Lily Poisoning in Cats

Lilies may seem like beautiful, fragrant, and harmless plants to humans, but they're extremely poisonous and potentially fatal for cats. Lily poisoning occurs when your cat consumes any part of the lily plant, including the flowers, stems, pollen, leaves, or the bulb. Even drinking from the water a lily is in can cause toxicity.

Kittens are particularly prone to lily poisoning given their curious nature and willingness to chew on plants as part of exploring their environment.

If you believe your cat is suffering from lily poisoning, or that they've ingested a lily or lily plant, you should seek immediate veterinary care. It is best to get them seen before any signs are showing rather than after, if at all possible.

Keep reading to find out why lilies are toxic to cats, the symptoms of lily poisoning, what treatment involves, and the prognosis for poisoned pets.

Symptoms of lily poisoning and can develop as soon as 2 hours after your cat has been exposed. Signs to watch for include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Increased urination and thirst
• Lack of urination (as toxicity progresses)
  
• Disorientation
• Inability to walk
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Kidney failure
• Death

If there's a delay of more than 18 hours between your cat ingesting lily and receiving treatment, irreversible kidney failure will most likely occur. However, the prognosis is generally good for cats that receive prompt treatment.

The exact toxin within lilies that causes poisoning in your cat is unknown. Poisoning occurs when your cat ingests the plant, either through curiosity or the desire to chew or eat the plant.

Indoor and outdoor cats are both susceptible as lilies are common household flowers and are particularly popular decorations come spring. 

Lilies of the genus Lilium (true lilies) or Hemerocallis (daylilies) are potentially fatal if your cat does not obtain immediate veterinary care after exposure. Types of lilies that are highly toxic to cats include:

• Tiger lilies
• Asiatic lilies
• Japanese show lilies
• Easter lilies
• Rubrum lilies
• Stargazer lilies
• Red lilies
• Western lilies
• Wood lilies

However, there are some plants that contain "lily" in their name but which are not as dangerous to cats as true lilies or daylilies. Varieties such as peace lilies, Peruvian lilies or calla lilies are still harmful to your cat, but they don't cause the acute kidney failure associated with true lilies and day lilies.

Lily of the valley and the gloriosa lily are 2 other varieties that are highly dangerous to cats. While they don't cause acute kidney failure, they're still highly toxic and can produce life-threatening symptoms. Urgent treatment is therefore essential if your cat ingests either of these plants.

Diagnosing lily poisoning in your cat begins with a thorough physical exam. Since it will be difficult for your vet to ascertain the exact type of poisoning from your cat’s symptoms, you should be prepared to describe in detail the approximate onset of symptoms as well as any worsening or improvement of the condition.

If you witness your cat ingesting or coming into contact with a specific plant, carefully bring a small portion of that plant with you to the vet visit so that your vet can more accurately and quickly make a diagnosis. However, be aware that vets are generally not trained to recognise plants and flowers.

Suspected poisoning of any kind is a serious medical condition and your vet may need to begin treatment prior to having complete confirmation of the condition. They will obtain blood and urine samples during your vet visit to test kidney function and assess any damage caused. However, do keep in mind, that kidney disease may not be detected for two to three days after exposure.

The first step when treating lily poisoning is to stabilize your pet if they are suffering from any life-threatening symptoms. 

Initially, your vet will induce vomiting, if the lily was consumed within the last few hours.

Your cat will be given medications to help reduce nausea and fluid therapy to help promote kidney function. 

Next, your vet may administer activated charcoal to your cat to absorb toxins. 

Your cat will be closely monitored to ensure healthy vital signs and proper organ function.

Your cat may be very sick after lily poisoning and will likely need to be admitted for an overnight stay and observation at a minimum.

In cases of lily poisoning that are caught early, your cat has a good chance of recovery. However, some animals may have long- or short-term organ damage as a result of poisoning. These conditions may be managed with the use of special medications, a prescribed diet and regular blood tests at your vet’s office.

Unfortunately, lilies are incredibly toxic and severe cases of poisoning may result in death. As lily poisoning is such a serious condition, your cat’s long-term recovery will depend on how quickly they receive veterinary care.

Lily poisoning can be expensive to treat. If you suspect your cat is at risk of lily poisoning, start searching for pet insurance today. Wag!’s pet insurance comparison tool lets you compare plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Embrace. Find the “pawfect” plan for your pet in just a few clicks!