Beware of killer lilies

May 19 2005 Irvine Herald

GARDENING season is here and it can prove dangerous for pet owners.

And two flowers in particular, lilies and euphorbia, can be fatal for cats and dogs.

Irvine florist Jayne Lynch, owner of Allyson’s Flowers, is one woman who said the industry was becoming more aware of the potential dangers carried in these flowers’ pollen.

She said: “The nectar of the euphorbia can be very unpleasant for animals and there is quite a lot of it about in gardens at the moment.

“Pet owners should be aware of these dangers and use common sense if they have animals, in particular cats who are notorious for wandering in and out of gardens.”

Florists are also getting ready for new warning labels to be placed in bouquets which boast lilies.

This is the vision of cat owner John Hartnett who has started a national campaign in the UK following the death of his 13-year-old Siamese, Catalina.

The cat became ill minutes after brushing against a vase containing oriental stargazer lilies he bought for his wife.

Catalina licked lily pollen off her fur and became virtually paralysed. Within hours, her kidneys failed and she went blind.

The couple took her to a vet but there was nothing he could do. The animal died hours later.

Now, Mr Hartnett, 51, is hoping Scottish florists support his cause.

He said: “I do not want other cat owners to have to witness what we did with Catalina.

“A simple warning label is all it would take to stop this happening again and I am happy to say I now have the support of the RSPCA and the SSPCA.”

RSPCA spokeswoman Kate Geary was supporting the campaign.

She said: “We will now be urging both manufacturers and producers to issue warnings on their goods so that consumers have an informed choice.”

But experienced florist Jayne added: “I would say there is no need for panic to set in, just use a bit of common sense and place a vase with lilies out of reach from the cats.”

A spokeswoman for the SSPCA confirmed they are now supporting the campaign after hearing about Mr Hartnett’s plight.

She said: “At this time of year we always try and warn people of the illegal weed, Ragwort which acts as a cumulative poison.

“In susceptible animals the alkaloids cause degradation of the liver function, with lethal results in one to two days, or longer, when an animal ingests three to seven percent of its body weight in ragwort.

“And now, we have been made aware of the dangers of lilies, we will be supporting the campaign for warning labels.”

PICS:

Lily1: Cats are keen prowlers but there are hidden dangers lurking in certain flowers.

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Lily2: Cat owners should keep lilies out of the way from their pets.

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