Ingestion of lillies including Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum), tiger lilies (Lilium tigrinum), rubrum or Japanese showy lilies (Lilium speciosum and Lilium lancifolium), and various day lilies (Hemerocallis species) can potentially cause toxicity and kidney failure in cats.
Cats affected by the toxin may vomit within a few hours of ingestion but the vomiting often settles within a few hours, and during this time the affected cat may appears normal or mildly depressed or anorexic. Kidney failure can then develop in 24 to 72 hours after ingestion and cats may then develop vomiting, depression, lack of appetite and collapse.
All parts of the lily are potentially toxic if ingested including the flowers, leaves and the pollen. Tiny amounts, even licking the pollen from their coat or drinking the water that the lilies are in, can cause toxicosis, so any exposure to true lilies should be treated immediately.
True lilies (Lilium spp.) like Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Asiatic/Oriental lilies and Day lilies (Hemerocallis spp.) can cause vomiting in dogs but not kidney failure as they do in cats
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) and Calla lilies (Zantedeschia spp.) contain crystals that can cause oral and gastrointestinal irritation in dogs and cats but not acute renal failure.
Cats affected by the toxin may vomit within a few hours of ingestion but the vomiting often settles within a few hours, and during this time the affected cat may appears normal or mildly depressed or anorexic. Kidney failure can then develop in 24 to 72 hours after ingestion and cats may then develop vomiting, depression, lack of appetite and collapse.
All parts of the lily are potentially toxic if ingested including the flowers, leaves and the pollen. Tiny amounts, even licking the pollen from their coat or drinking the water that the lilies are in, can cause toxicosis, so any exposure to true lilies should be treated immediately.
True lilies (Lilium spp.) like Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Asiatic/Oriental lilies and Day lilies (Hemerocallis spp.) can cause vomiting in dogs but not kidney failure as they do in cats
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) and Calla lilies (Zantedeschia spp.) contain crystals that can cause oral and gastrointestinal irritation in dogs and cats but not acute renal failure.
For more information about lily toxicity in cats visit www.noliliesforcats.com
If you are in Greater Melbourne or surrounds please call 9092 0400 for immediate assistance.