Glad the weekend is over...

I debated about whether or not to write this post, but in the end decided to go ahead and do it. If it can help just one person learn something, then I'll be glad. I just went through a hellish weekend, which started off with me falling down the stairs and freaking out my kids - I'm okay. It ended with us having to put down our favorite family cat, Jayden. The most heartbreaking parts were seeing the horrible pain that our kitty was in, and then having to bring my kids into the room to say goodbye to her.

My husband surprised me earlier in the week with a beautiful bouquet of lilies. We had them up on the kitchen island, out of reach, but a couple of petals fell on the floor and apparently Jayden chewed on them. She very quickly developed tons of painful ulcers in her mouth, gums and tongue. She stopped eating and drinking because of the pain and went into kidney failure. I can't believe how fast this all happened.

I had NO idea that lilies, ALL lilies. are extremely poisonous to cats. We've learned alot in the last couple of days, and I thought I'd share some of it with you. Below is a list if items that are extremely hazardous to your pets.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, aspirin)
• Acetaminophen
• Vitamins
• Diet Pills
• Fabric Softener
• Mothballs
• Flea & Tick Products
• Liquid Potpourri
• Fly Bait
• Detergents
• Tobacco Products
• Avocados
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Onions & Onion Powder
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Macadamia Nuts
• Moldy Food
• Salt
• Gum or Candy sweetened with xylitol
• Tea Leaves
• Raw Yeast Dough
• Wax

PLANTS

• Aloe
• Amaryllis
• Andromeda Japonica
• Asparagus Fern
• Australian Nut
• Autumn Crocus
• Azalea
• Belladonna
• Bird of Paradise
• Bittersweet
• Black Locust
• Branching Ivy
• Buckeye
• Buddhist Pine
• Caladium
• Calla Lily
• Castor Bean
• Ceriman
• Clematis
• Cordatum
• Corn Plant
• Cycads
• Cyclamen
• Daffodil
• Daylily
• Devil's Ivy
• Dieffenbachia
• Dumbcane
• Easter Lily
• Elephant Ears
• Emerald Fern
• English Ivy
• Eucalyptus
• Ferns
• Fiddle-Leaf Philodendron
• Florida Beauty
• Foxglove
• Glacier Ivy
• Gladiolas
• Gold Dust Dracaena
• Golden Pothos
• Heavenly Bamboo
• Honeysuckle
• Hurricane Plant
• Hyacinth
• Hydrangea
• Iris
• Jerusalem Cherry
• Jimson Weed
• Kalanchoe
• Lantana
• Lilies (all Lilium species)
• Lily of the Valley
• Lupine
• Marble Queen
• Morning Glory
• Mother-in-Law
• Mountain Laurel
• Narcissus
• Needlepoint Ivy
• Nephthysis
• Nightshade
• Oleander
• Panda
• Peace Lily
• Philodendron
• Poison Hemlock
• Precatory Bean (rosary pea)
• Privet
• red Emerald
• Rhododendron
• Ribbon Plant
• Sago Palm
• Satin Pothos
• Schefflera
• Striped Dracaena
• Sweetheart Ivy
• Tulip
• Water Hemlock
• Wisteria
• Yew
• Yucca