These flowers are now very popular in floral arrangements and although they may be beautiful to look at these plants can cause kidney failure in our beloved cats. Cat owners need to be aware that having these flowers in your home can prove fatal. As little as two leaves can make your cat sick.
Lily poisoning causes acute kidney failure and if you suspect your cat has eaten any, prompt veterinary attention is of utmost importance.
It can be deadly for a cat to simply bite into a lily leaf or petal, lick lily pollen from its paws or coat, or drink from a vase containing cut lilies.
The Symptoms
- Drooling
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Vomiting
- Increased urination, followed by lack of urination after 1 to 2 days
- Mouth ulcers
What to do
Prompt medical treatment is absolutely vital, the sooner your cat sees a vet, the better. If you suspect lily poisoning, they should contact their veterinarian immediately because a cat that has consumed the lily toxin very likely will experience kidney failure within 36 to 72 hours unless it receives appropriate treatment. In general if you do have cats in your house, we would advise choosing other flowers ideally or keeping them in another room away from your cats.
Please note, the peace lily is from the Araceae family and therefore differs Lily’s from the Liliaceae family.If possible taking a piece of the lily plant to the vet will help with the process.
