Warning! Those Easter Lilies Can Seriously Harm Your Cat

No flower screams "Easter décor" quite like the Easter lily. Its early spring blooms make it a beautiful, fresh flower to complete any Easter tablescape. Plus, it's the centerpiece of many church altars around the world. Christians take the Easter lily to represent the Christ's resurrection because of its purity and innocence.

But as pretty and symbolic as the Easter lily is for humans, it's potentially deadly for cats.

The Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) is a member of the Lilium genus, many members of which are poisonous when ingested by felines, even in small amounts. This is particularly true of the Easter lily — something as simple as exposure to the pollen from this flower or a nibble of a few leaves or petals is enough to leave your cat in renal failure.

According to Pet Posion Helpline, signs that your cat has ingested a deadly Easter lily include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, inappropriate urination or thirst, and seizures.

If you think your cat has eaten even just a leaf or petal of your Easter lily, be sure to take them to an emergency vet as soon as possible.

So cat owners beware! If you keep an Easter lily in your household, be sure to keep it far, far away from your kitty friend — though it's probably safest to just leave the flowers at church for others to enjoy.

But for dog owners, don't worry: Easter lilies are only toxic to cats.