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Lilies are among the most popular ornamental flowers. But many gardeners wonder whether lilies are poisonous, especially for dogs, cats & Co. We clarify.
Lilies (Lilium) are an innocent dream in white. For the full-grown amateur botanist, this may also apply at all levels. They can upgrade any ready-to-eat salad with impressive flowers or dig for tasty onions during the next survival training session. Here you will find everything about the cultivation and the symbolic meaning of the elegant lilies. But for small children and especially for cats, the dream can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Lilies: Toxic to humans?
It is not uncommon for extravagant salads with exotic-looking lily blossoms to tempt - because most types of lilies are edible. Only the trunk should not be included in the menu. In China, the bulbs of Lilium brownii, King Lily (Lilium regale), Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium ) and magnificent lily (Lilium speciosum) are an integral part of domestic cuisine. Bulbs of Lilium debile and martagon lily (Lilium martagon) have been used as vegetables in Northeast Asia for centuries. In addition, onions of various types served as food for North American natives. With us, the colorful flowers are particularly eye-catching in the salad for the next social gathering. But apart from the nutritional value, the flowers and bulbs of the lily are also said to have medicinal effects:
- Blood cleansing effect
- Cough relieving effect
- Scar formation promoting effect
- Muscle relaxant effect
- Pain-relieving effect, especially for menstrual pain
- Wound healing effect
However, the consumption of larger amounts can be dangerous, especially for small children, who are characterized by their irrepressible desire to put something in their mouth. Because small children weigh very little. In the case of poisoning, one must have ingested a certain amount of the toxin per kilogram of body weight. How much of something has to be eaten depends on the weight. Small children show so after devouring little plant materialsymptoms of poisoning. Even so, lilies are considered plants for a family-friendly garden.
Lilies: Poisonous for cats, dogs and Co.?
The animal welfare organization Peta lists lilies as one of the top 20 most poisonous houseplants for animals. Because all plant parts of all types of these pretty flowering plants are highly poisonous, at least for cats. Even the smallest amounts administered can be fatal. Ingested pollen, flower water or soil in which lilies grow sometimes lead to symptoms of poisoning. Dogs and rodents are not in danger of death even after consuming larger amounts. The effect on turtles is unknown.
Lily Poisoning in Cats: Symptoms
A cat that has come into contact with lilies should be taken to the vet immediately. Symptoms of lily poisoning in cats may include:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Dehydration characterized by listlessness
These symptoms may not seem life-threatening at first, but the lily's poison is insidious. Because the kidney failure, which can be caused by the poisoning, only occurs one to three days later. There are no specific antidotes for lily poisoning yet. The vet treats the poisoning with detoxification or charcoal administration. After that, only about every second cat becomes completely he althy again. So lilies really have no place in homes with cats.
But that doesn't mean that cat owners can't use flowering plants as decorations in their homes! We have put together for you some houseplants that are non-toxic to cats.