Lilies - Beautiful Flowers and Very Poisonous For Cats

An orange lily
Photo by Linda Crampton

I love lilies. The cultivated ones have such large, showy and often colorful flowers and look so lovely in a garden or landscaped area. Many have beautiful scents as well. Unfortunately, lilies are very poisonous for cats. All parts of the plant are toxic - flowers, berries, leaves, stems and roots. Even the pollen is poisonous!

I don’t allow lilies in my home or garden. I have three cats, whom I love very much, and I don’t want to risk their lives. I enjoy looking at lilies in parks and photographing them there, but the plants get nowhere near my home.

A lily flower has only three petals, but the sepals, which are located below the petals, are large and colorful and look like petals themselves. The center of the flower has six stamens (the male reproductive structures) surrounding one pistil (the female reproductive structure). A lily's leaves are long and slender.

Since lily poisoning is so serious, one might think that the toxin (or toxins) had been studied in detail. However, the poisonous substance hasn’t even been identified. It’s known to be water-soluble, though, which means that water in a vase that has held lilies might be poisonous.

A cat may experience serious effects after eating only a small amount of a lily plant. The problem is especially serious for kittens, for two reasons. Their bodies are very small and aren't as capable of diluting poisons as an adult cat's body. In addition, kittens are very inquisitive and like to investigate everything, often with their mouths. 

One of my cats enjoying a stroke
Photo by Linda Crampton

Lilies produce a large amount of pollen, which spreads widely. If a cat has pollen on its coat, the pollen should be washed off. The cat may be poisoned by the pollen as it cleans itself.

The timeframe for symptom development from lily poisoning is variable, but the first signs generally appear about two to four hours hours after plant consumption. Some vets report that symptoms can appear as early as thirty minutes after ingestion, however. 

Early symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy or depression. Later, tremors and seizures may develop. The lily poison has especially serious effects on the kidneys and can permanently damage them. Thirst. dehydration and increased urination will eventually appear and are signs of kidney damage. If the damage is very severe, urination may decrease and even stop.

If treatment begins within six hours of lily consumption, there is a good chance that a cat will survive. By eighteen hours after consumption it may be hard to save the cat. This is a very good reason why pets shouldn’t be left alone for long periods without a human observer. It's also a good reason why they shouldn't be allowed to wander unattended out of doors, where they might encounter lily plants.

Without treatment, kidney damage will kill the cat as soon as thirty-six hours after consumption. Even if the cat receives veterinary treatment for lily poisoning and survives, the kidneys may be permanently injured.

Another of my cats
Photo by Linda Crampton

Prevention of poisoning from lily ingestion is much easier than a cure. If a cat does eat part of a lily plant, it's very important to get it to a vet as soon as possible. There isn't an antidote for the poison, but if the cat reaches a vet soon after he or she has swallowed plant material the vet may be able to use techniques to empty the stomach or to neutralize the toxin in the stomach. If this isn't possible, prompt administration of intravenous fluids may save the cat's life.

Even if your cat has never shown any interest in chewing, mouthing or smelling lilies, it's not worth having lilies in the home or garden (if the cat has access to the garden). Lilies are poisonous to dogs too, but to a lesser degree. For some reason cats are especially susceptible to the toxin.

If kind friends or relatives give you flowers as a gift, take out any lilies and give them to someone who doesn't have cats or dogs in the family. If you are given flowers in water, remember to empty the water as soon as the flowers enter your home. Also look for loose pollen on the flowers and remove it, since it may be lily pollen. This may seem like a nuisance, but it's definitely worth it if you have a cat in the family. The thought of lily poisoning in a beloved pet is a horrible one.

The Lysosome - A Cell Organelle in Health and in Disease

A cell organelle is a structure within a cell that carries out a specific function (or functions) to keep the cell alive. A lysosome is an organelle that consists of a membrane-bound sac containing hydrolytic enzymes. These enzymes digest cell materials such as food particles, other molecules, parts of viruses and bacteria and old, damaged or unneeded organelles. An animal cell may contain hundreds of lysosomes. They perform an important role in recycling the cell's components and in breaking down materials that enter the cell.

