes increasingly common with age. It has been estimated that around 20-50% of cats over 15 years of age will have some degree of CKD present.
Functions of the kidney
A cat suffering from CKD is likely to be experiencing both physical and emotional pain due to the number of side effects associated with the disease; vomiting, dehydration and anorexia for example.
Each has different causes, treatments, and outlooks. Acute renal failure develops suddenly, over a matter of days or weeks. It happens in cats of all ages and is usually the result of: Poisons, which are the most common cause of acute renal failure.