Lilies poisoning in dogs and cats
Toxic agent: Unidentified nephrotoxin in Lilium and Hemerocallis species · Reviewed 2026-08-18
Phone a vet now, before reading on. Have ready: your pet's weight, roughly how much was eaten and when, and the packaging if there is any. ASPCA Animal Poison Control (+1 888 426 4435), Pet Poison Helpline, or Animal PoisonLine in the UK.
True lilies and daylilies cause acute kidney failure in cats, and the amount required is trivial — chewing one or two leaves, or grooming pollen off a paw, has killed cats.
What it actually does
An unidentified compound in Lilium and Hemerocallis destroys the renal tubular epithelium. Every part of the plant is toxic: petals, leaves, stem, pollen and the water in the vase. The mechanism is specific to cats; dogs eating the same plant get gastrointestinal upset and keep their kidneys.
How much matters
There is no meaningful dose table here, only how small the exposure can be:
| Two leaves or one flower | has caused fatal kidney injury in cats |
|---|---|
| Pollen groomed off the coat | sufficient exposure — the cat does not need to chew the plant |
| Vase water | toxic on its own |
| Which lilies | Lilium (Easter, tiger, Asiatic, Oriental, stargazer) and Hemerocallis (daylily) are the killers |
Peace lily, calla lily and lily of the valley are different plants with different problems — the first two cause oral irritation from insoluble oxalates, the third affects the heart. Naming the plant correctly changes the treatment.
What you will see, and when
Onset: Vomiting within 1–3 hours; kidney values rise by 18–72 hours. Typical course: Kidney monitoring for at least 72 hours.
- 1–3 hoursDrooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, hiding
- 12–24 hoursAn apparent recovery — this window is why owners delay, and it is the most dangerous part
- 18–72 hoursRising kidney values, then falling urine output and renal failure
What the vet will do
Time is everything. Aggressive intravenous fluid diuresis started within six hours of exposure gives the best outcome; started after 18 hours the prognosis worsens sharply. Decontamination, bathing to remove pollen, and 72 hours of renal monitoring. No antidote exists.
Outlook
Good if fluids begin within six hours. Poor once the cat is anuric.
Dogs and cats are not the same here
Cats only for the kidney injury. Dogs that eat true lilies get vomiting and diarrhoea, unpleasant but not nephrotoxic.
Where it comes from in a normal house
- Cut flower bouquets, especially gift and sympathy arrangements
- Easter and Mother's Day displays
- Garden borders and planted daylilies
- The water in the vase after the flowers are removed
The thing people get wrong
“She only sniffed it and seems fine now.”
Pollen on the nose becomes pollen in the mouth at the next groom, and the apparent recovery at twelve hours is a documented feature of the poisoning rather than a sign it passed. If a cat has been near a true lily, treat it as an emergency now, not tomorrow.
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Get PawLife on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
How much Lilies is dangerous?
Peace lily, calla lily and lily of the valley are different plants with different problems — the first two cause oral irritation from insoluble oxalates, the third affects the heart. Naming the plant correctly changes the treatment.
How long after exposure to Lilies do symptoms start?
Vomiting within 1–3 hours; kidney values rise by 18–72 hours. Drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, hiding. Kidney monitoring for at least 72 hours.
Is Lilies worse for cats or dogs?
Cats only for the kidney injury. Dogs that eat true lilies get vomiting and diarrhoea, unpleasant but not nephrotoxic.
Is it true that: She only sniffed it and seems fine now.
Pollen on the nose becomes pollen in the mouth at the next groom, and the apparent recovery at twelve hours is a documented feature of the poisoning rather than a sign it passed. If a cat has been near a true lily, treat it as an emergency now, not tomorrow.
Related emergencies
Sources
This page is information, not veterinary advice. Toxic doses vary with body weight, age, breed and individual sensitivity, and the figures above exist to explain what a vet is assessing, never to decide that an amount is safe. If you are reading this because something has already been eaten, call a vet.