Pet safety reference

True Lily

Lilium

True lily species — all parts are extremely and often fatally toxic to cats; requires an explicit emergency escalation message, not a casual safety note.

Check a list
Asiatic lilyEaster lilyLiliumLilyOriental lilyTiger lilyTrue lily
Light
bright indirect to sun
Habit
bulb
Care
moderate

Safety status

If a pet has chewed or swallowed plant material and is showing symptoms, contact a veterinarian or poison resource immediately. This product is for structured reference, not diagnosis.

Cats — concern notes

Common signs

Vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite progressing to acute kidney failure within 24-72 hours of ingesting any part including pollen.

Escalation note

Life-threatening for cats. Treat any suspected exposure — even licking pollen — as a veterinary emergency.

Dogs — concern notes

Common signs

GI upset such as vomiting and diarrhea is the main documented sign; kidney failure is not the typical feline pattern seen in dogs.

Escalation note

Risk is far lower for dogs than cats, but large ingestions still warrant veterinary guidance.

Safer alternatives

Safer pick
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum

Pet-safe stand-in — and not classified as toxic to cats or dogs.

Generally safe for cats & dogs.

Safer pick
Prayer Plant
Maranta leuconeura

Same moderate care routine — and not classified as toxic to cats or dogs.

Generally safe for cats & dogs.

Safer pick
Round-leaf Calathea
Goeppertia orbifolia

Same moderate care routine — and not classified as toxic to cats or dogs.

Generally safe for cats & dogs.

Source evidence

ASPCA: Lilies

toxicology · 99% reliability

Open source

ASPCA describes true lilies (Lilium) as extremely toxic to cats, causing acute kidney failure.

Pet Poison Helpline: Lily

veterinary · 97% reliability

Open source

Pet Poison Helpline rates lilies as a severe feline emergency with rapid progression to kidney failure.

Same safety verdict

Other plants with the same verdict

Daylily
Hemerocallis

Garden daylily that is not a true Lilium but is also acutely toxic to cats; commonly confused with true lilies.

Potentially toxic for cats.

Uncertain for dogs.

Same growing conditions

Plants for the same room

Sago Palm
Cycas revoluta

Sold in garden centers as a palm-like houseplant but is a cycad with severe, potentially fatal toxicity for cats and dogs.

Potentially toxic for cats & dogs.

Ponytail Palm
Beaucarnea recurvata

Not a true palm but an Agavaceae succulent commonly sold in pet-safe plant roundups; low-risk profile for cats and dogs.

Generally safe for cats & dogs.