Reminder - Lilies are Poisonous to Cats

Antonio65

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One of my cat chewed on and ate part of the stem and leaves of a lily I had in a pot in the courtyard. I saw her doing this, so I rushed her to the vets and they induced her to vomit, and she threw up three leaves that were matching the missing part of the stem I had taken with me.
We were quick, less than an hour from the incident to the vets' intervention.

I gave the lily plant and pot to one of my neighbors.
 

posiepurrs

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While daylilies are poisonous to cats, they are NOT a true Lily. They belong to the hemerocallis spp instead of lilium spp. According to the fda.gov site, alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) will cause stomach upset - it is also NOT a true lily. While the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) isn’t a true lily either it is poisonous. Basically, I would suggest using the botanical name of any plant/flower and checking it out before adding it to your home. Common names can be misleading.
 

cmshap

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This is good to know and thanks for posting the reminder.

Does anyone have a more comprehensive list of all poisonous plants for cats? Google turns up lots of results but just wondering if anyone has a specific link you recommend.

My cat used to chew on a plant all the time, and he always vomited soon after. I removed the plant, but never looked into identifying it.
 

iPappy

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I had very very VERY briefly considered building my catio much larger, but decided against it because there are day lillies in the area that I wanted to enclose, and I didn't trust myself to actually dig them up correctly.
We've been gifted Easter Lillies before, and we keep them watered and set them outside on the porch. They have been fine.
 

nurseangel

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Thanks. DH and I had to dig up my beautiful clematis because when the kittens stayed outside, they were chewing on it. It's not a lily, but it is poison.
 

Meowmee

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This includes Easter Lilies!!!

View attachment 447017
One of my ig friend’s cats died from eating lilies….So tragic. I guess I was lucky because I used to have flowers in vases etc. and lots of plants and none of my cats then, who were indoor outdoor for the most part until a few years later were ever affected by them or tried to eat them. They seemed to know not to.

But with Quinn, he has a tendency to chew things so I was worried. So I don't have anymore flowers inside although I had some that were non poisonous at first I decided none was better just in case. I have only three plants left and he never chews them. A cactus, an agave and another safe leafy plant.

I bought this beautiful bonsai azalea on sale and kept it ouside until the winter when my neighbor took it in. But it died under her care. I read that azaleas are poisonous for cats.
 

iPappy

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I gave up having real plants inside. Goof loves to chew and Lila has a fascination with climbing things that aren't climbable (including me :sigh: ), I just assume most plants are bad for them and keep them outside. I tried a cherry tomato plant inside once and the tomatoes were always used as ping pong balls.
 

cmshap

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I gave up having real plants inside. Goof loves to chew and Lila has a fascination with climbing things that aren't climbable (including me :sigh: ), I just assume most plants are bad for them and keep them outside.
I had the same reaction. Except I don't have an "outside" where I can grow things, as I live in a city apartment.

But I got rid of all plants. Even the non-toxic ones, Willy chewed on obsessively.
 
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catloverfromwayback

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It’s just as well that I am no plant-grower and have nowhere inside to put a pot or a vase! The plants here are in the general flower beds where the babies have no access to them. On the few occasions I’ve had Daisy out for a walk there I stop her when she tries to nibble anything, because I don’t know what those plants are.
 

cmshap

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Thank you for this. My friend lost her maine coon to kidney failure after she consumed a lily🥺
I'm sorry to hear that!

I've heard of lillies being dangerous, but not this dangerous. Main Coon is a large breed, so if one lilly was enough to kill her, that's good info for people to know.
 

Zara12345

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I'm sorry to hear that!

I've heard of lillies being dangerous, but not this dangerous. Main Coon is a large breed, so if one lilly was enough to kill her, that's good info for people to know.
Hmm... from what I remember it wasn't 1 whole lily. Just a tiny bit. Every part of the plant I've heard is dangerous; from the flower to the pollen grains, leaves and even the water it sits on if its being used as a decorative. There just extremely toxic to cats☹
 

cmshap

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Hmm... from what I remember it wasn't 1 whole lily. Just a tiny bit. Every part of the plant I've heard is dangerous; from the flower to the pollen grains, leaves and even the water it sits on if its being used as a decorative. There just extremely toxic to cats☹
Again, good info to know. I wouldn't personally allow my cat to come close to lillies, but good to know they are so extremely toxic.
 

drustone

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Oh, I totally understand your concerns. Cats often have an affinity for nibbling on houseplants. However, it's essential to identify which plants are in your home because some can be toxic to our feline friends. For instance, the Pothos plant, while beautiful and easy to care for, is unfortunately toxic to cats. If ingested, it can cause oral irritation, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. You might want to check out this detailed guide on the topic here. It sheds light on the plants toxic to cats and what to do if your pet comes into contact with a poisonous plant.
 
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Alldara

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I'm sorry to hear that!

I've heard of lillies being dangerous, but not this dangerous. Main Coon is a large breed, so if one lilly was enough to kill her, that's good info for people to know.
That and poinsettias. Cats have been killed by just the pollen.

When we set up poinsettias at our old work, my boss told us in advance to bring a change of clothes to not harm our cats. It was probably overkill, but I appreciated his concern greatly.
 

Alldara

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drustone drustone So many of the "easy" plants are 😅

Ivy, most flowers, must bulbs...very popular things like ZZ plants, Ivys, crotons, snake plants and fiddle leaf figs...

I'm a plant lover so we do have many cat safe plants. But I actually had to rehome a Croton tree. They weren't chewing on it, but digging in the soil so it's not worth the risk. (My vet almost had a hernia when I said "I guess I'll have to rehome" and she was sputtering at the word rehome until I she heard "plant". Oops! 😂) It was high up on a plant stand... suitable to keep my elder cats away but not these young ones. Ah well. It actually flowered at its new home!

Best to get plants from a nursary if you have pets. That way you know what it is and can consult about whether or not it can cause harm.


Anyone wants some safe ideas:

Most true palms and ferns are safe, some herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage. African violets, moth orchids (not a true orchid, actually an "air plant" - true orchids are deadly), spider plants (though an opiate for cats), pepperomias.
 
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