LETHAL LILIES

Lilies are becoming more common in households as potted plants or in bouquets. Every cat owner must be alert to the fact that several types of Lily pose a potential health hazard to their pets.

Lilies are extremely poisonous to cats. Signs of poisoning can include continued vomiting, blindness, paralysis, renal failure, coma and death. It is not only the ingestion of the plant that can cause such signs in cats, brushing past the flower and then grooming the pollen from the fur can also have the same effect.

Identified as the most dangerous types of lily are:

• Easter Lily (Lilium Longiflorum) (pictured right)

• Tiger Lily (Lilium Tigrinum)

• Rubrum Lily (Lilium Speciosum)

• Stargazer Lily (Lilium Orientalis)

• Japanese Show Lily (Lilium Lancifolium)

• Asiatic Lilies

•  species of the Day Lily (Hemerocalis)

..... but do take care with all types of Lily.

As Lilies are becoming increasingly popular in bouquets, incidents of poisoning are increasing according to the RSPCA - but do not panic, just use your common sense when dealing with lilies and avoid including them in bouquets. The RSPCA is currently campaigning for clearer labelling about the dangers to cats on bouquets and plants.

The best way to protect your cat is never to bring a Lily plant into your home and never give Lilies as a gift to anyone who owns a cat.