Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My cat got lily pollen on her nose. Is it toxic? What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 4 months old

I found my cat with Lilly pollen on her nose. I’m not sure how long it had been there for as I hadn’t been home for a few hours. I wiped it off immediately and she seems her normal self, no symptoms. I phoned my local vet and he said to monitor her and that there’s a very slim chance it will affect her but I’ve read so much online that I’m just looking for a second opinion. :(

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on March 24th, 2018

First off, you did the right thing by calling your vet right away about Evie. As I'm sure you are aware, lilies are toxic to cats. I agree with monitoring her, as you don't know if she has ingested any of the plant or not. The pollen of certain lily species (the Lilium or Hemerocallis species) can be toxic to cats if ingested, and hopefully she hasn't gotten any in her mouth. Clinical signs of toxicity include vomiting, anorexia, drooling, lethargy, pawing at the mouth, foaming, excessive or decreased thirst or urination, and/or painful abdomen. If you see any of those signs, get her into a vet immediately. In the meantime, remove any lilies from the house or any you have outside to keep them away from her. Hopefully, she will be ok. Best of luck!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Image profile

    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on April 6th, 2018

    You area correct, lilies are very toxic to cats. Even ingestion of pollen during grooming can be dangerous. Wipe Cyril down with a washcloth or bathe him, if possible, to remove any pollen. Move the vase out of reach or consider discarding them (just don't tell your husband!).

    Vote icon

    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
For Linda g Ty as always. Someone today gifted my brother tulips. He’s not in the us but I would just like to make sure that they aren’t like lilies. Do they cause any type of organ failure. Should I worry about him coming back & maybe having the pol
Tulips are part of the lily family and can be toxic to cats. They contain a chemical known as Tulipilan A that can cause allergic reactions in humans just from touching a tulip. But because humans are larger than cats and don’t typically eat tulips, the toxin doesn’t pose as much risk for us. Tulipilan A is found in all parts of the tulip, but it is found in the highest concentrations in the bulb of the plant. The flower, leaves, and stem all contain smaller amounts of the toxin, but it is still enough to cause respiratory issues for small animals such as cats. Although your cat eating a tulip flower or leaf is still cause for concern, it’s not as bad as it would be if he were to consume some of the tulip bulbs.Tulips may or may not pose serious problems for your cat. It just depends on how much of the plant your cat ate, what part of the plant he ate, and how big he or she is. But, even with eating a small amount of tulip, your cat is likely to exhibit symptoms. Even if you didn’
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I petted my cat after pulling lily of the valley. Is there concern of him getting poisoned by licking himself?
Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. If there was some pollen on your hands that you transferred on Oreo's fur, then yes there is a chance that he may get into trouble. You should brush him as soon as possible and monitor for signs of vomiting, lethargy and lack of appetite. If you notice that he is unwell, you should take him to your local vets right away. If you touched only the leaves or stems with your hands, it will not cause any problems to your cat.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat came to me foaming at the mouth, I assume she ate some of my birthday flowers (tiger lilies) I don't see any obvious chewing of them. But that's my only guess. I have a baby and I don't have his car seat, nor do I have Money for the vet tonigh
Unfortunately, the lily plant is one of the most toxic houseplants for cats, and eating as little as two or three leaves is enough to cause liver failure. If left untreated, it can be fatal, and Callie has to see a vet right away. I would call a friend to see if they could come watch your baby, and take her into a vet now. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, My 5 month old cat ate Lily pollen (to the extent that he had yellow all over him), this was two- three days ago. And i’ve only just found out that it’s highly poisonous to cats. It’s too late at night to take him to a vet. He hasn’t shown any sy
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frankie. I still recommend having him evaluated by his veterinarian. It would be a good idea to have blood work performed to ensure that he has not sustained any kidney damage. Most of the time, damage to the kidneys occurs by 72 hours after the exposure. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog ate some pollen from a lily. It was about 20 minutes ago. I do not believe she ate any of the petals. Will she be okay?
Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. Yes, Stormy should be just fine! There is nothing toxic in pollen to dogs. Also, lilies themselves are only toxic to cats when they are ingested. I hope this is helpful!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
I had bought my grandma an Easter lily and it looks like my cat has managed to nibble on the leaves and his white coat is covered in yellow pollen. I didn't realize how toxic they were to cats. He threw up a little looks like awhile ago, I gave him s
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Louie! Unfortunately, EVERY part of the Lily is very toxic and deadly to cats. It causes acute kidney failure. Time is of the essence and I urge you to take Louie to an open Veterinary Emergency hospital for care. It is not wise to wait until tomorrow because sadly it could be too late to reverse the damage to his kidneys. You could also call the Pet Poison hotline (there is a charge) but they will tell you the same thing. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ I hope this helps and I wish Louie the best! https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-plants-that-are-poisonous-to-pets/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My white cat has a crusty black something on the top of her nose?
This can be seen in a few different cases, but I always worry about skin cancer in white cats, so it's best to have it checked out by your veterinarian. I have seen similar lesions when they rub their nose on something, or with certain infections, so I would not be too worried; just have it checked to be safe. It's not an emergency, but good to have her seen in the next week to ensure treatment is initiated early if it's something serious. For now, I do not recommend doing any sort of treatment at home. It's best to leave it alone until a vet can have a look. Here is a link with more information about skin cancer in cats: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/skin-squamous-cell-carcinoma-in-cats I hope that helps and all is well with Lily.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello. My cat threw up and I saw that it had small pieces of leaves in it. He ate a few pieces of leaves from a stargazer Lilly because that is the only plant in the house. He is playing and he ate again. Acting normal. Should I be worried? Anything
Unfortunately star gazer lilies are toxic to cats. Cats aree the only animals affected!. Vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure and death is possible. Hopefully Ronald vomited all the plant material and will not be affected. Please watch for inappetence, lethargy and more vomiting. If this occurs he needs to be taken to a veterinarian or a PetEr right away. If you think he did not get rid of all the missing plant parts, take him to a vet this morning for an exam. The vet will want to take blood as a base line this morning so he can compare values to monitor his kidneys.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat was nibbling on my daylily plants and might have eaten a small piece of a leaf (perhaps the size of a raisin or dime)! Is this plant super poisonous to cats? And how much is toxic? What should I do?! please help!!
Unfortunately the daylily is toxic to cats, and clinical signs usually occur between 6-12 hours after exposure. Watch out for lethargy, increased drinking, increased urination, racing heart beat, increased heart rate, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you see any of those signs, rush Dewey into a vet immediately.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat ate a bit of a tulip’s leaf and stem. He’s 12 lbs and about 7 years old. He hasn’t vomited. I heard tulips are toxic. Should be go to a vet?
If Hiccup only bit it and didn't ingest any, he'll likely be OK. However, if you are concerned or know how much he ingested, you can contact the Pet Poison Helpline - https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ - (there is a fee for this service) to see if any action needs to be taken. If he does start showing any signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, drooling, etc, seeking veterinary care immediately is best.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Supplies Cat Food Prescription Cat Allergy Medicine Cat Medicine Cat Asthma Medication Flea & Tick Solutions for Cats Electrolytes for Cats Cat First Aid Cat Toys Cat Allergy & Itch Relief Chlorpheniramine Cat Medicine Vet's Best Flea & Tick Solutions for Cats PetAlive Cat Allergy & Itch Relief Flora Inc Cat Health & Wellness Vetality Flea & Tick Solutions for Cats Vetnique Labs Cat Ear & Eye Care PetAlive Cat Ear & Eye Care Neo-Poly-Dex Cat Medicine Flovent Cat Medicine Prednisone Cat Medicine
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored