Easter Warnings for Pet Parents

With Easter approaching, lilies will be given and received by man. Did you know that many of the most common lilies are toxic to cats? This is just one of our Easter warnings for pet parents.

“Lilies are extremely poisonous to cats,” said Dr. Jerry Klein, supervising veterinarian at Chicago Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center. “Ingesting any part of a lily plant can cause serious illness or even lead to death. Because many lilies are so highly-poisonous to cats, prompt veterinary care is required.”

Many of the most common lilies are the most toxic to cats including Asiatic, Day, Easter, Stargazer and Tiger Lilies. All parts of the lily are poisonous to cats including the flower, leaves and pollen. A cat can even be poisoned by drinking water that lilies were stored in. Cats that ingest any part of a lily may develop acute renal failure and die within days.

Our friends at petMD tell us that many plants are toxic to dogs. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to discourage them from chewing on or ingesting any vegetation, especially the plants listed in this helpful article from petMD.

“Cats will chew on plants. And, because they love to climb and explore, it is difficult to keep plants out of their reach. Therefore, if you are going to have plants in your house, or if you let your cat out in your yard, you need to be able to accurately identify the plants to which your cat will be exposed. When in doubt, however, it is best to remove the plant from your home,” petMD reports.

This list of plants that are toxic to cats as well as the most commonly encountered toxic plants should be kept handy.

Here is a very helpful infographic about Lily plants and their dangerous appeal to cats, including what to do if there is an issue: (click on the infographic to enlarge)