Foods and plants toxic to cats: lilies, onion and other risks

True lilies (the Lilium group, such as Asiatic, Easter, stargazer and tiger lilies) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) are highly toxic to cats, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. The whole plant is toxic: stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and even the water in the vase. A small bite of a leaf or petal, a few grains of pollen groomed off the fur, or a drink from the vase can be enough.

The FDA gives a timeline. Early signs, such as low energy, drooling, vomiting and not eating, appear within 0 to 12 hours. Kidney damage follows at about 12 to 24 hours, and kidney failure can follow within 24 to 72 hours. Early veterinary treatment greatly improves a cat's chances; a delay of 18 hours or more generally leads to kidney failure that cannot be reversed. Cornell's Feline Health Center says even one bite of any part of an Easter lily can cause kidney failure and, if not treated very quickly, death.

In India, lilies turn up in florist bouquets, wedding and puja arrangements and gifts from visitors. The simplest rule is the one International Cat Care, Cornell and the FDA share: if you have a cat, do not bring true lilies or daylilies into the home, and ask friends not to send them.

Onion and garlic contain sulphur compounds that damage red blood cells. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats are the most susceptible of all the species it describes, followed by dogs, and that cats have reacted to very small amounts of cooked onion. Raw, cooked, dried and powdered forms all count, and garlic is about three to five times as toxic as onion. ASPCA Animal Poison Control also says cats are more sensitive than dogs.

Signs are delayed. Red blood cells usually break down 3 to 5 days after the meal, and the cat may then be weak and breathless, with pale or yellow gums and dark urine. In an Indian home the usual route is a share of fish curry, chicken gravy or a lick of tadka. Picking out the onion pieces does not help. If your cat ate food cooked with onion or garlic, call your vet and say roughly how much and when.

International Cat Care explains that cats are often poisoned by accident: they are curious, they groom substances off their coats and swallow them, and their small size, habit of hiding illness and limited ability to break down certain chemicals make recovery harder. Pollen on a white cat's coat or a powder spilled on the floor becomes a meal the moment the cat starts to wash.

This is also why a cat can be poisoned by things that are not food at all. Paracetamol is highly toxic to cats, and International Cat Care says even a small amount can cause severe illness. Cornell's fact sheet lists aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen and vitamin supplements among common causes of poisoning, and warns that cats will gobble pills dropped on the floor. Never give a cat any human medicine unless your vet tells you to.

Dog flea and tick products are another danger. International Cat Care says dog flea products should never be used on cats, and some cats are poisoned by contact with a dog recently treated with a permethrin product; Cornell's fact sheet advises keeping cats away from a treated dog for 24 hours. In a home with both, ask your vet which products are safe.

Cornell's Feline Health Center lists poinsettias, lilies, mistletoe, holly, tulips, foxgloves, philodendrons, amaryllis, baby's breath, sweet William and hydrangeas among plants that are toxic to cats, and notes that a small piece of some common ornamental plants can make a cat ill. International Cat Care adds essential oils, such as tea tree oil, to the list of household hazards.

Many Indian flats keep plants on balconies and window sills, which are exactly where an indoor cat sits. Before you buy a plant, check it; if you already have one you are unsure about, move it to a room the cat never enters, or give it away. If you see chewed leaves and your cat drools, vomits or stops eating, call your vet.

Your own vet first, or the nearest 24-hour vet clinic if yours is closed. We found no national animal poison helpline in India when we checked on 21 October 2026. The National Poisons Information Centre at AIIMS New Delhi is a round-the-clock service for healthcare professionals and the public; its page does not mention animals. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and Pet Poison Helpline are American services, and Pet Poison Helpline says it covers the US, Canada and the Caribbean.

Signs of poisoning in cats can include vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, blood in the stool or urine, low energy, loss of appetite, bruising, nosebleeds, an irregular heartbeat, trouble urinating and difficulty breathing, according to Cornell. Cornell also notes that by the time an owner sees a problem, a cat may already be seriously at risk, which is why the call comes first.

Write down what your cat eats, what treats are allowed, which plants are in the home and where the medicines are kept. Ask the sitter not to bring flowers into the house and not to share their own food. Leave your vet's number and the nearest 24-hour vet on the care sheet.

When Petym opens cat care, a Petym sitter will follow your cat's plan as you write it and log meals as they happen. In an emergency the sitter will call you and take your cat to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.