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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell you to throw lillies away (if you have a cat)

60 replies

LEMtheoriginal · 26/12/2017 20:13

Please please please - if you have a cat don't have them in the house.

My daughters cat is in the vets where I work after a panicked visit to the emergency vet at 5.30 this morning. £250 Bill for basic first aid and instruction which thank the lord in heaven we were able to take over care (I'm a student vet nurse). Estimated bill in excess of £1000 if I wasn't able to help.

All because she ate a single lilly petal that had dried out and fell on the floor. Dr was aware of dangers but a friend bought them for her and she didn't realise just HOW dangerous they are.

The cat is ok FOR NOW but symtomsare delayed acute kidney failure. Often fatal. I may have to tell my dd that her cat is going to die. It will break her (she suffers depression).

Please get rid of the fucking things

OP posts:
IrkThePurist · 27/12/2017 20:30

swapsicles Other posters have given sites which list poisonous plants; if your cat likes eating foliage grow him some oat groats in pots.
Dont use grass seed for the garden as its sometimes treated; use seeds meant for food.

www.petmd.com/cat/care/evr_ct_how-to-grow-cat-grass

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 20:33

Hope your GDcat is doing better, OP. 🤞

Is it just cats that are allergic to lillies? I have parrots and the little bastards would eat anything that can’t actively run away from them.

LivingInMidnight · 27/12/2017 20:36

I thought it was just the pollen Shock. We had a death in the family and the bloody things were everywhere. One of my cats will literally try and eat anything, was a nightmare.

Hope your DD's cat is on the mend.

PookieNoodlin · 27/12/2017 20:38

I also believe onions are poisonous to cats (and dogs), not fatally so but still not nice!

PookieNoodlin · 27/12/2017 20:38

Also hope your cat is ok!

Forgottenmypassword · 27/12/2017 20:39

orangefluff it is every part of the lily that is toxic to cats. The stem, the pollen, the leaves, the water they are sitting in.... All of it!

firsttimer12345 · 27/12/2017 20:45

Been there myself. £800 bill but our cat is fine.
DM bought flowers when DD was born. Had them shut in a room away from Dcats but ironically DM left the door open when she'd come round to see us...

OrangeFluff · 27/12/2017 20:57

Forgotten Any lilies will now be going in the bin!

LEMtheoriginal · 27/12/2017 20:59

She's gone home Smile we tested her blood today and her levels were all normal. She was on intensive fluid therapy to flush out ant toxins. Daft cat chewed her drip line and turned into the devil incarnate in the vets as sje was petrified so we sent her home with strict instructions for dd to watch her like a hawk. I won't really settle until a few days have passed as the poisoning can take a few days to manifest but we really couldn't pump anymore in.

OP posts:
xTinkerhellx · 27/12/2017 21:02

I also thought it was only the pollen that was poisonous. So thought I was really smart by cutting the stamens out and wiping the leaves.

Then my tiny, adorable and much loved kitten ate a leaf during the night at some point. I had her at the vet within an hour of waking up and seeing the leaf in her vomit. The vets tried so hard but she died the next day.

I now have no plants or cut flowers in the house at all.

TentUpFirstBunkUpLater · 27/12/2017 21:04

This happened to us. Someone else brought flowers into the house and I think she trod in the pollen and licked her paws. I didn't know that the lilies were there.

She was four months old. We were lucky and we caught it, but it was terrifying. At the time we were covered by insurance, but because she has had kidney failure before, she is no longer covered for kidney problems.

I don't even like buying flowers in the supermarket in case the pollen has cross contaminated

IHaveBrilloHair · 27/12/2017 21:06

I've never had any flowers I the house since I got cats.
It's not widely known about though.

ButchyRestingFace · 27/12/2017 21:15

Oh, promising news! 😀

Hope it’s all smooth sailing from here on.

Ontheboardwalk · 27/12/2017 21:19

tent agree with the cross contamination worry.

I’ve always avoided lilies but have noticed more and more arrangements have a random lily stuck in the middle of them.

It seems strange to have something fatal to cats in the middle of the supermarket

Greenshoots1 · 27/12/2017 21:21

what about orchids?

LEMtheoriginal · 27/12/2017 21:23

I bought my mum flowers from the florist and specified NO lillies. She asked whu i said she has a cat. They looked at me like i was mad Hmm

OP posts:
Reddlion · 27/12/2017 21:29

Hope your cat survives and thanks for warning i did not know

Becinna · 27/12/2017 21:34

I did know but like a PP, thought it was just the pollen that was a problem.

So glad your DD's cat's going to be ok

MichaelFabricantsHair · 27/12/2017 21:43

My cat is almost 11 and I had no idea that lillies were harmful to cats Shock This has been an informative thread!

Glad your DDs cat is on the mend Flowers

Forgottenmypassword · 28/12/2017 14:17

My friend has started a petition if anyone is interested in signing.

As Vet Nurses we have seen far too many lost or suffering because of lily poisoning. Often they are kittens too, because of their curiosity I suppose.

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-cats-alive-label-lilies-safely

LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2017 16:58

Thankyou for the link - will definitely be Signing. My dd was worried earlier that her cat is drinking a lot bit I think it's just as she is notici g it more. I've got her to measure how much she drinks and it works out within her daily intake needs but I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof with worry. The cat becomes so distressed in the vets I got want to have to 're drip her. The next few days are vital. If she stays well I can relax. My dd has MH issues if her cat dies it will destroy her.

OP posts:
CatsMother66 · 28/12/2017 17:13

I was told that products with Lily fragrance are also poisonous, like washing powder/liquid etc.

Rudgie47 · 28/12/2017 17:13

Fingers crossed for your cat, she might just be drinking a lot because of all the upset to the system.
I've signed the petition and I'm sorry to hear about your little kitten dying xTinkerhellx. Thats awful poor thing.
No lilies are coming in my house ever again, we always have loads of cut flowers here all the time.

ittakes2 · 28/12/2017 17:25

Hope your cat is ok. My friend kindly bought lilies to thank me for dinner...unfort in the moment I forgot poisonous to cats until I saw one cat nibbling on leaves... and had two cats on a drip each for 4 days...thankfully they are ok but it cost so much £££££££.

Ontheboardwalk · 28/12/2017 19:00

I’ve signed and shared the petition!