Lilies could be lethal to cats

Lilies are loved by a lot of people and feature prominently in vases, bouquets and other flower arrangements. If you love the sight and smell of lilies, and if you happen to have a cat in the household, be careful though, as these flowers which give such pleasure to you may be lethal to your cat.

Many varieties of lilies, including Easter, Japanese, Stargazer, Tiger, Rubrum, Asiatic and some species of day lilies, contain chemical compounds which have been found to be highly poisonous to cats. Although the exact substance which is toxic hasn't been identified, all parts of the plant including leaves, stems, flowers and pollen have been found to be harmful to felines. The ingestion of these plants may result in kidney failure and an agonising death.

Cats maybe attracted to flower arrangements out of curiosity. There are reports of cats dying after brushing against lily plants and then grooming themselves, which may have caused accidental ingestion.

The symptoms and their severity may vary depending on the nature and metabolism of each cat. The animal will start vomiting within an hour after consuming the plant matter; it will display signs of depression and lethargy, increased urination and dehydration, stomach upsets and loss of appetite. Some cats will suffer blindness, paralysis and even go into a coma and die within five days. If left untreated for 18 hours, the animal will undergo irreversible kidney damage. Between 50 and 100 per cent of the cats who have reportedly consumed Easter lilies, have died.

While dogs may also be slightly sensitive to the plant, the effects on them aren't as fatal as they are on cats. Meanwhile, mammals like rats and rabbits aren't affected by lilies at all.

While most aren't aware of the danger these beautiful flowers pose to their cats, certain countries such as USA and Australia have warnings in flower shops for customers to keep lilies out of reach of cats. Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has also warned florists to place such labels on bouquets.

If you have reason to believe that your cat munched on even the tiniest part of a lily, it's best to immediately rush it to the vet. If attended to within six hours, the poison could be removed from the animal's body through drug-induced vomiting or pumping the stomach under anaesthesia; charcoal-based products can also be used to prevent the absorption of toxins into the body.

Treatment such as intravenous drips should be administered to prevent kidney failure, ensuring that there's high fluid output through the kidneys, minimising the chance of the poison damaging the animal's system. However, no antidote for the poison exists as the toxin remains unidentified.

All lilies are potentially dangerous for cats. So, if you love to have these flowers in your house, you should be careful that your cat doesn't eat them, play with them or come into contact with them in some way or the other. If you cannot guarantee this, it's best not to have lilies in your house. After all, isn't your pet worth a lot more to you than a bunch of flowers?

-Indunil Thenuwara

My pet Kitty

Many people have pets such as parrots, rabbits, cats, and dogs. But my pet is a cat. Its name is Kitty. Its colour is white and yellow. My Kitty is very small. It is very beautiful and clean.

Kitty eats meat and drinks milk. It plays with me and follows me wherever I go.

Kitty has a beautiful long tail and two little eyes. My Kitty loves me very much and I too love it very much.

G.M. Thilanka Harshani Pathirana,

Grade 8,Central College,Maharagama.

Snowy, my pet

My pet is a dog named Snowy. Snowy is white in colour. It has four legs and a long tail. It likes to eat meat.

I love Snowy.

Ravindu Pathiraja,

Leeds International School,

Ambalangoda.

To my love

I have always been thinking about you,

So very cute and sweet,

Your bright red eyes glitter in the dark,

And make my heart feel calm.

You are always there for my happiness and sorrow,

The most innocent fellow,

You will always be in my heart,

And never be forgotten my darling rabbit.

Shenaly Kuluppuarachchi,

College of World Education, Thalawatugoda.