WARNING - Please Read

I don't know if anything has been posted about this before, but I ran across it on another site and thought I'd post it here, just in case.

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6 May 2005
CAT KILLED BY LILIES
RSPCA alert over lethal flowers
By Aidan Mcgurran
HELPLESS John Hartnett watched his cat die in agony after she brushed against flowers he bought his wife.

John, 51, did not know the oriental stargazer lilies were poisonous to pets.

He is calling on producers and retailers to issue warnings of the danger. The RSPCA has launched an emergency campaign.

Mr Hartnett's cat, Catalina, aged 13, brushed against a vase of the blooming white and pink lilies, getting pollen on her coat.


Minutes after she licked herself clean the Siamese was violently ill. She died a few hours later after suffering blindness, liver failure, sickness and dehydration.


John, from Folkestone, Kent, said: "Catalina endured a vile death. She was suffering terribly. I blame myself but the vet we rushed her to said there was just no chance to save her."


John and Spanish wife Patricia Walger-Amuchastegui want warnings on all lilies sold in Britain. He said: "We've seen the flowers in many places, all with no warnings at all.


"I've seen on the internet that there's immense coverage in America warning people of the dangers - but here there's nothing.


"There needs to be a national awareness campaign. I can't believe something so simple as a flower can kill pets in such a terrible, terrible way - and there's no way of knowing about it.


"Cat owners should be warned of these lethal dangers."


RSPCA spokeswoman Kate Geary, said an emergency campaign would be launched. She said: "The problem of lilies isn't widely known and we're seeing an increase in cases because the flowers are becoming more readily available in Britain.


"We will be urging manufacturers and producers to issue warnings on their goods so consumers have an informed choice.


"We also hope to work with the Royal College for Veterinary Surgeons' poison department to produce information factsheets."


Alex Campbell, a toxicologist with the Poison Advisory Service for vets, said lily poisoning was "one of the worst" pets could face.


He added: "All parts of a lily are extremely toxic, especially to a cat's kidney. Less than one leaf eaten by a cat can lead to death. The fatality rate is high.


"A cat that comes into contact with a lily deteriorates very rapidly. I have even heard of a cat being given human dialysis in an attempt to overcome the effects of toxins in the kidneys."


Survival chances decrease rapidly if a cat is not taken to a vet within six hours.


Article

Thats it,No Liilies for me!

Oh poor cat - and owners. :( I know already that lilies are poisonous to cats, along with other flowers. There'a a list of all these poisonous plants on PT somewhere.

Here is the list I posted before in Pet Health...someone there was wondering about a bamboo plant which is non-toxic. But nonetheless here is the list again here.

Aloe Vera
Arrowhead Vine (all parts)
Asparagus Fern
Azalea
Bird of Paradise (fruit, seeds)
Boston Ivy (all parts)
Caladium (all parts)
Calla Lily
Christmas Rose
Chrysanthemum
Creeping Charlie (all parts)
Creeping Fig
Crown of Thorns
Daffodil
Dieffenbachia
Dumbcane (all parts)
Easter Lily
Elephant Ears
Emerald Duke (all parts)
English Holly
English and Glacier Ivy (leaves and berries)
Heartleaf (all parts)
Ivy (Hedera)
Jerusalem Cherry
Lily of the Valley (all parts)
Majesty (all parts)
Marble Queen (all parts)
Mistletoe
Nephthytis (all parts)
Parlor Ivy (all parts)
Philodendron (all parts)
Poinsettia (leaves and flowers)
Pothos (all parts)
Pot Mum
Red Princess (all parts)
Saddleleaf (all parts)
Schefflera
Spider Mum
Sprengeri Fern
Swiss Cheese Plant
Tulip (bulbs)
Umbrella Plant (all parts)
Weeping Fig
(Ficus)

What a horrible death. Poor cat. :( Dreadful for it's owners too.

It's a good idea to mount an awareness campaign every so often.