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Lilies and cats
Terry Court
Posts: 7
in Talkback
I never realised until recently that lilies can be deadly for cats.I have recently moved house and have planted lots of lilies in pots,but am now worried that as a cat owner this could have serious consequences for my cat and others that visit.Somebody suggested that when in flower cut the stamens so the pollen won't harm the cats.Can anybody verify this or is there any other method I could use.
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There is a risk, but as none of us have heard of mass slaughter of cats by lillies, I'd not be too worried, but yes, if you're mindful to remove the stamens, you remove the pollen which is the "dangerous" bit.
I also wouldn't worry, your cats will likely be too busy pooing in the borders to nibble the flowers.
JC, and probably next door ?
True that, Hosta. Our neighbours certainly have their cats well trained. Mind you, their garden is all chipped over.
Some cats are dangerously allergic to lily pollen & it can cause kidney and / or be fatal. However, I think fatality is extreme & (fortunately) uncommon.
My cat stuck his face in a vase of lillies and was covered in pollen which he started to lick off. A phone call to the vet advised washing off as much as possible, encouraging him to drink and monitoring him closely. He was absolutely fine so I now know he's not allergic & I grow lillies without worry.
I would take the same attitude in your garden - be aware there could be a problem and contact your vet immediately if you have concerns. Otherwise - enjoy your lillies
Oh no! I planted up my 15 free lilies the other weekend and whilst I put most of them in containers, I used a few to fill in gaps in my borders. I don't own cats myself but my next door neighbour has 8 or 9. Will they be ok if I just remove the stamens or would you recommend that I dig up the bulbs I have planted in my borders and put them into containers instead? Some of her cats definitely "visit" my borders.
Don't panic Lena. Most cats will be fine.
But I would warn your neighbour that you have lilies in your border & she needs to be aware they could possibly be affected by lilly pollen & that it can be serious. It is then up to her to decide whether or not she wants to keep the cats indoors while the lilies are in bloom.
If it makes you feel better you can remove the stamens but, personally, I would only do this for my cat - not for visitors!
Thanks for the advice Topbird. I might remove the stamens just in case as there's quite a lot of cats in our neighbourhood
Thankyou all it's put my mind at rest