Lilies and cats can be a deadly mix

If you still have any Easter lilies in your house — and you have a cat — you should put those plants outside now. Because Easter lilies and cats can be a deadly combo.

And it’s the entire plant that’s extremely toxic to felines. The leaf, flower and even a few grains of pollen can put them into kidney failure.

When cats ingest any part of a lily plant, they will usually vomit right away. But don’t think that gets it all out of their system. They still need immediate veterinary help.

An FDA veterinarian says the initial vomiting will lessen over the next few hours. In the next 12 to 24 hours your cat may start to urinate a lot.

After that, if kidney failure sets in, the cat will stop urinating. The kidneys will no longer be able to produce any urine. Without medical help, your cat could die in just a few days.

The urinary symptoms are especially telling for this type of poisoning with young cats and kittens, as their kidneys are usually healthy.

Other types of lily plants can be dangerous to cats too, but in different ways.

Calla and Peace lilies can irritate their mouth and esophagus. And Lily of the Valley varieties don’t seem to affect their kidneys, but can damage the heart.

If you have a dog, it’s not as big a worry. Lilies don’t seem have the same deadly effect on pups as they usually only cause some mild stomach issues if eaten.

So even though Easter lilies are certainly a beautiful sign that spring is finally here, if you have a kitty, it’s one best enjoyed in someone else’s house!

Sources:

“Keep lilies away from your cats” FDA consumer update, fda.gov