Easter lilies are deadly toxic to cats, but are there cat-safe alternatives?
I was at work when I received a call from my sister, sobbing at the other end. Her cat, Misty, had died overnight.
“Do you have lilies in the house?” I asked.
“Yes I do, why?”
It started with a thoughtful gesture of love. Her husband likes to surprise her with her favorite bouquet of lilies. Unbeknownst to him, lilies are highly toxic to our beloved felines.
They’re so beautiful with their trumpet-like petals and filaments beckoning you to behold them and take a closer look. And your cat, being the curious beast that he is, is sure to take more than just a closer look. All parts of the lily are toxic, even the pollen and the water in the vase. Your cat does not have to ingest anything, just brushing against any part of the flower can collect pollen on his fur which your cat may ingest while grooming. Even the tiniest amount of ingested matter will cause acute kidney failure and eventually death, if not aggressively treated within the first few hours of ingestion. National Poison Prevention Month has passed, but awareness is key to prevent the dreaded visit to the emergency vet with your cat’s life hanging on the line. There are thousands of newbie cat owners out there and many do not know of the risks, so we hope you share this post for all to see.
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