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Original poster

Do lilies deter cats?

12 replies

Badleg85 · 10/02/2023 06:32

I've heard liles are poisonous to cats but does anyone know if they deter them at all?

I have lots of lilies, i love them. We're moving into a village soon and the house seller mentioned that he had to be careful of where he put his bird feeders because of cats.

Anyway it's nothing something I had considered but a friend said taking my beautiful lilies might be considered hostile by the neighbours? Obviously I'm not hoping to kill anyone's pets but I want to take my plants with me

OP posts:
FenghuangHoyan · 10/02/2023 06:38

They don't deter cats, that's why they're dangerous for the inquisitive little wasters.

I have cats but wouldn't think a neighbour having lillies was aimed at them. I don't think cats are quite suicidal enough to start munching your flowers.

octoberafternoons · 10/02/2023 06:40

No they don't, and one of the reasons why they are so dangerous to cats is that just brushing past and getting the pollen on their fur (which they then ingest when grooming themselves) is enough to cause a serious poisoning.

mybunniesandme · 10/02/2023 06:42

They permanently deter them 🪦

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Original poster
Badleg85 · 10/02/2023 06:43

Thank you
I know some animals avoid certain plants but wasn't sure about lilies

OP posts:
Doidontimmm · 10/02/2023 06:45

Not just cats, I’m really allergic to them so if I lived next door to you I’d have awful hay fever type symptoms all the time if there were loads.

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 10/02/2023 06:57

Your neighbors would have to be mad to consider this hostility!!!

Lilies don't deter but it's your garden and you love your plants so I don't think you should not take them for this reason.

WonderingWanda · 10/02/2023 06:59

No, my cat it quite stupid and tries to eat plants that are poisonous to him.

Mouthfulofquiz · 10/02/2023 06:59

If you love lillies then plant them. I wouldn’t be thinking about neighbourhood cats particularly. You could dig up the bulbs now couldn’t you - would your new owner even know they had gone? Or just buy some more?

Prescottdanni123 · 10/02/2023 07:01

Cats don't have to eat lillies to be poisoned by them. As someone else said, they just have to brush against them and get pollen on themselves to potentially suffer serious harm. Personally, I wouldn't put them outside. Id just keep bunches of them in the house.

AllotmentTime · 10/02/2023 07:06

Are you in the UK & what type of lilies?

Littlegoth · 10/02/2023 07:08

No, they kill cats.

MRex · 10/02/2023 07:13

Just plant more, you'll have to declare through solicitors if you're digging up the garden, it isn't worth it.

Water rifles are good to deter cats, you had get some decent long range ones and keep them in a bucket so they don't leak all over the floor.

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