Safety verdict
Consulted references classify the plant as toxic or irritating for that pet type.
Pet ingestion lookup
My cat ate Lily - what should I do?
Lilium species
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
Vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, increased thirst, and frequent urination.
Escalation note
Extremely severe; ingestion of even small amounts of pollen or petals can lead to acute kidney failure. Contact a veterinarian immediately if ingestion is suspected.
First aid at home
Get to a veterinary clinic now — there is no useful at-home treatment for lily exposure in cats. Do NOT try to make your cat vomit on your own; call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline first. If pollen is on the coat, gently wipe or wash it off so your cat can't groom it down. Bring a piece of the plant or a clear photo so the vet can confirm it's a true lily.
What to watch for
Early signs (the first few hours) are easy to miss: drooling, vomiting, decreased activity, and loss of appetite. By 12–24 hours you may see increased thirst and urination as kidney injury sets in; later you may see no urination at all, severe lethargy, or seizures, which signal advanced kidney failure.
Time window
GI signs (drooling, vomiting, appetite loss) typically appear within 0–12 hours. Kidney injury markers rise around 12–24 hours after ingestion; without treatment, fatal kidney failure can occur within 24–72 hours.
When to call the vet
Call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) and head to an emergency clinic immediately — even before symptoms appear. The treatment window is roughly 18 hours from ingestion; after that, kidney damage is often irreversible. Do not wait for vomiting or lethargy to confirm it.
What this means for your cat
True lilies (Lilium species) and daylilies are a feline emergency, not a wait-and-see plant. Every part is toxic to cats — petals, leaves, stem, pollen, and even the water in the vase — and a couple of nibbled leaves or pollen licked off the fur can cause acute kidney failure within 72 hours. If your cat has any contact with a lily, treat it as a poisoning until a vet says otherwise.
Sources: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, FDA.
Source references
Poison-control resources
This page summarizes source-bound plant-safety information and is not veterinary advice.