Is Lily of the Valley safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
Lily of the valley is not a true lily - botanically it's unrelated to the Lilium and Hemerocallis species that cause acute kidney failure in cats - but that doesn't make it safe. ASPCA lists cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) as the toxic principle, with signs ranging from vomiting and irregular heartbeat to low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, and seizures. It's a classic Northern-tier shade perennial: hardy from USDA zone 3 through 7, it spreads by rhizome into a dense groundcover under trees and shrubs across the Upper Midwest and Northeast, per NC State Extension's Plant Toolbox, tolerating clay soil and dry shade where little else will grow.
That makes it a common, easy-to-overlook fixture at the edge of a lawn or under a foundation planting - exactly where a dog or outdoor cat is likely to brush against it or chew a leaf. Because the cardiac-glycoside risk is serious, any suspected ingestion should go straight to an emergency vet visit alongside a call to ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) - don't wait for symptoms to confirm it before acting.
Facts and examples
- Convallaria majalis is hardy in USDA zones 3-7, used as a shade groundcover under shrubs and at bed edges, tolerant of dappled-to-full shade, drought and heavy clay soil, and spreads aggressively by rhizome in northern zones. (source, verified 2026-07-26)
- Lily of the valley toxic principle is cardenolides (cardiac glycosides); symptoms include vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, seizures. (source, verified 2026-07-26)
Verdict re-verified against aspca.org, 2026-07-26 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-26