Lillies Can Kill
01 June 2009
Cats can be killed by lillies found in gardens and shop-bought bouquets, Cat's Protection has warned. We urge owners to be aware of the risks from the plants which are extremely toxic to cats.
Signs of poisoning from lillies include continued vomiting, blindness, paralysis, renal failure, coma and death. All parts of the plant are potentially poisonous - the leaves, pollen and flower. Cats can be affected after eating parts of the plant or simply by brushing past the flower and then grooming the pollen from the fur.
We can't emphasise enough just how dangerous lillies can be to cats and we urge owners to be aware of these risks. Lily poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning in cats. It's not just lillies in the garden that owners need to be aware of, as lillies are becoming increasingly popular in bouquets bought from shops and supermarkets - these can be just as lethal.
If you think your cat may have been affected by lillies, it is vital to get the cat to the vet as soon as possible as he will need urgent treatment.
Whilst lillies pose the biggest risk to cats, there are a number of other plants which may affect cats. For a full list of potentially dangerous plants, visit the Feline Advisory Bureau website on http://www.fabcats.org