This Popular Spring Flower Is Highly Toxic To Cats

Animals | Trending

This Popular Spring Flower Is Highly Toxic To Cats

As spring approaches, bright blooms such as daffodils, tulips and lilies become a part of home decorations across the country.

Lilies in particular are very common this time of year. Although these flowers are beautiful to look at, you might want to think twice about incorporating them in your indoor decor or garden if you have pets, specifically cats.

Lilies, especially the Stargazer variety, are poisonous to cats and eating even just one leaf can be fatal. Every part of the plant is toxic including the leaves, petals, stem and pollen.

Symptoms of lily poisoning in felines include vomiting, hypersalivation, poor appetite, and loss of energy but as toxicity worsens it could lead to acute kidney failure and eventually death.

According to veterinarian, Dr. Eric Barchas, if caught early lily poisoning can be treated as long as you get your cat to a vet before it stops producing urine. He warned that the process can be a frustrating process for the animal, its owners and the doctor.

"If the exposure occurred within the last few hours and your cat has not already vomited, your vet will try to remove the plant matter from the stomach," Barchas wrote in blog post. "This process is called decontamination, and it is devilishly difficult in cats. It's complicated by the fact that cats cannot be reliably made to throw up by veterinarians or their owners."

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He also noted that even after decontamination, poisoned cats may still need to be hospitalized for a few days during which intravenous fluids are administered and "central venous pressure is monitored in some cases so that the fluids can be pushed to the limit of the heart's ability to withstand them."

If you're a cat owner, you can save yourself from such an experience by making your home and garden a lily-free zone. Don't get tempted by their beauty, there are plenty of other gorgeous blooms you can opt for instead. Your precious cat's life isn't worth the risk.

Remember to share this with everyone you know that has a cat!

Blair isn't a bestselling author, but she has a knack for beautiful prose. When she isn't writing for Shared, she enjoys listening to podcasts.