Having just read up about lilies I have changed my mind about growing them as I now have learned they can be extremely poisonous to cats - even just getting the pollen on their coats and licking it off is enough to cause renal and liver failure. I will just have to admire them in others gardens.
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
Hi Ladybird4, you may feel that the risk is not worth taking but I think they are much, much less than people are told. There are so many common garden plants that are toxic to animals and people. Dahlias and daffodils are poisonous for cats and other animals, for example.
How often do you hear of cats being poisoned by lilies? Generally speaking cats are not stupid and stay away from things that may harm them, though the adventurousness of kittens may be a different matter. I've grown a number of Asiatic lilies in my garden for 7 years without incident. My cat plays regularly in the garden, scratches around in the soil and occasionally uses it as a toilet, as do some of the neighbourhood cats. They're all still perfectly healthy.
The only plant that my cat regularly eats is grass. He does sometimes play with some plants, attacking the lower leaves or branches but shows no interest in eating any of them. I do take the precaution of picking up the fallen leaves of the lilies as they die off but I would imagine that as they die there is very little toxicity in them, and I don't always do it in a timely manner. The cat shows no interest whatsoever in eating them though.
Worth remembering that cats and lilies co-existed for many years before media panic stories. Not saying there is no toxicity, just remembering all the lilies and cats that have passed through my life with no problem.
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Russ I am extemely jealous (if I'm right!) but I think your top two pictures show Martagon Lilies.The bottom two are pink Symphytum or Comfrey.
Hello Ladybird,
Great to hear from you. Thank you for your help. I think you're bang on.
Rgds Russ.
Last edited: 16 May 2017 20:24:55
also a little envious. Martagon lilies grew well in my previous garden, pathetic specimens in the current one
In the sticks near Peterborough
Russ, you are very welcome. Its made me determined to get some more myself nut.
Having just read up about lilies I have changed my mind about growing them as I now have learned they can be extremely poisonous to cats - even just getting the pollen on their coats and licking it off is enough to cause renal and liver failure. I will just have to admire them in others gardens.
I am growing tree lilies this year. It would have to be a very tall cat to reach the pollen on these.
Very true hogweed.
Hi Ladybird4, you may feel that the risk is not worth taking but I think they are much, much less than people are told. There are so many common garden plants that are toxic to animals and people. Dahlias and daffodils are poisonous for cats and other animals, for example.
How often do you hear of cats being poisoned by lilies? Generally speaking cats are not stupid and stay away from things that may harm them, though the adventurousness of kittens may be a different matter. I've grown a number of Asiatic lilies in my garden for 7 years without incident. My cat plays regularly in the garden, scratches around in the soil and occasionally uses it as a toilet, as do some of the neighbourhood cats. They're all still perfectly healthy.
The only plant that my cat regularly eats is grass. He does sometimes play with some plants, attacking the lower leaves or branches but shows no interest in eating any of them. I do take the precaution of picking up the fallen leaves of the lilies as they die off but I would imagine that as they die there is very little toxicity in them, and I don't always do it in a timely manner. The cat shows no interest whatsoever in eating them though.
I iunderstand that pollen from Lilies is a problem for cats.
Pollen on fur..cats wash... poison ingested = dead cat
I suspect indoor lilies are the main culprit as flowers are at cat height.
http://www.cats.org.uk/wolverhampton/news/lethal-lilies
Last edited: 17 May 2017 14:08:43
Worth remembering that cats and lilies co-existed for many years before media panic stories. Not saying there is no toxicity, just remembering all the lilies and cats that have passed through my life with no problem.
In the sticks near Peterborough