Lily of the Valley
One plant, one grade per pet — the verdicts below are transcribed from primary sources and human-reviewed.
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis, not a true lily) is toxic to cats (S3 Toxic): its cardenolides are heart toxins, and the signs on record include vomiting, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, weakness, disorientation, seizures, and coma.
FULL VERDICT →Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis, not a true lily) is toxic to dogs (S3 Toxic): its cardenolides are heart toxins, and the signs on record include vomiting, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, weakness, disorientation, seizures, and coma.
FULL VERDICT →Care at a glance
What happens if it's eaten
Signs on record for each animal, transcribed from the cited sources.
- vomiting
- loss of appetite
- irregular heartbeat; changes in heart rate and rhythm
- low blood pressure
- weakness
- disorientation
- seizures
- coma
- vomiting
- loss of appetite
- irregular heartbeat; changes in heart rate and rhythm
- low blood pressure
- weakness
- disorientation
- seizures
- coma
When to call the vet
Call your vet promptly after any ingestion; go immediately if you notice an irregular heartbeat or a change in heart rate, weakness, disorientation, seizures, or your cat becomes unresponsive.
FULL VERDICT →Call your vet promptly after any ingestion; go immediately if you notice an irregular heartbeat or a change in heart rate, weakness, disorientation, seizures, or your dog becomes unresponsive.
FULL VERDICT →Safe swaps, graded S0
Non-toxic on record for cats — verified against the index at build time.
FAQ
Is lily of the valley a true lily — and is it as dangerous as one?
It is not a true lily, and its danger is a different one. The ASPCA files lily of the valley as Convallaria majalis, family Asparagaceae — not Lilium — and its record is about the heart: cardenolides, with "Vomiting, irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, seizures" as the signs. For cats, the true lily and the daylily are S4 Emergency on a kidney-failure record, and the Peruvian lily is S1 Caution. Two more plants share the name and are not covered by this page: the ASPCA lists "Lily-of-the-Valley Bush" as a separate plant, Pieris japonica, noting that "Ingestion of a few leaves can cause serious problems"; and "Lily of the Valley Orchid," Odontoglossum pulchellum, which it lists as "Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats." The scientific name on the tag settles which one you have.