Lilies are pretty flowers that many people like because they have bright colors and look beautiful. However, if you have a cat, you need to be careful because lilies are really dangerous for them.
Every part of the lily plant is poisonous, even the water in a vase with lilies can make a cat sick. Just a tiny bit of lily pollen on a cat’s fur can be dangerous if they lick it off while cleaning themselves.
This is what happened to Pi, a ginger cat who succumbed to kidney failure after ingesting pollen from lily.
Pi fought hard in the hospital for a whole two weeks, struggling with constant vomiting that made it impossible for her to eat or drink.
Eventually, the vets had to resort to dialysis and a feeding tube as a last-ditch effort to save her. As time went on, Pi lost about a third of her body weight, and they weren’t unsure of what would come next.
However, against all expectations, Pi started showing signs of improvement. Her strength even earned her the nickname “Miracle Cat.”
At this moment, Kayli Vee Levitan, her owner, started feeling hopeful, believing everything would eventually turn out alright.
Unfortunately, that didn’t last long. Just two months later, Pi’s kidneys started failing again.
Despite the vets’ efforts, her kidneys completely shut down and there was no way to save her this time. Even though she fought bravely, she sadly didn’t make it.
Kayli was filled with sadness and a strong wish to prevent other cats from facing the same fate. She was determined to make sure Pi’s pain wasn’t for nothing.
Soon after, she decided to start a campaign to make people aware of how dangerous lilies can be for cats.
At first, she focused on big local stores that didn’t have clear warnings on their lily labels, as she shared on Twitter:
“Your labels need to be better. Some of you have labels with no warnings. Some have labels that say ‘Keep away from pets.’ It’s not enough. A simple change to ‘WARNING: HIGHLY TOXIC TO CATS AND DOGS’ could literally save lives.”
In emails she sent to stores, Kayli shared Pi’s story and the really expensive vet bills she had to pay.
She made sure to mention that just by adding a warning on lily labels about how dangerous they are to cats and dogs, it could actually save lives.
To her surprise, some of the stores quickly responded in a positive way. The very first store that replied right away put a big warning on their website. They’re also making a change to the label for all the lily products they sell in the future.
The other store that replied fixed their website and tried to find ways to make sure people who get lilies as presents know about the danger. They even sent Kayli a really pretty bouquet of roses to remember Pi.
However, Kayli doesn’t just work with big stores. She also reached out to small flower shops and is teaming up with animal shelters to teach new cat parents about dangerous plants.
She hopes to one day partner with stores worldwide to spread this important message to cat lovers everywhere.
Pi had a really tough time, and I’m sorry that she didn’t have the opportunity to experience a full and happy life.
However, we can learn from her story and do better in the future, to help save the lives of our furry friends. By sharing Pi’s story and advocating for transparent labeling, each and every one of us can play a part in keeping our cat buddies safe.
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