 |
City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
|
NEWS ADVISORY
|
| SUBJECT: Spring flowers can be deadly for cats
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/31/2009 10:00:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Don Jordan (206)386-4286
Dr. Mary Ellen Zoulas, DVM (206)386-4291
Kara Main-Hester (206)386-4293
Katherine Schubert-Knapp (206) 684-0909
Kathy Sugiyama (206) 684-0909
|
Spring flowers can be deadly for cats
Lilies and other spring blooms on the list of plants toxic to cats
SEATTLE – With the onset of spring and Easter just around the corner, the Seattle Animal Shelters warns cat owners about the dangers of Easter lilies, and other spring flowers.
“Lilies, including Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and some species of the day lily can cause kidney failure in cats,” says Don Jordan, director of the Seattle Animal Shelter. “Be aware that all parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can be life threatening,” say Jordan.
Within only a few hours of ingesting toxic plant material, a cat may vomit, become lethargic or lose its appetite. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment by a veterinarian, a cat may develop kidney failure in approximately 36 to 72 hours. Cat owners should remove toxic plants from their cat’s access and are encouraged to consider safer alternatives to Easter lilies such as Easter orchids, Easter lily cactus, Easter daisy or violets.
To help educate cat owners and veterinarians about the dangers of lilies and other plants, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and Cat Fanciers’ Association have developed online materials including photos of common types of dangerous lilies and a list of non-toxic plants. To download the materials, visit http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/ or http://www.cfa.org/articles/lilies.html
The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 - 15th Ave. W., is open for adoptions each day noon to 6 p.m. Please call 386-PETS for more information. To view animals available for adoption, visit this web site: http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org
|
