Lilies and Cats
By Dr. Bronwyn Chisholm
With Easter fast approaching, the topic of lilies again pops up and for our feline friends these can pose a tremendous risk if they are curious chewers or nibblers:
Both true lilies (Lilium species) and daylilies (Hemerocallis species) can cause kidney failure in cats. Common examples of true lilies include Tiger, Asiatic, Easter, and Japanese Show lilies. Small ingestions of the petals or leaves – even the pollen or water in the vase – can result in severe, potentially irreversible kidney failure.
Despite their having ‘lily’ in their name, other plants such as the Peace and Calla lily are not true lilies and do not cause kidney failure in cats. Instead, these plants contain oxalate crystals that can cause milder signs such as irritation in the mouth, tongue, throat, and esophagus.
Even with incredibly intensive veterinary care, such as dialysis, treatment from lily toxicity is not always successful. So best to just prevent exposure!
For more information on common toxins to cats, go to: https://seasonsvetclinic.com/pet-health-resources/pet-health-articles/articles/?rid=374
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/lily-toxicity-the-potentially-fatal-danger-to-cats/
Tick season begins April 1st!
Breed of the Month:
Bengal Cats!
Bengals are show-stoppers on numerous fronts: their incredibly soft coat is beautifully patterned, and uniquely, they are the only domestic feline that can have rosette’s, similar to the wild cats like leopards (https://cfa.org/bengal/). They are very outgoing, active and athletic: the world is their playground! Some can be very talkative and in the vet clinic, they are never shy!
Here is what the beautiful Bengal, Oreo Blizzard’s owner’s have to say about him:
“Oreo Blizzard is everything but a cup of ice cream, although his cuddles give you the comfort ice cream does so that’s a plus! Oreo is full of kitten energy, and definitely loves to speak his mind; he will talk back all day long. His average day consists of parkour, many naps and terrorizing the dogs of the house.”
