PERIL IN PETALS Bouquet alert for cats
CAT lovers are being reminded of the danger of lilies after a near tragedy from a Mother’s Day bouquet.
The flower’s pollen is toxic to the pets and can cause vomiting, blindness, paralysis, renal failure and comas.
Owner Luke Proudfoot rushed moggie Myra to the vet when she got the pollen on her nose after brushing past a bouquet of the flowers.
Myra had become drowsy. She was found to be dangerously dehydrated and had to be put on a drip at once.
Luke, 23, said: “Thankfully she recovered fully, but I’d never have bought lilies if I’d known.”
Everything about a lily is toxic to cats – from the poison pollen to the stem and even the water in the vase.
Londoner Luke added: “It’s really important people should be warned not to buy lilies for cat owners.
“It would be so awful if you ended up responsible for the death of a pet.”
Charity Cats Protection is issuing an urgent warning about potentially toxic bouquets. Not only can cats ingest the OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 22 years of experience and is a freelancer working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ PetplanUK. pollen from grooming their fur, other blooms are also a danger if eaten.
Chrysanthemum flowers can be extremely harmful and sweet peas, poppies, peones, cornflowers and marigolds are all poisonous to them.
Ferns and ivy – used to decorate arrangements – are also harmful.
Cats Protection has urged supermarkets and florists to put clear warnings on bouquets containing lilies.
The charity’s Louise Waters revealed: “Lilies are one of the most common forms of poisoning in cats.
“We can’t emphasise enough the danger. It can cause the cat to go into kidney failure, which can be fatal.”
Pets should be taken to a vet as soon as possible if they show signs of poisoning, which can include increased thirst, drooling, difficulty breathing and vomiting or have fits or seizures or look confused and uncoordinated.
But owners are also warned to stay calm and not to give their cat salt water or try to make them vomit. This could make the pet more ill.
For more info visit cats.org.uk. MY rabbit lives indoors because I don’t have a garden. So he doesn’t ever get to eat grass. How can I make sure he has a healthy diet?
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