Japanese Show Lily

Yes, Japanese Show Lily (Lilium speciosum) is highly toxic to cats. Even small amounts of any part of the plant — including petals, leaves, pollen, and vase water — can cause acute kidney failure. It is one of the most dangerous houseplants a cat owner can have.

Early signs appear within hours and include vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite. As kidney injury progresses over the following days, cats may show increased thirst and urination, then decreased urination — a sign of acute kidney failure. Untreated cases can be fatal.

Treat it as an emergency and act immediately — do not wait for symptoms to appear. Any cat that has chewed any part of the plant, licked pollen off its fur, or drunk from lily vase water needs urgent veterinary care. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away. Aggressive in-hospital treatment started early can prevent kidney damage.

There is no safe amount. Even tiny quantities — a nibble of a petal, licking a small amount of pollen from the fur, or drinking water from a vase containing the cut flower — are enough to trigger acute kidney failure in cats. The ASPCA notes that any suspected exposure should be treated as a veterinary emergency.

Japanese Show Lily (Lilium speciosum) is classified as non-toxic to dogs by the ASPCA, though the classification carries some uncertainty. Unlike cats, dogs are not known to suffer the severe kidney failure that lilies can cause in felines; the main risk for dogs is mild gastrointestinal upset if they chew or eat part of the plant.

The most likely signs are mild GI irritation: vomiting, diarrhea, or a short-lived loss of appetite after eating leaves, stems, or flowers. Older dogs or those with chronic illness may react more strongly than healthy adults. Severe or systemic symptoms are not documented for this plant in dogs.

Monitor your dog for vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy. Call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 if GI signs last more than a few hours, if your dog ate a large amount, if it stops eating, or if it shows signs of dehydration. Most cases of minor ingestion resolve within a day with supportive care.

True lilies are notorious for causing acute kidney failure in cats, but dogs do not share this vulnerability — the renal toxicity specific to cats has not been documented in dogs. For dogs, ingestion is associated only with general plant-material irritation of the digestive tract, and onset and duration figures are not well established because reactions are typically mild and self-limiting.