Parts of an animal cell
Illustration by training.seer.cancer.gov, public domain image

The description above refers to a "conventional" lysosome.
Researchers say that there are actually two types of lysosomes: conventional lysosomes and secretory lysosomes. In this article I'll describe conventional lysosomes.

Current research indicates that lysosome activity is far more complicated than was once thought. In addition, scientists have discovered that lysosomes are so important that they can cause a group of disorders known as lysosomal storage diseases or lysosome storage disorders when they malfunction. These diseases may be very serious.

Endocytosis, Endosomes and Lysosomes

In order to do its job, a conventional lysosome fuses with another organelle called an endosome. An endosome is a vesicle (sac) formed during the process of endocytosis.

In endocytosis, part of the outer covering of an animal cell, known as the cell membrane, forms an invagination or pocket as it surrounds material from outside the cell. The invagination eventually complete surrounds the material, breaks away from the cell membrane and enters the cell. The vesicle that forms is known as an endosome. The damage to the cell membrane caused by endosome formation is repaired.

Examples of Endocytosis
Illustration by Mariana Ruiz Villarreal, public domain image

The leading theory for lysosome action says that the lysosome and the endosome join to form a "hybrid" organelle. Within this hybrid organelle digestion occurs. The lysosome then separates from the endosome and joins with another endosome to repeat the digestion process. It's thought that the lysosome also fuses with vesicles that are carrying materials originating within the cell in order to digests their contents. 

Lysosomal Storage Disorders or Diseases

There are about forty lysosomal storage diseases. They are quite rare, but that's no comfort for someone suffering from one of the diseases. They're caused by a genetic error. As a result, digestive enzymes in the lysosomes are either absent or defective. Material that should be broken down collects in the cells.

Lysosomal storage diseases affect different parts of the body, and some have a more serious effect than others. Tay-Sachs disease is one example of a serious condition. The patient's lysosomes lack the enzyme necessary to break up compounds called gangliosides. As these compounds collect in nerve cells, they destroy them. Research into the causes and treatments for lysosomal storage diseases is ongoing, as well as research into genetic counseling.

The video below is a good summary of lysosomal enzyme function. It was created by the Lysosomal Storage Research Group at The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

The Common Garter Snake - An Interesting and Beautiful Reptile

The common garter snake, or Thamnophis sirtalis, is an interesting and often beautiful reptile found in many parts of North America. I used to see this snake frequently, but now that my neighborhood is more built-up the animal is harder to find. An exception was my recent discovery of a snake beside a nearby pond. Unfortunately, it was dead, but at least I was able to get lots of photos.

A Common Garter Snake
Photo by Linda Crampton

Appearance

There are a number of subspecies of garter snake. The snake's appearance is very variable. Even garter snakes in the same subspecies can look different from each other! The snakes that I've seen in my area  - southwestern British Columbia - have yellow stripes on a dark green, dark grey or black background. Some animals also have blue stripes and/or red patches, producing a very attractive appearance.

Winter Dormancy

Garter snakes have some interesting habits. (Keep in mind that I'm talking about the garter snakes in my part of the world.) They stop eating before they enter their winter dormancy, allowing their stomachs to empty. Garter snakes spend the winter in a den called a hibernaculum. They're often accompanied by other garter snakes and even by other types of snakes. The snakes may form a dense ball of dormant animals. Technically, the dormant state of reptiles in unfavorable conditions is known as brumation instead of hibernation.

Reproduction

The snakes emerge from their hibernaculum in spring. Generally the males appear first, followed by the females. Mating takes place very soon after the snakes emerge from the den. Often many males cover a single female, all trying to pair with her.

Garter snakes give birth to live young in July or August. They are ovoviviparous animals. Their young develop in eggs, but these are retained inside the mother's body instead of being laid. The eggs contain yolk to nourish the youngsters. They hatch inside the mother and the offspring are then born live.  Generally, about 10 to 15 young are born, but some garter snakes have been known to produce as many as 70 youngsters in a litter.

