Are Daylilies Poisonous to Cats?

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·

Are Daylilies Poisonous to Cats?

Are daylilies poisonous to cats? Yes. Every daylily in the genus Hemerocallis is toxic to cats, and the ASPCA lists day lilies as toxic to cats because they can cause vomiting, lethargy, and kidney failure, sometimes after eating only a small amount of the plant [1][2]. This is not a mild stomach upset you can watch at home. It is a same-day emergency.

This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

  • All daylilies (Hemerocallis species) are toxic to cats, including tawny daylilies, orange daylilies, and the many hybrid varieties sold in garden centers [1][2].
  • Every part of the plant is dangerous: petals, leaves, stems, stamens, and even pollen [2].
  • Cats can develop acute kidney failure after eating very little. As few as 2 leaves or part of a single flower have caused deaths in cats [2].
  • Call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 right away if you think your cat ate any part of a daylily.
  • Do not wait for symptoms and do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to.

Are Daylilies Poisonous to Cats? What the ASPCA Says

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists day lilies (Hemerocallis spp.) as toxic to cats, with clinical signs that include vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death [1]. The same record notes that daylilies are non-toxic to dogs, so a dog in the house may be fine while the cat is in serious danger [1].

The toxic principle is listed as unknown [1]. That matters for owners because there is no antidote and no home test. Treatment depends on how quickly the cat is seen and how aggressively the kidneys are supported.

Are all daylilies toxic to cats?

Yes. Toxicity is a feature of the whole Hemerocallis genus, not one variety [1][2]. Published cases have involved H. dumortierei, H. fulvi, H. graminea, and H. seiboldii, and the ASPCA record covers many varieties [1][3]. If a plant is a true daylily, treat it as toxic.

Are tawny daylilies toxic to cats?

Yes. The tawny daylily is a Hemerocallis species, so it carries the same risk as any other daylily [1][2]. Tawny daylilies are common in older gardens and along roadsides, which means outdoor-access cats and indoor cats near cut flowers can both be exposed.

Are orange daylilies poisonous to cats?

Yes. Orange daylilies are also Hemerocallis, and color does not change the toxicity [1][2]. This is one of the most common points of confusion, because orange daylilies look nothing like the white Easter lily that most people already know is dangerous.

Daylilies vs. true lilies

Daylilies (Hemerocallis) and true lilies (Lilium, such as Easter, Japanese, stargazer, and tiger lilies) are different plants, but both cause kidney damage in cats [3][2]. The confusion is understandable because so many unrelated plants are called lilies, and hybrids make identification harder [2]. One plant that is often mixed into this group, lily of the valley (Convallaria), does not damage the kidneys but contains cardiac glycosides similar to digitalis, so it is toxic for a different reason [2]. If you are unsure what you have, see Are Lilies Toxic to Cats? for a side-by-side comparison.

What Makes Daylilies So Dangerous to Cats

The exact toxin or toxins that damage the kidney are not known, and the toxic dose is not established either [2]. What veterinarians do know is that cats are extremely sensitive. A small nibble, a chewed leaf tip, or grooming pollen off the coat can be enough to trigger illness [2].

The kidneys are the target. Damage shows up as acute kidney injury, which means kidney function drops quickly, often within hours to a couple of days. In one published case, a 12-week-old kitten was vomiting and lethargic 12 hours after exposure and had severe azotemia and hyperkalemia by the time it was examined [4]. That timeline is typical of how fast this can move.

Signs of Daylily Poisoning in Cats and When They Appear

Early signs are easy to miss or to blame on something else:

  • Vomiting
  • Not eating or reduced appetite (inappetence)
  • Lethargy or hiding
  • Drooling, which often means nausea
  • Later: little or no urine, or a cat that seems to feel worse instead of better

The ASPCA lists vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death as the expected clinical signs in cats [1]. A retrospective review of 22 confirmed daylily poisonings found that cats that ingest daylilies are at risk for gastrointestinal distress and acute renal failure [3].

Timing varies. Some cats vomit within hours. Others look quiet for a day and then decline. Because kidney values can be abnormal before your cat looks obviously sick, a normal-looking cat after a known exposure still needs veterinary care.

What to Do Right Now If Your Cat Ate a Daylily

Act first, identify second.

  1. Move your cat away from the plant and put the plant, or a photo of it, somewhere your cat cannot reach.
  2. Call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. These lines are staffed to help with exactly this situation.
  3. Tell them what you think was eaten, roughly how much, and when.
  4. Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to. With a plant that causes kidney injury, the priority is getting your cat to a clinic for decontamination and fluids, and forcing vomiting at home can cause problems of its own.
  5. Bring the plant with you if you can, or a clear photo of the leaves and flowers. Identification helps the veterinarian plan treatment.

If your cat is already vomiting, drooling, or unusually quiet, skip the phone call and go to the nearest emergency clinic. Call on the way so the team can prepare.

How Veterinarians Treat Daylily Poisoning in Cats

Treatment centers on two things: getting plant material out of the cat, and protecting the kidneys.

Decontamination may include inducing vomiting in the clinic and giving activated charcoal, depending on how recently the cat ate and how the cat is doing. Early decontamination plus aggressive fluid therapy is the approach linked to successful outcomes in daylily toxicosis [3]. Intravenous fluids are the backbone of care and are usually continued for days.

