DID YOU KNOW LILIES KILL CATS Most cat owners don’t know it, but lilies are lethally toxic to cats. In fact, they’re 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 with cut lilies in it. All members of the Lilium group produce a chemical- present in all parts of the plant- that can damage cat kidneys, but Easter lilies, stargazer lilies, and Asiatic lilies seem to be the most hazardous. Some cats appear to be more susceptible than others to lily toxicity, and 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 kidneys to repair themselves. Many cats never recover kidney function following lily toxicity, and die or are euthanized within days of becoming ill. What to watch out for • Drooling • Vomiting (pieces of plant in the vomitus) • Loss of appetite • Increased urination, followed by lack of urination after 1 to 2 days • Dehydration If you think your cat may have chewed on or ingested lily, don’t wait for signs of illness- seek veterinary care immediately. Prevention If at all possible, do not have lilies in your house, not even as cut flowers. If you do have lilies in the house, make sure your cat cannot reach them and inform everyone in your household of the dangers lilies pose to the cat. Cats are less likely to chew on lilies in your yard, especially if there are more appealing things to chew on, like grass and catnip; however, it is best not to have any lilies in your yard.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:19:29 +0000
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