[color=blue]WARNING[/color]

[Kazz]

Has everyone seen this in todays paper; the Daily Mirror today -

HELPLESS John Hartnett watched his cat die in agony after she brushed against flowers he bought his wife.

John, 51, did not know the oriental stargazer lilies were poisonous to pets.

He is calling on producers and retailers to issue warnings of the danger. The RSPCA has launched an emergency campaign.

Mr Hartnett's cat, Catalina, aged 13, brushed against a vase of the blooming white and pink lilies, getting pollen on her coat.

Advertisement Minutes after she licked herself clean the Siamese was violently ill. She died a few hours later after suffering blindness, liver failure, sickness and dehydration.

John, from Folkestone, Kent, said: "Catalina endured a vile death. She was suffering terribly. I blame myself but the vet we rushed her to said there was just no chance to save her."

John and Spanish wife Patricia Walger-Amuchastegui want warnings on all lilies sold in Britain. He said: "We've seen the flowers in many places, all with no warnings at all.

"I've seen on the internet that there's immense coverage in America warning people of the dangers - but here there's nothing.

"There needs to be a national awareness campaign. I can't believe something so simple as a flower can kill pets in such a terrible, terrible way - and there's no way of knowing about it.

"Cat owners should be warned of these lethal dangers."

RSPCA spokeswoman Kate Geary, said an emergency campaign would be launched. She said: "The problem of lilies isn't widely known and we're seeing an increase in cases because the flowers are becoming more readily available in Britain.

"We will be urging manufacturers and producers to issue warnings on their goods so consumers have an informed choice.

"We also hope to work with the Royal College for Veterinary Surgeons' poison department to produce information factsheets."

Alex Campbell, a toxicologist with the Poison Advisory Service for vets, said lily poisoning was "one of the worst" pets could face.

He added: "All parts of a lily are extremely toxic, especially to a cat's kidney. Less than one leaf eaten by a cat can lead to death. The fatality rate is high.

"A cat that comes into contact with a lily deteriorates very rapidly. I have even heard of a cat being given human dialysis in an attempt to overcome the effects of toxins in the kidneys."

Survival chances decrease rapidly if a cat is not taken to a vet within six hours

Scary isn't it?

[Mags]

That is shocking Kazz.....thank you so much for posting it.

I frequently have lilies in the house and I never dreamed they could be such a danger to cats. I always snip the pollen stalks out as it stains your clothes so much if you brush against it......but the thought of what it could do to our pets is dreadful.

It doesn't bear thinking about how that poor cat must have suffered.......

Thanks again for the report!

[Moli]

Thjat is scary, you just don't know..

[shonedek]

when i have lilies inside i always take the staymens out and ones growing in the garden i do the same.

[Mags]

Stamens!!!!......that's the word I was looking for Sam!

[shonedek]

but you spelt it right,i didnt think it looked right.If you remove they it makes it safer for your cat and the flower will last longer,you just lose the wonderful smell

[Kazz]

I take them out too I adore lillies but the whole report has made me think twice. Think they will be relegated to the kitchen windowsill where the cats never go.

Karen

[Mags]

I will certainly think twice about them now

[Moli]

I don't like lilies..They have too strong a smell for me..We used to have a plant in our garden all I knew it as was lambs ears, when ever Sam sat in it his ears came out in huge lumps..I dug it out in the end..

[shonedek]

gosh Moli i had to read that twice,i was thinking i never sat in your garden and my ears were fine lol