Reference
Are Lilies Toxic to Cats?
The short answer
Yes. Lilies in the Lilium genus (Easter, Oriental, Tiger, Asiatic, Stargazer) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) are severely toxic to cats and can cause acute kidney failure. According to Pet Poison Helpline, all parts are toxic - any amount of leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or bulb - and even licking pollen off fur or drinking vase water has poisoned cats.
There is no established safe dose, so never assume a small nibble is harmless. If your cat may have touched or eaten any part of a lily, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) right away - early treatment is critical because the outlook worsens sharply once kidney damage sets in.
Which lilies are the deadly ones
The dangerous group for cats is the true lilies of the genus Lilium - Easter lily, Oriental lily, Stargazer, Tiger lily, and Asiatic hybrids - together with daylilies (Hemerocallis). The ASPCA lists Lilium species as toxic to cats with the clinical sign 'kidney failure,' and separately lists day lilies (Hemerocallis) as causing vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death in cats.
Cats are uniquely vulnerable: the ASPCA marks these lilies non-toxic to dogs and horses, but for cats the risk is organ failure, not a mild stomach upset. Note that some plants sold as 'lily' - such as peace lily and calla lily - are not true lilies and cause a different, oral-irritation type of problem rather than kidney failure, but the true and day lilies above are the ones that kill cats.
Why even a trace is dangerous
Pet Poison Helpline is explicit that all parts of Lilium lilies are toxic to cats, including any amount of leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or rhizome. Cats have been poisoned simply by brushing against flowers and then grooming pollen from their coats, or by drinking water from a vase that held cut lilies.
The ASPCA describes it as taking only a small exposure to cause acute kidney injury: eating a small piece of leaf, stem, or root, licking pollen off the face, or drinking the vase water can be deadly. This is why no safe amount exists and why any suspected contact is treated as an emergency.
If your cat contacts a lily
Act immediately - do not wait for symptoms. The ASPCA notes that if caught early, kidney failure can often be prevented with aggressive treatment at a veterinary hospital, but treatment delayed beyond about 18 hours after exposure is frequently fatal. Early signs can include vomiting, drooling, hiding, and loss of appetite, but by the time kidneys are failing it may be too late.
Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888-426-4435) right away, and bring the plant or a photo so it can be identified. The safest choice for a cat household is to keep true lilies and daylilies out of the home and garden entirely. For general guidance on checking any plant, see our page on how to check whether a plant is pet-safe.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- ASPCA - Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Lily (Lilium species) — Lists Lilium species as toxic to cats (non-toxic to dogs and horses) with the clinical sign of kidney failure, and directs suspected-poisoning cases to Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.
- ASPCA - Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Day Lilies (Hemerocallis) — Lists daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) as toxic to cats only, causing vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure and death, notes only a small exposure is needed to cause acute kidney injury, and states it is often fatal if treatment is delayed beyond 18 hours.
- Pet Poison Helpline - Lilies — States all parts of Lilium lilies are toxic to cats - any amount of leaf, stem, flower, pollen, vase water, or rhizome - causing vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration and acute kidney failure, and that early treatment is vital.