Do you have a cat that you love in your household? Do you also happen to keep lilies in your home or garden? If so, you could have a major medical emergency for your cat just waiting to happen.
While flowers are incredibly popular gifts and look lovely in any home, there are some types of flowers that should never be brought into a cat-friendly home, with lilies at the top of that list. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at why lilies are so dangerous for cats to be around, the symptoms to watch for, how quickly lily poisoning can become fatal, and what to do if you suspect your cat has been exposed.
Are Lilies Toxic to Cats?
Yes, lilies are extremely toxic to cats. The entire lily plant, including the leaves, stem, and petals, is considered toxic, and even small exposures to lilies, like ingesting their pollen, chewing on a single leaf, or drinking water from the vase where lilies were held, can cause life-threatening illness in cats.
“True” lilies are considered the most dangerous type of lilies to cats and should never be brought into a cat-friendly home. True lilies, which are most often fatal to cats, include the following lily varieties:
- Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum)
- Tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium)
- Asiatic lilies (various hybrids of Lilium)
- Stargazer lily (Lilium orientalis hybrid)
- Japanese Show lily (Lilium speciosum)
- Rubrum lily (Lilium speciosum rubrum)
- Wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum)
- Daylilies (Hemerocallis species – all types)
While we have yet to discover exactly what toxin in lilies affects cats so dramatically, we do know that the specific toxin in true lilies primarily affects a cat’s kidneys. Ingestion of any part of a lily plant, no matter how small, can quickly lead to acute kidney failure due to the toxin damaging the renal tubular cells. Interestingly, cats appear to be the only furry friend to develop kidney injury from the beautiful plant of lilies.
However, true lilies aren’t the only lily varieties that pose a threat to our feline friends. Other lilies that don’t fall under the “true” classification can still greatly impact a cat’s health and can include:
- Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) – While not a true lily, these plants are still highly toxic. They contain cardiac glycosides that affect a cat’s heart, and commonly cause vomiting, irregular heartbeat, seizures, and can be fatal in some cases.
- Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) – These lilies contain insoluble calcium oxalates that can cause mouth irritation, drooling, pawing at the mouth, and vomiting, but not kidney failure.
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum species) – Similarly to the calla lily, peace lilies can cause mouth irritation, drooling, and mild GI upset in cats.
- Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria species) – This type of lily generally causes only mild stomach upset, and is considered much less dangerous than true lilies.
- Flame Lily (Gloriosa superba) – These lilies are not only toxic to cats, but also to dogs and humans. These lilies contain the toxic agent colchicine, which is incredibly poisonous if ingested and can cause multiple organ failure in cats.
Despite these differences in toxicity, it’s a good idea to assume that if a plant has “lily” in the name, it’s dangerous to cats and shouldn’t be in your home or garden. Additionally, because all types of lilies are dangerous for cats, exposure to them should always be treated as an emergency.
Symptoms of Lily Poisoning in Cats
The first signs of lily poisoning in cats often appear within just a few hours of exposure. Common early symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy (weakness and fatigue), and dehydration. In some cases, cats may also develop pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which can cause additional symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and repeated vomiting.
One of the challenges with lily toxicity is that clinical signs may not appear immediately. Some cats show few or no obvious symptoms in the first 24–48 hours, even as serious internal damage is already occurring. By the time noticeable signs of kidney failure develop—such as increased thirst, excessive urination, or complete lack of urination – the prognosis is often poor.
Understanding the Timeline for Symptoms of Lily Poisoning in Cats
Early Signs (within 1–12 hours):
- Vomiting
- Drooling
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
Progressive Signs (12–24 hours):
- Increased thirst and urination (early kidney damage)
- Abdominal pain
- Continuing vomiting
Late Signs (24–72 hours):
- Little to no urination (advanced kidney failure)
- Severe lethargy, depression
- Neurological signs (tremors, seizures) due to toxin buildup
- Death if not treated aggressively
Can Lilies Kill Cats?
Unfortunately, yes, lilies – especially true lilies – can be lethal to cats. Mortality rate can be impacted by how quickly veterinary care is received, as well as the individual cat’s susceptibility to the toxins. A study published in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association analyzed data from 57 domestic cats exposed to lilies and found that:
- 93% of affected cats received prompt veterinary care
- 87% of cats had no lasting symptoms or only brief signs that resolved
- Only about 5% showed renal insufficiency at follow-up
- Another 5% were euthanized due to renal failure
Another study, which analyzed nearly 200 instances of poisoning in cats and dogs between 2016 and 2020, included six cats that were exposed to the toxins in lilies. Of the six cats, three developed acute kidney injury and were humanely euthanized as a result.
Because this poisoning is frequently fatal without prompt treatment, immediate veterinary care is absolutely essential. The sooner a cat receives medical attention, the greater the chance of survival.
What to Do If Your Cat Is Exposed to Lilies
Lilies are especially dangerous to cats because they do not need to be ingested in order to cause severe health complications, unlike some other plants toxic to cats. Even the water from a vase containing lilies, or pollen brushed off onto a cat’s coat and then ingested during grooming, can be enough to cause fatal toxicity, so in the event that your cat is exposed to lilies, you need to get your cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The prognosis for cats can improve dramatically when veterinary intervention is given immediately after exposure.
It’s important that pet owners know that there is no antidote for lily poisoning in cats. If intervention is sought early enough, your veterinarian can get your cat cleaned up and free of pollen or plant debris, provide supportive care, and help treat the clinical signs that can occur from the toxicity of lilies. Early and aggressive intervention is always vital for cats with lily toxicity, as your veterinarian will likely need to administer IV fluid therapy to flush out the toxins and monitor the patient to ensure symptoms don’t worsen.
What About Lilies and Dogs?
If you have a multi-pet household with both cats and dogs, you may also be wondering, “Are lilies poisonous to dogs, too?” and the answer is yes. Lilies are toxic to dogs, but are not affected in the same way as cats are.
Unlike cats, dogs do not typically develop kidney failure from eating true lilies (Lilium or Hemerocallis species). Instead, they may experience gastrointestinal upset, such as drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite, if they chew on the plant. While these symptoms can be uncomfortable for dogs, they are usually not life-threatening with prompt veterinary care.
However, other lily varieties that aren’t classified as “true lilies” can be far more dangerous to dogs. Lily of the Valley is extremely toxic to dogs and can cause irregular heart rhythms, seizures, and even death. The Calla Lily and Peace Lily can cause irritation of the mouth, drooling, and stomach upset, and the Flame Lily will act similarly to how it does in cats and can potentially cause organ failure.
So while dogs aren’t at risk of kidney failure like cats are, lilies can still make them very sick, and in some cases, even be fatal. Because of this, the safest choice for any pet-friendly home is to avoid lilies altogether. Trust us, your pets will thank you!
If you have questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (561) 786-1100, or you can email us at customerservice@cvcboca.com. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram.