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Is Daylily safe for dogs and cats?

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

ASPCA reports Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.): listed as non-toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. In cats: vomiting, eating less, being very sleepy, and kidney failure that can lead to death. Daylilies are not true lilies, but ASPCA warns that Hemerocallis plants can badly hurt cat kidneys just like Lilium. Pet Poison Helpline's lily page covers true lilies and does not mention daylilies.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Cats and true lilies: an emergency

If a cat may have chewed, licked pollen from its fur, or drunk water from a vase of this plant, call a vet or a poison line right away. Don't wait for signs.

Dogs: Non-toxicListed as non-toxic by the source.
Cats: ToxicAn emergency. Call now.

Also called: day lilies. Hemerocallis spp..

What in it is the problem

Unknown (ASPCA says the toxic principle is not known).

What it can do

In cats: vomiting, eating less, being very sleepy, and kidney failure that can lead to death.

Good to know

Daylilies are not true lilies, but ASPCA warns that Hemerocallis plants can badly hurt cat kidneys just like Lilium. Pet Poison Helpline's lily page covers true lilies and does not mention daylilies. ASPCA's news page says cats can be poisoned from pollen on their fur or vase water for true lilies and daylilies, and that treatment delayed more than 18 hours is often fatal. Call a vet or a poison line right away if a cat may have had contact.

Did your pet chew it?

Call your vet or a pet poison line, and say what plant, how much and when. If you aren't sure which plant it was, take a photo of it.

Poison emergency? Call now

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

For the children

"Some plants can make pets sick, and lilies are very dangerous for cats. Ask a grown-up before you bring a plant or flowers inside."

A job: Be the plant checker. Help a grown-up look up each plant in the house on this site, and write the ones to keep away on a list.

This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Common names are shared by different plants, so check the Latin name.

Sources