Another view of a common garter snake
Photo by Linda Crampton

Hunting For Prey

The common garter snake is diurnal (active during the day), but it's most active in the morning and late afternoon or early evening. It's carnivorous and a hunter. It feeds on frogs, toads, salamanders, slugs, earthworms and insects. It also occasionally preys on small mammals, birds, fish and other reptiles. The snake enters water at times and can swim, which it does very well.

The tongue is red with a forked, black tip. It's extended frequently to pick up molecules in the air. The tongue is then inserted into the Jacobson's organ in the roof of the mouth, which detects the chemicals on the tongue. In this way the snake can find potential prey. The Jacobson's organ is also used to detect chemicals called pheromones that are released by females to attract males during mating.

Dangers to Humans

Garter snakes shouldn't be handled unless absolutely necessary. The snake often releases a smelly mixture of musk and feces from the vent at the end of its tail when it's handled. It will also bite if it has no other choice.

Garter snakes have long been considered to have a non-poisonous bite, but researchers have now discovered that their saliva is slightly toxic. The toxin may help to subdue the snake's prey. It's harmless to humans. however. Like any animal bite, a wound created by a garter snake bite should be properly cleaned, treated and covered. It will most likely be painful and itchy.

The subspecies of the common garter snake that I see most often is the Puget Sound garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii). It's a very interesting animal. I hope my next encounter is with a live snake instead of a dead one.

Flowers For Graves - A Very Ancient Custom

A flower of Mentha longifolia
Photo by Michael Becker at Wikimedia Commons,
CC BY-SA 3.0 License 

Researchers at the University of Halfa in Israel have discovered that 13,700 years to 11,700 years ago Stone Age people belonging to the Natufian culture put flowers in the graves of their dead. Although we can't assume that these earlier people thought the same way as we do, the modern custom of showing respect and love for a dead companion with flowers may have had a very ancient origin.

The Natufian People of Israel

According to the investigators, the Natufians of Israel were one of the first people to have permanent settlements instead of being nomads. They were also one of the first people to create cemeteries. The Natufians buried multiple people in the same area instead of in isolated spots.

Natufian Graves

The researchers found 29 Natufian skeletons in the Raqefet Cave in Mount Carmel, located in Northern Israel. Many of the skeletons were discovered in separate pits, but a few of the pits contained two skeletons. The graves were lined with a thick layer of flowers that left their imprint in the mud below the bodies. Most of the flowers were members of the mint family and would have been very aromatic when freshly collected. Interestingly, objects such as bones and stone objects buried with the people didn't leave imprints in the mud, causing the investigators to conclude that the layer of flowering plants below the bodies was very thick.

Why Did the Natufians Bury Flowers With Their Dead?

What was the purpose of the flowers in the Natufian graves? Professor Daniel Nadel suggests that they may have been used to make the deceased person feel comfortable or perhaps to make the people viewing the grave feel better. It's important that we don't assign our own sensibilities to another culture, however. We are guessing how the Natufians felt about death. Some of their behavior is puzzling based on our present customs. For example, some Natufians "ceremonially" exhumed a dead body some time after a funeral and removed the skull.

At least some Natufians held funeral feasts. In 2010 the remains of 71 roasted tortoises were found in one particular cave that was used as a burial site. Cattle bones were found buried with one woman in the same cave. Burials may have been major events.

A Neanderthal skeleton from La Chapelle-aux-Saints
in France; photo by Luna04 at Wikimedia Commons,
CC BY-SA 3.0 License 

Did Neanderthals Bury Flowers with Their Dead?

When I first read about the discovery that people buried their dead with flowers 13,000 years ago I was puzzled about why this was news. When I was in university I learned that flower pollen had been found in Neanderthal graves at the Shanidar IV cave in the Levant, dating from 37,000 years ago. The pollen was taken as a sign that the Neanderthals buried flowers with their dead and was another indication that they were not as primitive or as brutish as was once thought.

A little investigation showed me that the theory that Neanderthals deliberately buried flowers with their dead companions has been discounted by many researchers. The pollen is thought to have been either washed into the grave by moving water after the burial or carried into the area by rodents visiting the graves.

Learning about an ancient culture that has disappeared is fascinating but often difficult. Hopefully we'll learn more about Natufian and Neanderthal beliefs and customs very soon.