How does lilies become poisonous to cats?

Answer 1

When they come into contact with lillies and the powder (that falls easily from the stamen in the lily) gets on their fur, they ingest this when they groom themselves and this is really toxic to cats and can easily kill them.

Answer 2

All plants in the lily family are toxic to cats and can cause severe distress and in extreme cases may kill the cat. There are many web sites that detail which plants are toxic to cats and which are safe for cats to eat. Many cats enjoy eating greens as an emetic to help eliminate hairballs - the best thing for an indoor cat is a steady supply of wheatgrass, which is quite safe and very easy to grow.

Answer 3

Amaryllis

If a cat ingests an amaryllis bulb, it can suffer abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and hyper salivation.

Azalea

A cat that has eaten azaleas may show symptoms including trembling, lack of coordination, and even collapse.

Cactus

A cactus is not so much poisonous, as hazardous to keep in a house with a cat because the quills can easily puncture the skin and lead to infection.

Caladium

A cat that has ingested caladium may become nauseated, vomit or suffer from diarrhea. In some cases the cat may have difficulty breathing.

Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps in cats.

Dieffenbachia

The tropical dieffenbachia plant contains toxic calcium oxalate crystals called raphides that can affect the central nervous system.

Easter Lily

Lilies in general and the Easter lily in particular are highly toxic to cats, to the point that you should seek medical attention for your cat if it consumes any part of a lily, no matter in what amount and no matter if any symptoms are yet apparent. Lilies can cause kidney failure and death.

Ivy

Many varieties of ivy are poisonous to cats, with the leaves generally posing a greater hazard than the berries. Possible effects include abdominal pain, excitable behavior, vomiting, diarrhea and hyper salivation.

Mistletoe

Feel free to kiss your cat under the mistletoe, but hang it high enough to be out of reach. Ingesting mistletoe berries can cause blistering in the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea and breathing problems in cats.

Philodendron

It's one of the most popular houseplants in the world, but the philodendron should not be popular amongst cat owners. It can cause vomiting, swallowing difficulties and hyper salivation in cats.

Sources:

Lynn McAlpine, "House Plants That are Poisonous to Felines."eHow.
Franny Syufy, "Plants Poisonous to Cats." About.com.