Lilies are beautiful, fragrant, and attractively exotic in appearance, but when it comes to cats, they can be extremely poisonous and potentially fatal.
If you suspect your cats have ingested any part of the lily (flower, leaves or stem), even if there may have been a possible exposure to the pollen (cats sniff and get pollen on their noses, or get it on their coats and licking it off.), this is a life-threatening emergency. Seek veterinary care immediately.
Several species of lilies are toxic to cats, including Easter lilies, Stargazer, Tiger, Japanese, Asian and day lilies. The toxic species are either from the lilium family or the Hemerocallis family (true and day lilies).
Signs of lily poisoning:
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Dehydration
- Renal failure
The first signs likely to occur are lethargy, a loss of appetite and sometimes vomiting. As the condition progresses, tremors and seizures may occur. Prolonged exposure will result in dehydration, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, and renal failure.
Regrettably, there are no cures for lily poisoning. If left untreated within a reasonable amount of time, death may occur. The sooner veterinary treatment is initiated, the better the prognosis. But prevention is better than treatment, so make sure that your cats can't come into contact with lilies.
Source: Pet Poison Helpline
Featured image by Aayush Srivastava