Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My cat ate Flame Lily - what should I do?
Gloriosa superba
Potentially toxic
Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison-control resource now, especially if any amount was chewed or swallowed.
Verified against ASPCA/provenance audit 2026-05-06 on May 6, 2026.
Signs to watch for
Drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and potential multi-organ failure.
Escalation note
This plant is considered highly toxic. Ingestion of any part, especially the tubers, is a medical emergency. Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center immediately if ingestion is suspected.
First aid at home
Get to a veterinarian now. Do not induce vomiting at home unless a veterinarian or poison-control toxicologist tells you to — colchicine toxicity needs IV fluids, controlled decontamination, and clotting and organ monitoring that can only be done in clinic.
What to watch for
Heavy drooling and bloody vomiting are usually first, followed by bloody diarrhea, weakness, and shock. Over the next 24–48 hours, kidney failure, liver failure, bone-marrow suppression, and disseminated intravascular coagulation can develop; a cat that stops urinating in that window has a poor prognosis.
Time window
First clinical signs typically about 2 hours after ingestion. Treatment is most effective if started within 3 hours; multi-organ damage progresses over 24–48 hours.
When to call the vet
Immediately, even before any signs appear. If you suspect ingestion, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) and get to an ER vet — do not wait for symptoms.
What this means for your cat
Cats: emergency. The toxic principle is colchicine, an alkaloid that attacks rapidly dividing cells throughout the body — every part of this plant is dangerous, and the tubers and seeds are the most concentrated. Without treatment within roughly three hours of ingestion, organ damage can be irreversible.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline.
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.