Poisoned cat ‘died for 26 minutes’ before making miracle recovery after brush with popular house flower

A poisoned cat lay clinically dead for 26 minutes after coming into contact with a popular house flower. Bella, 11 months, collapsed at home suddenly before her frantic owner rushed her to the vets.

While the moggie was being treated for suspected lily poisoning, Bella suffered a heart attack. Vets at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service in Solihull, West Midlands, were forced to perform CPR on the stricken pet.

After 26 minutes, Bella’s heart started beating and she was moved into intensive care. Heartbreaking footage shows her lying on her side and hooked up to tubes and a heart monitor.

During her two week stay in the animal hospital, Bella was taught how to walk and eat again before returning home. Relieved owner Dee Flora, from Solihull, said: “We were absolutely mortified.

“We had just lost a parent and weren’t prepared to lose Bella, too. We were determined to try our best to get her better and home. She has beaten all the odds that were against her.

“Bella is running, jumping on tops of doors, purring, playing and having a great time. We are so grateful to the team at Willows for saving her life.”

Bella was taken to the vets after she came into contact with lilies. The entire plant, including its leaves and petals, is poisonous to cats.

Even being exposed to a small part of the plant, for example getting some pollen on a whisker, can be enough to kill a cat. Bella was hospitalised for more than two weeks as she made her extraordinary recovery.

Vet Fernanda Camacho said: “Surviving prolonged CPR and being discharged from hospital is very rare, as only about one in 20 cases enjoy this outcome. Pretty much like a person after such a severe event, Bella has also had to learn some of the basics from scratch, such as eating and walking.

“She is still recovering but she can currently run, jump and eat well. Physiotherapy has been key to Bella’s progression, to ensure she would not get a muscle contracture and to also teach her to walk again.

“Bella’s case clearly highlights the dangers that lilies can pose to cats. We would urge any cat owners who think their pet is displaying signs of contact with lilies to seek urgent veterinary attention.”