First, how urgent is this?
Go now
- Any suspected exposure: licking, biting, drinking vase water, or grooming pollen off the coat.
- Treatment delayed beyond 18 hours is often fatal.
- Vomiting, drooling, low energy.
- No urine at all, or clearly less urine.
- A seizure or sudden collapse.
Contact your vet today
- Other common plants toxic to cats: dieffenbachia, golden pothos, azalea, cycad.
- Human painkillers (paracetamol, ibuprofen) are just as dangerous to a cat; even a lick cannot wait.
- Rat bait, slug pellets or antifreeze in the house that the cat could reach.
Record and observe
- Already under vet care: record the time of exposure, the plant and the signs that followed, and bring it to the next visit.
- Every plant out of the house and confirmed safe, with normal energy and appetite: still worth one call to the vet to check.
Before you set off
- A photo or the name of the plant; flowers, leaves, pollen and vase water all count.
- When and how: biting, licking, drinking vase water, or grooming.
- What followed: vomiting, drooling, energy, urination.
- The cat's weight and age.
- A list of other plants, medicines and chemicals in the house.
- Do not make the cat vomit, and do not give milk, salt water or charcoal.
What your vet may ask and do
- Ask: which plant, and when.
- Ask: any vomiting, drooling or falling energy.
- Ask: other plants, rat bait or human medicines in the house.
- Do: blood tests (kidney values, electrolytes).
- Do: a urine test, tracking volume and concentration.
- Do: intravenous fluids and supportive care, usually with admission.
- Do: monitor kidney function over several days, because damage can appear late.
Where to go in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong 24-hour vet list
- 24-hour emergency, Hong Kong Island
- 24-hour emergency, Kowloon
- 24-hour emergency, New Territories
- Clinics with inpatient care
- What emergency and test fees look like
Call the clinic before you drive over, to confirm tonight's arrangements and the location.