Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Mark on March 28, 2007, 08:37:12 AM
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Email Sharon from Canterbury CP - I know there was a Lily warning the other day but hopefully more people will see this. Also symptoms to watch out for. Early treatment is essential.
Easter Lily Hazard For Cats
As spring approaches, lilies will become more common in households as potted plants or in bouquets. Unfortunately, several types of lilies can be deadly to cats. Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily, some species of day lily, and certain other members of the Liliaceae family can cause kidney failure in cats.
Within only a few hours of ingestion of the lily plant material, the cat may vomit, become lethargic, or develop a lack of appetite. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment by a veterinarian, the cat may develop kidney failure
All parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can cause severe poisoning. Cat owners should be aware of the dangers of lily ingestion and remove them from their cat's access.
Lilies that have been shown to cause kidney failure in cats include:
Note: This list is not all inclusive.
common name scientific name
Easter Lily Lilium Longiflorum
Tiger Lily Lilium Tigrinum
Rubrum Lily Lilium Speciosum
Japanese Show Lily Lilium Lancifolium
Day Lily Hemerocallis Species
Lily family
Toxicity rating: HIGH
Animals affected: The only reported toxicity is in cats.
Dangerous parts of plant: Leaves primarily, stems and flowers may also be toxic.
Class of signs: Gastrointestinal irritation (vomiting), depression, lack of appetite.
Signs: Upon consumption of Easter lily (the exact amount is unknown), the cats begin to vomit within an hour or so. The cat then becomes depressed over the next half day, presumably as the toxin begins to affect the kidneys. Within 48 to 96 hours after consumption, the cat will tend to show signs of clinical kidney failure: increased urination, depression, stomach upset, dehydration. Death tends to occur within 5 days.
First Aid: If a cat is seen eating Easter lily, contact a veterinarian immediately. If emergency treatment is begun within 6 hours of consumption, the chance are good that the cat will recover. This generally consists of emptying the gastrointestinal tract of the affected cat and intravenous fluid therapy in a hospital setting. If more than 18 hours has elapsed, the cat may not survive, even with emergency care.
Prevention: Easter lily is a popular plant at certain times of the year, and extra caution must be used when bringing these plants into the house where cats can get at them. Make sure the plant is kept away from cats, especially ones that like to nibble on things. If nibbling plants is unavoidable, have a selection of safe plants available (grass or catnip are two possibilities
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I lost my beautiful little Toffee @ only 18 months old last November from ingesting a lily leaf.
I hope your post Mark reminds people of how dangerous these plants can be.
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Sorry to hear about Toffee
I only found out recently myself. I think all Lilys should have warnings. This came by email from Sharon at Canterbury CP' I love Lilys but can't risk it as one of mine eats plant leaves instead of grass
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i knew about the lillys but thought it was the pollen in the yellow thing in the middle
i panicked the other day cayse my 4 yr old picked me some daffodils i put them in a vase on the window and mango went to lick the yellow thing in the middle
sre these poisoniouse
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I thought that too Cosmic. I buy oriental lillies and make sure I remove the pollen stuff as soon as they open. Should I chuck them all out? :(
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Rosella, there are sites that tell you what parts of lillies are dangerous, cos I think it depends on which kind you have.
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some daffodils i put them in a vase on the window and mango went to lick the yellow thing in the middle
sre these poisoniouse
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There are numerous lists of plants and lists of the parts of plants that are poisonings to cats, her is just one of them http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html.
I know many of them it is just a certain part of the flower that is poisonous but bare in mind a part of the poisonous part could have come into contact with the rest of the flower and spared its poison.
I am so pleased that my favourite flower Freesia (especially the apricot one) is not on the list (that list anyway).
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I love freesias too Ela so I guess I'll change to them