Peace lily is a common indoor plant, known for its air-purifying abilities. Also, it is very easy to maintain, which makes it a favorite choice of many plant lovers.
It is recognizable by its white flowers and shiny green leaves.
While all plants make a wonderful addition to any home, pet owners should always do some extra checking when choosing.
Some houseplants are toxic and can cause severe health consequences for felines. But what about Peace Lily? Is it safe for cats?
If you’re a cat owner, you might wonder whether it’s safe to have this plant in your home. Let’s find out everything about the combination of the Peace lily and cats.
Is Peace Lily Toxic To Cats?
The Peace lily plant is indeed a wonderful choice for anyone, even beginners with no real experience in plants.
Unfortunately, having a cat and this plant isn’t a good idea. According to the Animal Poisons Helpline, peace lilies are mildly toxic. All parts of this plant contain calcium oxalate, which is likely to cause respiratory trouble and stomach problems in cats.
While it isn’t one hundred percent that your cat will find the Peace lily appealing enough to sniff or even lick it, you shouldn’t take your chances.
You know how curious felines are. They will try to explore anything new around them, including different plants.
What Are The Symptoms Of Peace Lily Toxication In Cats?
Having your cat near the Peace lily plant is likely to cause some typical symptoms.
Alessia Bertero and her associates [1] investigated indoor companion animal poisoning by plants in Europe.
They found how Peace lily, when ingested, can cause the following symptoms in pets:
• Drooling
• Dysphagia
• Irritation/burning of the mouth tongue, and lips
• Vomiting
What Is The Treatment Of Peace Lily Poisoning In Cats?
If you suspect your cat could have ingested Peace lily, you should remove leaves from your cat’s mouth, in case you notice any of them.
Also, wash your cat’s paws with cool water and don’t use any chemicals. While Peace lily poisoning usually isn’t life-threatening for cats, I still advise you to take your pet to the veterinarian.
You’ll need to give the veterinarian exact information on what quantity of the plant your cat has eaten. Also, it’s important to know approximately how much time has passed since it has ingested it.
According to PetMD, there’s no specific antidote for lily poisoning, but early detection allows veterinarians to provide supportive care to manage symptoms.
If a cat hasn’t vomited already, the veterinarian will induce vomiting. Also, they will provide it with activated charcoal by mouth to help absorb any toxins that are in your cat’s gut.
It will be necessary to perform a list of tests, such as a complete blood count, urinalysis, and serum chemistry profile.
An essential thing here is providing a cat with IV fluids to prevent dehydration. The cat should be monitored for a few following days and will also be given anti-nausea medications.
After your cat gets home, you should continue to monitor it for the next following days. Make sure all the symptoms are gone and, of course, shower your kitty with attention and cuddles.
In case you notice your cat seems to be lethargic even days after the incident, you should consult your veterinarian once again.
What Are The Chances Of Recovery?
Chances for recovery of certain types of lilies are, unfortunately, extremely low. Particularly, Asiatic, Easter, and Oriental lilies are among the most toxic.
In contrast, the Peace Lily typically causes only mild symptoms in cats.
It isn’t very likely that peace lily toxication in a cat will lead to kidney failure, so the chances of recovery from Peace lily poisoning are generally high.
Still, I would recommend you to be cautious and don’t let your cat come near this plant. Especially, don’t leave it alone at home while having Peace lily in its vicinity.
You don’t want to take your chances and risk any kind of symptoms in your feline friend.
Should You Have The Peace Lily In Your Home?
While Peace lily isn’t the most dangerous type of plant for cats, it’s still moderately poisonous and likely to cause certain symptoms in them.
So, the best way to keep your pet safe is by not having this plant inside your home. You can, however, give it a try, put the plant in your house, and see your cat’s reaction.
It’s possible that the cat won’t even give it any attention at all. However, if you’re not with your kitty 24/7, you can’t really be sure what it is up to while you’re away.
Therefore, a Peace lily and a cat aren’t the greatest combination.
Final Thoughts
The Peace lily is a beautiful and low-maintenance plant which, unfortunately, isn’t a good choice for cat owners.
This is a toxic plant that, while it isn’t as bad as some other plants, it’s still likely to cause symptoms like oral burning, nausea, and excess drooling.
Part of being a cat parent includes ensuring your cat’s surroundings are hazard-free, meaning that the best solution here is not having the Peace lily at all.
While some cats won’t find it appealing to sniff or lick it, you shouldn’t just leave this to chance.
If you really like how Peace lily fits into your home, I have a suggestion: An artificial plant! This is a safe replacement, non-toxic to your kitty, and still lifts up your living room.
In the end, I remind you to always check up on the toxicity of the specific plant on pets before you purchase it.
You may also want to learn whether lemon trees are toxic to cats. Hope to see you there!
References:
[1] Bertero A, Fossati P, Caloni F. Indoor Companion Animal Poisoning by Plants in Europe. Front Vet Sci. 2020 Aug 7;7:487. DOI, Retrieved January 25, 2024.
