Question
I have been looking around and I have not seen to why lilies are toxic to cats. I know the whole plant is toxic, but why? Just curious.
Answer
The webmind says "What makes lilies poisonous is still unknown, but it is known that the toxin is soluble in water and deadly. Cats suffer from kidney failure after ingesting even tiny amounts of this plant and flower." Other organs may also be damaged.
Bodies are basically lazy. Producing enzymes to detoxify everything they might encounter is metabolically expensive, so carnivores often lack some of the paths that deal with phytotoxins. Exactly which ones get optimized away depends on species. Cats can handle caffeine and thiobromine better than dogs do, pound for pound.
Answered By - keshlam