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Plant

Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species)

An absolute emergency for cats. Even pollen or vase water can cause fatal kidney failure.

Life-threateningCats

What to do right now

  1. 1.Remove the plant from the house entirely
  2. 2.Wipe pollen from the coat with a damp cloth before the cat grooms
  3. 3.Go to a veterinary practice immediately — outcomes depend on treatment within hours

Symptoms

  • Drooling and vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Increased then absent urination
  • Collapse

Details

Category
Plant
Toxicity
Life-threatening
Species affected
Cats
Routes of exposure
Eating any part, chewing leaves, or grooming pollen from the coat or paws
Urgency
An absolute emergency for cats. Even pollen or vase water can cause fatal kidney failure.

Veterinary treatment

Treatment requires early decontamination and 48–72 hours of intravenous fluids with kidney monitoring. Do not keep true lilies in a home with cats.

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