Are true lilies poisonous to dogs and cats?

Updated 2026-09-30 Ā· 5 sources

Based on: US FDA ā€“ Center for Veterinary Medicine, Giftinformationscentralen (Swedish Poison Information Centre), Animal PoisonLine (UK, VPIS)

Call a vet now

Lilies (true lilies) are poisonous to dogs and cats, and most dangerous for cats ā€“ for cats, call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now; for dogs, call your vet today for advice. The entire lily plant is toxic to cats, including the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and vase water.

  • Dogs Call a vet today
  • Cats Call a vet now
What to do now

What to do right now

  1. Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
  2. Note which plant, which part, how much and when.
  3. Take a photo or a piece of the plant with you.
  4. Remove what is left and move the plant out of reach.
  5. Keep your pet calm.

Don't

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

Why it can be dangerous

The entire lily plant is toxic to cats, including the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and vase water.[1] In cats, ingestion can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration and acute kidney failure.[4] 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: vomiting
  • For cats: kidney failure
  • For cats: abdominal pain
  • For cats: dehydration
  • For cats: decreased activity level
  • For cats: drooling
  • For cats: loss of appetite

Early signs of lily toxicity in cats can start 0 to 12 hours after ingestion.

Scientific name
Lilium
Poisonous parts
flowers, fruits, leaves, seeds, stems

What the experts say

ā€œDogs that eat lilies may have minor stomach upset but they donā€™t develop kidney failure.ā€

ā€” US FDA ā€“ 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 a true lily are poisonous to cats?

All parts of Lilium are toxic to cats, including the leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water and root.[4]

Are true lilies dangerous for dogs too?

Yes. Dogs that eat lilies may have minor stomach upset but do not develop kidney failure.[1]

How serious can eating a true lily be for a cat?

Even a small quantity can potentially cause severe poisoning in a cat, and ingestion can result in acute kidney failure.[3][4]

Sources

  1. US FDA ā€“ Center for Veterinary Medicine
  2. Giftinformationscentralen (Swedish Poison Information Centre)
  3. Animal PoisonLine (UK, VPIS)
  4. Pet Poison Helpline
  5. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

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 OkPawā€™s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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