As we move into spring you might be looking to spruce up your garden with all your favourite plants and flowers but there’s one you should be careful of.
The PDSA is warning gardeners about the dangers of spring-flowering lilies which could present a “life-threatening” danger to cats.
The charity’s warning comes as a nine-month-old kitten was poisoned and had to be rushed for emergency treatment.
Zainab Bibi, 22, from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, found her grandmother’s cat Lewi behaving strangely with orange powder around her mouth.
She saw a bouquet containing lilies in the neighbour’s garden and called the vet because she knew these were toxic to cats.
Why are lilies toxic for cats?
If cats eat the leaves, petals or pollen of lilies, they can develop kidney damage which can lead to death if left untreated.
Seveal types of lilies are dangerous to cats, even in small amounts, including the Asiatic lily, tiger lily, stargazer lily and Easter lily.
Symptoms to look for if you think your cat has been poisoned by lilies
The main symptoms that can occur are:
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Refusal to eat
- Twitching
- Drooling
- Drinking or urinating more than usual
If your cat has been exposed to lilies, you should contact your vet immediately for an appointment.
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The vet team in Wolverhampton cleaned the staining from Lewi’s tongue and admitted her for a fluid drip and blood tests.
Her kidneys had not yet been impacted by the toxins so she was discharged to recover at home with her owners.
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Laura Hodgkiss, a vet at Wolverhampton PDSA, said: “Like Lewi’s owner, if anyone believes their cat has been exposed to lilies, even if they aren’t displaying symptoms, it’s important to contact their vet immediately.
“Lily poisoning is something that often goes unnoticed, which means treatment gets delayed and lily toxins have time to damage the kidneys. Sadly, if lily poisoning isn’t treated quickly, it can be fatal.”
Ms Bibi said: “Without the PDSA’s help, it’s very likely Lewi could have developed long-term kidney damage or may not have even survived, which is awful to think about.”
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