Is daylily poisonous to dogs and cats?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 3 sources

Based on: US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine, Pet Poison Helpline, NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Call a vet now

Daylily is poisonous to dogs and cats, and most dangerous for cats – for cats, call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now; for dogs, call your vet today for advice. For cats, any amount of the leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or rhizome (root) can be toxic.

Dogs Call a vet today
Cats Call a vet now

What to do now

What to do right now

If a cat may have eaten or chewed daylily, call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now; for a dog, call your vet today.
Note which plant, which part, how much, and when.
Take a photo or a piece of the plant with you.
Remove what is left and move the plant out of reach.
Keep your pet calm.

Don't

Do not make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give your pet any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Pet Poison Helpline says daylilies are toxic to cats, including any amount of leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or rhizome (root).^[2] For cats, ingestion can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, and acute kidney failure.^[2] Dogs that eat lilies may have minor stomach upset but do not develop kidney failure.^[1]

Signs to watch for

For dogs: minor stomach upset
For cats: decreased activity level, drooling, vomiting, and loss of appetite
For cats: increased urination
For cats: dehydration
For cats: abdominal pain
For cats: kidney failure

Scientific name: Hemerocallis

What the experts say

“Dogs that eat lilies may have minor stomach upset but they don’t develop kidney failure.”
— US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

Which parts of daylily are toxic to cats?

Pet Poison Helpline lists any amount of the leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or rhizome (root) as toxic to cats.^[2]

What can happen if a cat eats daylily?

It can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, and acute kidney failure, and early veterinary treatment is vital after exposure.^[2]

What is listed for dogs?

The listed sign for dogs is minor stomach upset; dogs that eat lilies do not develop kidney failure.^[1]

Sources

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages