Warning Gross: cats eating Easter grass

[luvmy3]

From here;



Also, please take care to keep lillies (the flowers) out of your home of you have cats. The pollen that your cat may clean off it's own fur after simply walking under a flower can cause renal failure.

I had no idea about the lillies. I always get fresh cut ones and put them on the dining room table. I won't be anymore.
I did know about the grass, I get tissue paper and crumble it up and put it in the bottom of my kids baskets.

 

[flying_babyb]

We did it with tinsel. then garlin (dang cat)

 

[Val]

If only our cat would eat the grass....instead our "kitten" (he's a 20 pound 11 month old kitten) spent yesterday stealing and eating our PEEPS! The horror of it! He actually EATS them...grabs, runs and eats! Even the DOGS won't eat Peeps!

 

[Barb D]

Easter grass and tinsel have been banned in our house for years anyway (I think it breeds at night, and I never can seem to get rid of it!).

I never knew about the lily toxicity. I have a beautiful Easter lily on my dining room table, which I'll have to move out of Susie's reach.

From http://pet-diseases.suite101.com/article.cfm/lilies_poisonous_to_cats :

What part of the plant is considered toxic: All parts of the plant are considered toxic. Any exposure to the plant could be toxic to the cat, ingestion of part of a leaf or licking pollen that came into contact with their fur, could cause renal (kidney) failure.

Symptoms of lily toxicity: Cats will generally start to vomit within a few hours of exposure. The affected cat might seem lethargic and not want to eat. Many owner will not find this behavior odd for their cat and the symptoms will go untreated. Kidney failure will start to develop within 24 – 72 hours after eating the plant. Kidney failure symptoms include but are not limited too: increased thirst, increased urination, vomiting, lethargy, not eating, and dehydration.

Diagnosis: The veterinarian will want to do blood work to check the cats kidney function. The kidney's blood values will be elevated within 12 – 18 hours after eating the plant. Death can occur in 3 – 6 days after eating the plant. Many owners will not have seen their cat ingest the plant so the kidney failure will be a shock to the owner. Many older cats develop kidney failure with time but eating lilies brings on kidney failure quickly to both young and old cats, that is why it is so devastating.

Treatment: If the cat is treated within a few hours after eating the plant the outcome is pretty good. The veterinarian will probably induce vomiting and give activated charcoal to further absorb any toxin. The veterinarian will also want to set an IV catheter and administer fluids to combat dehydration and shock. If the cat does not receive treatment within 18 hours of ingesting the plant I'm afraid there is not a lot that can be done. A decision needs to be made by the owner and the veterinarian, trying to treat symptoms might give you more time with your cat but many times death or euthanasia because of severe kidney failure is the outcome.

 

[HelenePA]

Should I call the vet? He acts fine. I wish I wouldn't have done that.

I could hear the call, Hi I pulled easter grass out of my cats ***, do you think he's okay or should I bring him in...

We've also banned easter grass because I find it months and months and sometimes YEARS later. Grandparents have also been warned if they come over with it they are leaving with it also

 

[Kycha]

Not all cats eat grass(or ribbons, tinsel, garland etc). We have 4 cats(and many more before them) and it wasn't until we got our latest cat that we had issues. We got Josie right before Thanksgiving one year and ended up taking her to the vet on Christmas Eve for an emergency visit after she ate a bunch of ribbon off the gifts under the tree. Before Josie, we never had to worry about ribbons, rubber bands, string, tinsel, garland, shoe laces etc. All our other cats would only play, but never chew or swallow anything.

 

[N.Bailey]

I don't even buy Easter grass anymore for this very reason.

My silly cat will try to eat any type of cellophane she can get her mouth on. There are so many types of candy wrapped in this that we have to be very careful.

I don't get the attractions, but she loves this stuff.

The good news for me is, whenever she's doing something that she doesn't think she's allowed to do (chomping on cellophane, stealing hair scrunchies from my daughter after she removes them to shower LOL- literally, finds a rubber band, etc..), she comes to me meowing her head off. She's trying to get my attention to show me she's done something bad, but she doesn't stop chewing it, she just chews between meows.

 

[ckay87]

Had to hospitalize our beagle 2 years ago due to excessive diarreah. Vet found Easter grass in her poop.

My guess is she wasn't after the grass, but the Hershey Kisses IN the grass.

Ugh, I never had such problems when I had 2 year olds, I'm not kidding!

 

[720L]

I could hear the call, Hi I pulled easter grass out of my cats ***, do you think he's okay or should I bring him in...

We've also banned easter grass because I find it months and months and sometimes YEARS later. Grandparents have also been warned if they come over with it they are leaving with it also

Thats exactly what I was thinking. He is still fine I would think if it hurt him I would have noticed him acting funny by now. He's eaten Easter grass many times before, I just never had to---you know. It was dragging all over my kids beds I had to do something. I knew Easter lillies were bad for them so I never buy those.