FrançaisWhich lilies are dangerous, and how fast they act
Two groups damage the kidneys of cats: true lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) [1, 4]. They include Easter, tiger, Asiatic, Oriental, stargazer and Japanese show lilies [3]. The whole plant is toxic: stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in the vase [3]. As little as two leaves or part of one flower has killed cats [1]. Licking a few grains of pollen off the fur while grooming can be enough [3].
The toxin is still unknown, and it damages the kidneys of cats only. Dogs that eat lilies may get a mild stomach upset but not kidney failure [3].
Many plants are called “lily” without being true lilies. Peace lilies and calla lilies irritate the mouth but do not cause kidney failure [3]. Lily of the valley does not harm the kidneys but contains heart toxins, so it is dangerous too [1, 3].
Signs follow a typical timeline:
| Time after exposure | What may happen |
|---|---|
| 0 to 12 hours | Drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, less active [3]. In one review, vomiting started within 1 to 3 hours [9]. |
| 12 to 30 hours | The kidneys start to fail while still making a lot of urine: the cat urinates more and becomes dehydrated [3, 9]. |
| 24 to 72 hours | Kidney failure. Some cats stop making urine (anuria), from 24 to 48 hours on [3, 9]. |
The FDA warns that when treatment is delayed by 18 hours or more after the cat ate the lily, kidney failure is generally irreversible [3].
What the blood work and urine show
| Test | Typical finding | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Creatinine and urea (BUN) | High (azotemia) | The kidneys filter less [2]. See creatinine and BUN in cats. |
| Potassium | High once urine output drops | A feature of kidney failure with little or no urine [13]. See potassium. |
| Phosphorus | High | Common in acute kidney injury, because phosphorus leaves through the urine [14]. |
| Creatine kinase (CK) | High | A muscle enzyme found raised in cats given lily extract [2]. |
| Urine glucose | Present, with a normal blood glucose | Sign of injured kidney tubules, which can no longer take glucose back [2, 11]. |
| Urine sediment | Cellular or granular casts | Debris of damaged tubule cells: proof of acute tubular injury [12]. |
| Urine concentration | Isosthenuria (urine no more concentrated than blood) | The kidneys have lost the ability to concentrate urine [2]. |
| Urine protein | Present | Also found in cats given lily extract [2]. |
Urine can show the injury early. The IRIS grading counts glucose in the urine and casts among the signs of kidney injury in a cat whose creatinine is still in the normal range [10]. Casts are shed on and off, so a single sample without casts does not rule out injury [12]. See urinalysis in dogs and cats.
How to read the creatinine line
Here is an example line from a cat seen two days after chewing a lily.
- Abbreviation CREA, CREAT or creatinine: the main kidney value followed after lily exposure [6, 7].
- Result 4.1 mg/dL in this illustrative line: within IRIS acute kidney injury grade III (2.6–5.0 mg/dL) [10].
- Unit mg/dL in the US; µmol/L elsewhere: 4.1 mg/dL ≈ 362 µmol/L (× 88.4).
- Laboratory interval An illustrative cat interval; each laboratory sets its own.
- Flag H: above the interval. A rise of 0.3 mg/dL or more within 48 hours already counts as kidney injury, even inside the interval [10].
Unit converter
Equivalent values
- Creatinine, µmol/L–
- Creatinine, mg/L–
Conversion only changes the unit. Compare the result with the interval printed by the laboratory that measured it.
How vets diagnose and grade it
No test confirms that a cat ate a lily, so the story, the plant or a photo of it matter [1, 3]. Vets grade acute kidney injury with the IRIS scale, based on blood creatinine, then note whether the cat still makes urine [10]:
| IRIS AKI grade | Blood creatinine |
|---|---|
| I | Under 1.6 mg/dL (under 140 µmol/L), with other signs of injury or a rise of 0.3 mg/dL or more in 48 hours |
| II | 1.7–2.5 mg/dL (141–220 µmol/L) |
| III | 2.6–5.0 mg/dL (221–439 µmol/L) |
| IV | 5.1–10.0 mg/dL (440–880 µmol/L) |
| V | Over 10.0 mg/dL (over 880 µmol/L) |
- Repeated creatinine and urea over the following days, with potassium and phosphorus [6, 7].
- Urinalysis: glucose, casts and urine concentration [2, 10].
- Urine output: whether the cat still makes urine is a key point for the outlook [8, 10].
