Are Lilies Poisonous to Cats?

What to do right now

Do not wait for symptoms. A cat that has eaten lily can look normal for hours while the kidneys are already being damaged, and the FDA notes that if treatment is delayed 18 hours or more, the cat will generally have irreversible kidney failure. Call your vet or an emergency clinic first, then poison control if you need help identifying the plant or deciding how urgent it is. ASPCA Animal Poison Control is (888) 426-4435 and Pet Poison Helpline is (855) 764-7661; both may charge a consultation fee.

While you are on the phone, put the plant somewhere your cat cannot reach and take a photo of it, or bring a flower or the plant tag to the clinic, so the vet can confirm the species. Wipe any yellow pollen off your cat's face and fur with a damp cloth so they cannot groom more of it off, and keep them in one room. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home and do not give any human medicine or home remedy.

Which lilies are dangerous to cats

The dangerous ones are the true lilies of the genus Lilium and the daylilies of the genus Hemerocallis. The FDA lists Asiatic, Easter, Japanese show, Oriental, rubrum, stargazer, tiger and wood lilies alongside daylilies as highly toxic. These are the lilies sold in Easter pots, Mother's Day and sympathy bouquets, and planted in summer flower beds across the country, so a cat can meet one indoors or out.

Some plants called lilies are not true lilies and work differently. Lily of the valley contains compounds that affect the heart and is dangerous to both cats and dogs. Gloriosa lily can cause multi-system organ failure. Peace lilies and calla lilies contain crystals that irritate the mouth and cause drooling and pawing at the face rather than kidney failure. If you are unsure which plant you have, treat it as dangerous and call.

Why lilies are so toxic, and which parts matter

Every part of a true lily or daylily is toxic to cats: the leaves, stem, petals, pollen, roots and the water in the vase. Pet Poison Helpline states that there is no safe amount. That is why lily poisoning so often surprises owners. A cat does not have to eat the flower. Brushing past an arrangement, getting pollen on its coat and grooming it off later is enough, and so is drinking from the vase.

The exact toxin has not been identified, but the result is well described: it damages the cells of the kidneys. Cats appear to be uniquely sensitive. Dogs that eat true lilies may get an upset stomach, but they do not develop the same kidney failure, which is one reason the risk to cats is easy to underestimate in a mixed-pet household.

Signs of lily poisoning in cats, hour by hour

According to the FDA, early signs start 0 to 12 hours after exposure: a quieter-than-usual cat, drooling, vomiting and loss of appetite. Some cats vomit once and then seem to recover, which can be falsely reassuring. Between about 12 and 24 hours, signs of kidney damage appear, such as increased urination and dehydration.

Kidney failure can follow within 24 to 72 hours, when a cat may stop urinating, become weak or hide, and the condition can be fatal without treatment. By the time these later signs are obvious, the chance of saving the kidneys is much smaller. Treat any known or suspected exposure as an emergency, whatever your cat looks like at the moment you notice.

What the vet will do

Treatment depends on how soon your cat is seen. If the exposure was very recent, a vet may make your cat vomit under controlled conditions and give activated charcoal to reduce how much toxin is absorbed. The main treatment is intravenous fluids, usually for a couple of days in hospital, to protect and flush the kidneys while the vet repeats blood tests to track kidney values.

Early care greatly improves the outlook, and many cats treated promptly recover. Cats seen late, once kidney failure has set in, need far more intensive care and may not survive. That difference is the whole reason for calling straight away, even at night or on a holiday weekend, rather than waiting until morning to see whether symptoms appear.

Keeping lilies away from your cat at Easter and all year

The only reliable prevention is not to have true lilies or daylilies anywhere your cat can reach. Ask florists to leave lilies out of bouquets, check the flowers in any arrangement you receive, and pass on Easter lilies as gifts. If someone sends you one, put it outside or give it away rather than trying to keep it on a high shelf, because pollen drops and cats climb.

If your cat goes outdoors, avoid planting lilies and daylilies in the yard. Safer choices for cat households include roses, sunflowers, snapdragons, orchids and many herbs, though any plant can cause mild stomach upset if a cat eats a lot. When in doubt, check a plant against the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant lists before bringing it home.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.