It’s almost Easter and we all want our houses to be festive and colorful this time of year after a long winter. While flowers are a great way to brighten up any Easter holiday, there are some flowers that can be very dangerous for our cats.
Lilies are beautiful and festive, but certain types of Lilies are incredibly toxic to cats, and even the tiniest of exposure can be fatal.
The most dangerous Lilies belong to the Lilum and Hemerocallis species, which include:
- Easter Lily
- Tiger Lily
- Stargazer Lily
- Daylily
- Oriental Lily
- Asiatic Lily
Every part of these Lilies is toxic to cats: petals, leaves, stems, pollen, and even the water in the vase. Just brushing against a Lily and then grooming themselves can expose a cat to the toxin.
If a cat is exposed, within a few hours of ingestion or contact, cats may start showing signs of poisoning. The toxins in Lilies target the kidneys and can lead to acute kidney failure within 24 to 72 hours if not treated quickly.
Early signs to watch out for are drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, and increased urination. If left untreated, symptoms may progress to severe dehydration, decreased urination, and collapse. All of these signs show that the kidneys may be seriously affected by the toxin and immediate veterinary care is needed.
If you do have a Lily in your house and suspect your cat has ingested or come in contact with the plant visit us in urgent care at any of our eight hospitals in Massachusetts or Rhode Island or visit your local 24/7 emergency medical center. If you can take a picture of the Lily or bring it with you for your visit in a plastic bag.
If ingestion was recent, the team will induce vomiting immediately and use activated charcoal to absorb the toxins. We will use IV fluids to support kidney function. Most times in urgent care we will work with a 24/7 emergency hospital to set up overnight hospitalization and ongoing monitoring of the cat to see if their health improves. Don’t hesitate to come to urgent care should you need care immediately, as the sooner a veterinary team can intervene the better. Book online or view our hours before you walk-in at veturgentcare.com