The Holidays are upon us again and many people partake in the tradition of giving an Easter Lily plant. If there is a cat in the house, please do not do so as this may have fatal consequences.
All parts of the Lily plant are toxic to plants – this includes Lilium sp. and Hemerocallis sp. – Easter, Tiger, Asiatic and Daylilies.
Ingesting any part of the plant or touching the flowers and grooming the pollen off of their fur can lead to acute kidney failure – less than one leaf chewed upon, flower ingested, walking through or brushing against the pollen and licking it off the fur.
If you suspect your cat may have come in such contact take them to your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately as time is of the essence in saving their kidney function and thus their lives.
Signs that they may have ingested part of the lily can include:
– vomiting, inappetance, increased water intake, increased urination, lethargy, hiding
– once the kidneys shut down completely your cat may no longer urinate
Time is critical in treating lily ingestion/exposure. If early enough you veterinarian may induce vomiting to remove any remaining lily substance from the stomach. Then administer activated charcoal by mouth to try to absorb the toxins in the GI tract thus limiting them entering the bloodstream. Your cat will also need IV fluid therapy, usually for 48 hours, to ensure the kidneys are flushed out and hydrated to preserve their function.
If treated early enough the prognosis for a full recovery is good.
Try incorporating a Cat-Friendly Flower into your Holiday Tradition instead. For more information visit the ASPCA toxic plant website to find out what is and is not safe for your pets and what issues exposure may cause if toxic.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic…
