Cats are one of the very few species that get affected by lilies. Lilies mostly cause renal failure in cats. Lilies are one of the houseplants that endanger cats to a very serious level. 72% of cat owners whose cats were exposed to lilies were not aware of the toxicity of the plant.

Lily nephrotoxicity
Lily nephrotoxicity is the poisoning of your kidneys due to ingestion or any sort of contact with lilies. Cats are the most affected by lilies. Its kidney will most likely be affected within 72 hours of ingesting lilies. The toxin produced by lilies is soluble in water and is present in all parts of the plant including leaves, pollen, stem, flower, etc.

How to determine if a lily is toxic
To find out if a lily is poisonous for your cat or not, check the scientific name of that lily. A scientific name is divided into genus and species. If the genus name of a lily plant is “Lilium” or “Hemerocallis”, it is most likely that they are the ones to watch out for when you are looking out for houseplants that endanger cats. Some plants under these species are Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Daylilies, Asiatic lilies, etc.

Signs and symptoms of poisoning
Poisoning symptoms occur within 6-12 hours of contact with a lily. Early signs are:

• Excessive drooling
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Dehydration

If unattended to, the symptoms worsen and cause:

• Acute kidney failure
• Lack of urinating or excessive urinating
• Lack of thirst or an unquenchable thirst
• Inflammation of pancreas
• Disorientation
• Seizures
• Unstable walking

Even the smallest amount of the plant or a few pollen grains can cause a severe reaction.

What you must do if you notice a symptom
If acute kidney failure is unattended to immediately, there are chances that it can prove fatal. If you feel like your cat has serious symptoms of lily nephrotoxicity, call your veterinarian immediately and ask what to do. If you can, try inducing vomit from your cat to expel most of the toxins.

Diagnosis
When there is a suspicion of lily ingestion, the vet usually makes the cat vomit in order to observe if the vomit contains pieces of the lily plant to confirm any sort of diagnosis. The lilies attack the blood and urine, and hence, those samples will also be taken to confirm the test.

Treatment

• Activated charcoal is generally administered orally to cats to absorb all the remaining toxins from the gut after puking
• High volumes of fluids are given intravenously to avoid dehydration which worsens the condition of the kidneys
• These fluids are administered over two days while monitoring your cat’s urine output and the kidney’s condition

Prevention

• If possible, try to avoid purchasing lilies as they are houseplants that endanger cats
• If you have lilies, then make sure they are placed outside the reach of your cat
• Educate everyone in and around the house about the dangers that lilies pose to your cat