April Showers Bring May Flowers

March 24, 2016

Spring has officially arrived and, along with longer days and much-needed sunshine, this season also brings an amazing plethora of plants and blooms to our homes and gardens. While beautiful to look at, some plants can be deadly to our feline friends.

With Easter right around the corner and Mother's Day close behind, we'd like to remind everyone to be careful when choosing bouquets for their home. At the top of the list of flowers to avoid are lilies. All members of the Lilium group (which include Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter, and Stargazer lilies) are toxic to cats, and even the slightest exposure can have a fatal impact on your kitty. Ingesting any part of the leaf or petal, licking the pollen from the lily's flower or off furry paws, or even drinking water from a vase of cut lilies can cause acute renal failure.

If you think your cat may have ingested any part of the lily plant, please seek veterinary care immediately. It's best not to wait for any signs of illness to develop, since symptoms of toxicity may not become apparent until a few days after ingestion, at which time severe kidney failure may have already occurred. These symptoms can include drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, and lethargy. If it is after hours, contact your closest 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic; you may also consult the Pet Poison Helpline at (800) 213-6680.