- Other causes of acute kidney injury are considered, since lily poisoning looks like any of them [1].
Outlook: how likely a cat is to survive
| Study | Cats | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Bennett & Reineke, 2013 [6] | 25 cats treated within 48 hours | All survived to discharge; 74% of hospitalized cats kept normal kidney values |
| Lam et al., 2025 [7] | 112 cats | Kidney injury in 47% of hospitalized and 44% of home-treated cats; survival 100% vs 86.5% |
| Slater & Gwaltney-Brant, 2011 [5] | 57 cats, poison-center survey | 87% had no signs or brief ones; 5% kept kidney damage, 5% were euthanized |
| Langston, 2002 [8] | 6 cats in kidney failure | The 3 cats making little or no urine died; the 3 others survived over 1.5 years with chronic kidney disease |
Outlook is excellent when fluids start before the kidneys stop making urine [1]. Once a cat stops making urine, dialysis has been the main option, and survival was about 18% in cats treated that way [9]. IRIS notes that grades I–II may recover within 2 to 5 days, while grades IV–V may die within 5 to 10 days without dialysis [10]. Some survivors keep chronic kidney disease: see kidney disease in cats.
Related articles
En français : lys et chat.
Questions to ask your veterinarian
- Was this plant a true lily or daylily, or another “lily”?
- Are the creatinine, urea, potassium and phosphorus normal today?
- Does the urine show glucose, casts or a low concentration?
- Is my cat still making urine?
- When should the kidney values be rechecked?
Get your cat’s kidney results explained together.
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Frequently asked questions
How likely is a cat to survive lily poisoning?
Very likely when treated early: all 25 cats treated within 48 hours survived in one study, and all hospitalized cats in another [6, 7]. Cats that stop making urine have a poor outlook [1, 8].
Are lilies toxic to cats by touch or pollen?
Pollen is toxic. A cat that licks a few grains of pollen off its fur while grooming can develop kidney failure [3].
How quickly do cats show signs of lily poisoning?
Vomiting, drooling and loss of appetite start within 0 to 12 hours. Kidney failure follows within 24 to 72 hours [3].
Is a peace lily toxic to cats?
A peace lily is not a true lily and does not cause kidney failure. Its crystals irritate the mouth, causing drooling or vomiting that usually pass [3].
Sources
- Fitzgerald KT. Lily toxicity in the cat. Top Companion Anim Med. 2010;25(4):213-217. doi.org/10.1053/j.tcam.2010.09.006
- Rumbeiha WK et al. A comprehensive study of Easter lily poisoning in cats. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2004;16(6):527-541. doi.org/10.1177/104063870401600607
- US Food and Drug Administration. Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination. 2021. fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/lovely-lilies-and-curious-cats-dangerous-combination
- Hadley RM et al. A retrospective study of daylily toxicosis in cats. Vet Hum Toxicol. 2003;45(1):38-39. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12583697
- Slater MR, Gwaltney-Brant S. Exposure circumstances and outcomes of 48 households with 57 cats exposed to toxic lily species. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2011;47(6):386-390. doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-5629
- Bennett AJ, Reineke EL. Outcome following gastrointestinal tract decontamination and intravenous fluid diuresis in cats with known lily ingestion: 25 cases (2001-2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2013;242(8):1110-1116. doi.org/10.2460/javma.242.8.1110
- Lam J, Hess RS, Reineke EL. Prevalence of acute kidney injury and outcome in cats treated as inpatients versus outpatients following lily exposure. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025;263(1):41-46. doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.05.0355
- Langston CE. Acute renal failure caused by lily ingestion in six cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2002;220(1):49-52. doi.org/10.2460/javma.2002.220.49
- To A et al. Case report: Resolution of oligo-anuric acute kidney injury with furosemide administration in a cat following lily toxicity. Front Vet Sci. 2023;10:1195743. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1195743
- International Renal Interest Society (IRIS). Grading of Acute Kidney Injury. 2026. iris-kidney.com/s/IRIS-AKI-Grading_2026.pdf
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Urinalysis: chemical constituents. eclinpath.com/urinalysis/chemical-constituents
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Casts. eclinpath.com/urinalysis/casts
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Potassium. eclinpath.com/chemistry/electrolytes/potassium
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Phosphate. eclinpath.com/chemistry/minerals/phosphate
Laboratory methods and reference intervals vary. This article explains; it does not diagnose. For a decision about your pet, use the original report and talk to your veterinarian. Our editorial policy.