Deadly Easter flower for cats parents to bear in mind

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Amy Attas, DVM, founder of City Pets Vets in New York City and house-call veterinarian, urged cat owners to be mindful of the dangers lilies pose during the Easter season and beyond. According to an organizational release, the petals, pollen, and even vase water can cause feline kidney failure.¹

"They're beautiful and innocuous-looking, and they're also incredibly inviting to cats," expressed Attas in the release.¹

"This is one of those rare instances in which the entire plant—the stamen, the stem, the root, all parts of it—are toxic to cats to the point where most of the time it's deadly. If we catch it early enough, we can treat it. But it requires intensive treatment for the kidneys, often involving dialysis just as we would use in a human who had had kidney failure,” she added.

Attas noted that symptoms of ingestion in cats may take 1 to 2 days to show and include reduced appetite, greater thirst, lethargy, and increased urination as the feline goes into kidney failure (and by that point, it’s likely too late).¹ Therefore, even if the cat shows no signs, but there is evidence that a lily plant has been consumed, pet parents should seek immediate medical care, according to Attas.

"If you have a cat simply don't buy lilies; choose another flower for your Easter arrangement,” Attas concluded.

Reference

City Pets veterinarian Amy Attas warns Easter lilies lethal for cats. News release. City Pets Vets. April 12, 2022. Accessed April 13, 2022.https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/city-pets-veterinarian-amy-attas-warns-easter-lilies-lethal-for-cats-301524147.html