General Chat

Cowslip 15th August 2010 01:29 Request review

Just read the post about the dog being poisoned by slug pellets.

It reminded me of another potential garden risk to cats. The pollen and other parts of all Lilies are potentially fatal to cats. See the Link:

http://www.physorg.com/news157987446.html

I had no idea about this until last year and had been growing Lilies and have cats. The Lilies have now gone as I just wouldn't want to take the risk.
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Purple **^*Sparkly*^** Diamond 15th August 2010 03:25 Request review

Yes, I remember hearing about this a few years ago, there are some other plants that are harmful to cats too I think.

I've copied from the link to make it easier for people to read and digest the info, could save a cat's life.
Can you put this thread on General Topics as well to warn people, please Cowslip?


Lilies Deadly to Cats, Veterinarians Warn

April 3, 2009 Lilies, a floral reminder that winter has passed, frequently appear in homes during spring holidays as potted plants or cut flowers. But for cats, many lilies can be as lethal as they are lovely.

Members of the plant genus Lilium produce a chemical, present throughout the plant, that can cause a cat to suffer fatal kidney failure. It can be deadly for a cat to simply bite into a lily leaf or petal, lick lily pollen from its paws, or drink water from a vase containing cut lilies. Easter lilies, stargazer lilies, and Asiatic lilies seem to be the most hazardous of this group of plants.

“Some cats appear to be more susceptible than others to lily toxicity, and the severity of the resulting kidney failure also varies from cat to cat,” said veterinarian Julie Fischer of the UC Veterinary Medical Center-San Diego. “Some poisoned cats recover with minimal therapy, while others require weeks of dialysis to live long enough for the kidneys to repair themselves.”

She noted that many cats never recover kidney function following lily toxicity and die, or are euthanized, within just a few days of becoming ill.

“Symptoms of lily poisoning include vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite,” said UC Davis veterinary professor Larry Cowgill, co-director of the UC Veterinary Medical Center-San Diego “If cat owners suspect lily poisoning, they should contact their veterinarian immediately because a cat that has consumed the lily toxin very likely will experience kidney failure within 36 to 72 hours unless it receives appropriate treatment.”

The veterinarians note that while all plants of the Lilium genus should be considered extremely hazardous to cats, calla lilies and peace lilies, which don’t belong to the Lilium genus, are harmless to cats.

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thanks for putting this up Cowslip, I meant to look for it after I suggested you add the thread to this board but forgot

Lizx

I have one cat, out of my 3 (Betty) who will routinely eat my house plants!
It's not as if she's an indoor cat - there is a cat flap and plenty of overgrown grass outside - but whenever I bring a plant inside the little devil will chew it!!
All I have now is a Parlour Palm - something I know (from past experience) that I'm incapable of keeping alive - but I know Betty won't eat!!

If I receive flowers ( a rare occurence - I'd rather have a pot plant - it may last a week longer), half of them are removed before Betty gets to them.

Hi Maggie, your Betty sounds cheeky, trying out your plants like that.

One of my cats years back used to eat a Pandanus, which is a spiky kind of plant, the prickles just didn't seem to bother her. At that time I had no idea that some plants were dangerous for cats, should really print a list out and keep in case I ever get a plant for my friend with cats.

I was warned about the risk to cats from lillies before I got Oliver,so reluctantly got rid of them.
Good thing I did as he eats all the plants in the garden & nothing survives for long. Last spring I had about 40 crocuses & he ate the lot!!
never come across a cat who is so fond of vegetation.
As for flowers in the house, old clumsy clogs sees them off in less than 24 hours.

Goodness Pauline I had no idea that African Violets could have such an effect...how upsetting. Luckily my lot (3) are far too lazy to indulge in flowers. However they all like the Dracaeana and the Yucca, the Dracaeana has the advantage of making very good cat chasing toys with its dead leaves.....so I hope that isn't poisonous too.

Mine are far too interested in Pate and can hear a Pate packet being opened at a great distance.

Talking of Tomatoes Dizzie, one of my cats loves to raid the Kitchen Composting container but only takes tinned Tomatoes or rather the remains of them which he relishes, I think he may just be of Italian Descent but I am yet to investigate his tree fully.

Cowslip

http://www.moggies.co.uk/plants.html

There's a huge list of plants on the above site, too much to copy and paste on here.

Lizx

DizzieLizzie, I'd frame the card and put it up in the kitchen or the loo or somewhere where it would raise a smile lol

Have a look on the site I added for the complete list of dodgy plants , it's huge!

My Mum was good with the African violets and I had one or two but had to give them away when I moved out of my house for 6 weeks while work was done. When I moved back in there was still work ongoing and the heating didn't work well so I left the plants with my neighbour who had taken them in but since then she has gradually lost them.

Lizx

If you read on the back of some household spray's ie detox etc.It is also dangerous for pets while it is wet.