Popular Easter Plant Could Kill Idaho House Cats Within Hours

Take it from someone who dropped a fortune at West Vet back in 2019, you do NOT want to risk this happening to kitty this Easter!

While you're shopping for your Easter ham, eggs to color and treats for your kids Easter baskets, you've probably noticed how many of the floral arrangements at Albertsons and Fred Meyer include Easter lilies. They are absolutely gorgeous flowers, but if you're a cat owner, enjoying their beauty for a few days is NOT worth the risk you run by bringing them into your home.

According to the Pet Poison Helpline, they are EXTREMELY poisonous to cats. Plants in this family include the Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter or Japanese Show Lily and they lead to severe acute kidney failure in house cats.  Every part of the plant is poisonous, including the pollen so simply putting them out of the cat's reach doesn't mean that the problem is solved.  Even drinking water from a vase that held lilies could lead to rapid kidney failure.

READ MORE: 9 Highly Toxic Plants You Need to Avoid in Idaho

Cats that suffer lily poisoning decline quickly so if they've been around the plant look for signs of vomiting, not being hungry, lethargy, dehydration, not urinating, urinating too frequently, walking drunk, disorientation and in some cases seizures.  There's no antidote for lily poisoning so you need to get that little guy (or girl) to the vet as soon as possible to get them on IV fluid therapy.  The sooner you get them in, the better chance they have at recovering without permanent kidney damage.

If you suspect that your cat is suffering from lily poisoning and ingested part of a lily plant, bring the plant with you. That could help your pet's medical team determine

You can reach West Vet's emergency room at (208) 375-1600 and the Pet Poison Hotline at (855) 764-7661.