Supportive care addresses the problems that come with acute kidney injury. In the published kitten case, the cat arrived with severe azotemia and a potassium level of 9.36 mmol/L, and treatment included calcium gluconate, lactated ringers solution, dextrose, regular short-acting insulin, albuterol, and sodium bicarbonate [4]. When the kitten stopped making urine, furosemide was given at 4 mg/kg, urine production resumed within 6 hours, and the azotemia and hyperkalemia resolved two days later [4]. That dose is from a single case report and is not a home treatment. Your veterinarian calculates every drug and fluid dose from your cat's weight, kidney values, and overall condition.

Other care may include anti-nausea medication, appetite support, repeat blood work to track kidney values and electrolytes, and a urinary catheter or monitoring to track urine output. Some cats need hospitalization for several days.

Outlook After Daylily Ingestion

Outcome depends heavily on how fast treatment starts. In one survey of 57 cats exposed to toxic lilies, 93 percent received prompt veterinary care and 87 percent either developed no signs or had brief signs that resolved [5]. That is encouraging, but it reflects cats whose owners acted quickly. The same survey found that only 27 percent of owners knew lilies were toxic before their cat was exposed, and owners who did not know often left the flowers where cats could reach them [5].

The other side of the picture is that daylily poisoning can be fatal, and the ASPCA lists death as a possible outcome [1]. Cats that develop severe kidney injury may have lasting kidney damage even if they survive the initial crisis. Your veterinarian will repeat blood work over days to weeks to see how much kidney function returns.

Preventing Daylily Poisoning

The simplest fix is to keep daylilies out of your home and out of any area your cat can reach.

  • Do not bring daylily cut flowers indoors. If someone sends you an arrangement, check it before it comes inside, and remove any daylily stems and flowers.
  • Do not plant daylilies in a garden your cat visits. Tawny and orange daylilies spread easily and are common in yards.
  • Check bouquets from grocery stores, florists, and gifts. Most lilies in the survey came from grocery or other stores and were bought by owners or given as gifts [5].
  • If you have outdoor cats or a catio, walk the perimeter and remove daylilies.
  • Teach everyone in the house, including guests and plant sitters, that daylilies are dangerous to cats.

For safer plant choices, see Flowers That Are Toxic To Cats and Common Houseplants Toxic to Cats and Dogs. If you want to double-check a plant you already own, What Plants Are Toxic To Cats Houseplants walks through the common ones.

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

This article covers daylilies in general. It cannot tell you how much your individual cat ate, how sensitive that cat is, or what the blood work will show. Individual cases need a veterinarian.

Call your veterinarian or a poison control line the same day if:

  • You saw your cat chew, bite, or eat any part of a daylily
  • You found chewed leaves, bite marks, or missing flowers and your cat was alone with the plant
  • Your cat has pollen on the face or paws from a lily arrangement
  • Your cat is vomiting, drooling, or refusing food and a daylily was in the house in the past 48 hours

Go to an emergency clinic now if:

  • Your cat is vomiting repeatedly
  • Your cat is weak, wobbly, or difficult to wake
  • Your cat has not urinated in many hours, or you notice very little urine in the box
  • Your cat is breathing fast, has a racing heart, or seems to be getting worse instead of better

Schedule a routine visit if your cat had a possible exposure weeks ago and seems fine now. Your veterinarian can check kidney values and set a monitoring plan. If you are unsure whether a plant in your home is a daylily, bring a photo or a cutting to your veterinarian or your local extension office for identification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a cat survive eating a daylily?

Yes, many cats survive with fast treatment. In one survey, most cats that received prompt veterinary care had no signs or only brief signs that resolved [5]. Survival depends on how much was eaten, how quickly care started, and how the kidneys respond.

How little of a daylily does it take to hurt a cat?

Very little. As few as 2 leaves or part of a single flower have resulted in deaths in cats [2]. Because the toxic dose is not established, any known ingestion is treated as an emergency [2].

Are daylilies and Easter lilies the same risk?

They are different plants with a similar result. Daylilies (Hemerocallis) and true lilies (Lilium, which includes Easter lilies) both cause kidney damage in cats [3][2]. Both require the same urgent response.

My dog ate the daylily. Should I worry?

Daylilies are listed as non-toxic to dogs [1]. That does not mean a dog should eat plants freely, but the severe kidney toxicity seen in cats is not the expected problem in dogs. If your dog vomits or seems unwell, call your veterinarian.

Does cooking or drying a daylily make it safe for cats?

No. There is no evidence that drying, cooking, or processing daylily flowers or leaves removes the risk to cats. Keep all parts of the plant away from your cat in any form.

Related Articles

References

  1. Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Day Lilies (many varieties). ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
  2. Lily toxicity in the cat. Topics in companion animal medicine, 2010.
  3. A retrospective study of daylily toxicosis in cats. Veterinary and human toxicology, 2003.
  4. Case report: Resolution of oligo-anuric acute kidney injury with furosemide administration in a cat following lily toxicity. Frontiers in veterinary science, 2023.
  5. Exposure circumstances and outcomes of 48 households with 57 cats exposed to toxic lily species. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2011.

Further Reading