Plant
Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species)
An absolute emergency for cats. Even pollen or vase water can cause fatal kidney failure.
Life-threateningCats
AI-generated editorial illustration of the subject; not a photograph of a specific animal, product or case.
What to do right now
- 1.Remove the plant from the house entirely
- 2.Wipe pollen from the coat with a damp cloth before the cat grooms
- 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 notes and prevention
Treatment requires early decontamination and 48–72 hours of intravenous fluids with kidney monitoring. Do not keep true lilies in a home with cats.
Prepare the information your vet needs
- For Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species), report the exposure route: Eating any part, chewing leaves, or grooming pollen from the coat or paws. Tell the clinic the time, possible amount and your pet's species and approximate weight.
- Photograph the packaging, ingredient list or plant if safe. Do not handle contaminated material without protection or delay the call to identify it perfectly.
- Keep other animals away from the source. An animal may appear normal before signs develop; do not wait for symptoms or calculate a home 'safe dose'.
- Follow the clinic's transport instructions. Do not give food, medicines or home remedies unless instructed, and take packaging with you if available.
Educational reference, not an individual diagnosis or a verified professional review. Read our editorial policy.
Guidance libraries and further reading
These organisations publish relevant guidance. Their links are further reading, not evidence that they have reviewed this page.