Ask a Florist: Easter Lilies and Cats

One of the most frequent questions we get this time of year is about whether Easter Lilies are poisonous to their pets.
The National Animal Poison Control Center says that certain types of lilies can cause kidney failure in cats that have ingested any part of the lily. Specifically those known as the Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter, and Japanese Show lilies are shown to be poisonous to cats. 
​Thankfully, lily poisoning doesn’t cause kidney failure in dogs, but if a large amount is ingested, it can result in some gastrointestinal signs in our canine friends.

How Much? Just 2-3 leaves, or even the pollen groomed off the fur, can result in poisoning in a cat.
If untreated, acute kidney failure will develop and be fatal.

What about other types of lilies?
​Other types of lilies such as Peace, Peruvian, and Calla lilies don’t cause deadly kidney failure, but they also can be mildly poisonous too, as they contain oxalate crystals which result in tissue irritation to the mouth, tongue, pharynx, and esophagus – resulting in minor drooling.
If your cat is seen consuming any part of a lily, bring your cat (and the plant) immediately to a veterinarian for medical care.

Anchor Floral recommends keeping all lilies out of the reach of cats. ​