Common Household Poisons

[Amber]

Hope this is ok for me to post this? Just wanted to give a bit of information really I was studying this in college the other day and thought it might help other owners. If anyone else has anything to add aswell please feel free!

Cats are usually very sensible when it comes to eating things which are not good for them, so why do our cats sometimes ingest something harmful? A large part of the problem lies in the fact that cats like to keep themselves very clean and will groom off anything on their coats or paws which shouldn't be there. Cats also like to nibble at grass outside. If they do not have access to this because they are indoor cats, or simply because they are young and inquisitive, they may chew indoor plants or cut flowers.

Below is a list of some of the more dangerous poisons which all owners should be aware of:

Paracetamol

• Often given to cats in a caring but misguided attempt to relieve pain.

• Highly dangerous to cats - just one tablet is enough to cause severe illness or death.

• Signs of poisoning include depression, vomiting, swelling of the face and paws and a bluish discolouration of the skin.

• An effectice antidote is available, buut must be given very soon after the cat has taken the tablet.

• NEVER GIVE CATS PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR HUMANS unless otherwise instructed by your vet

Lilies

• Cats are very sensitive to plants of the Lilium species, including Easter, Stargazer, Tiger and Asiatic Lilies

• All parts of the Lily are toxic, even the flowers and pollen (which can be groomed off the coat if the cat brushes past the flowers). Less than one leaf ingested by a cat can cause kidney failure.

• Signs to look out for are prolonged vomiting, not eating and depression.

• Urgent veterinary treatment is required.

• CHECK FLOWER LABELS FOR WARNINGS OF TOXICITY TO ANIMALS

Antifreeze

• Often contains ethylene glycol or methanol, which are toxic to cats. These chemicals can also be found in car screenwashes and de-icers.

• They can cause severe weakness, hypothermia, breathing difficulties, convulsions and kidney damage.

• Treatment can be difficult and rarely successful.

• CLEAN UP ANY SPILLAGES CAREFULLY AND KEEP CATS AWAY

Certain Dog Flea Products

• Permethrin is found in many spot-on preparations for dogs used in the control of fleas, bting flies and lice. (It is alsi the active ingredient in some ant powders).

• Poisoning can arise when cats are accidently treated with such dog flea products, or where they groom themselves or other animals treated with the product.

• Cats may salivate a great deal, be thirsty, have a high temperature and tremors or convulsions.

• Urgent veterinary advice is essential.

• NEVER USE DOG PRODUCTS ON CATS unless otherwise instructed by your vet.

Some Slug Baits

• Metaldehyde is the problem ingredient in some slug baits and any amount can be toxic for a cat.

• Cats may become unsteady on their feet, salivate and twitch and can suffer convulsions.

• Signs of poisoning develop quickly so urgent treatment is needed.

• AVOID PRODUCTS CONTAINING METALDEHYDE IF YOU HAVE PETS.

Decorating Materials

• Petroleum distillates found in solvents for paints, glass cleaners, varnishes, wood preservatives such as creosote, and brush cleaners (eg white spirit) can all cause problems.

• They are irritants to the skin and footpads causing inflammation, blisters and burning. If the cat then grooms the product off the skin there may be severe irritation to the mouth.

• Fumes from the products may also cause breathing difficulties.

• CLEAN UP ANY SPILLAGES CAREFULLY AND KEEP CATS AWAY

What To Do If You Think Your Cat Has Been Poisoned

• Remove you cat from teh source of poison and isolate from other animals.

• If possible, prevent the cat from grooming itself further.

• Contact your vet immediately for advice. Make sure you know when, where and how the poisoning occured. If appropriate to do so, take the packaging, plant, or substance with you to the vet.

• Do not try to make the cat vomit unless you are instructed to do so by your vet.

• If the skin or fur are contaminated, wash throughly with mild shampoo and water.

[mable1718]

that is brilliant advice amber thanks for posting

[Tom]

Great advice amber thanks for posting

[Mags]

Great advice Amber, thanks!

[Jane]

Yep great advice, thanks!

[Acebikerchick]

Thanks Amber. I hoped you would be able to shine some light on what happened to Ftumpsh last week, but none seems to be quite right for her symptons. But some good lessons to learn there.

[Fran]

I'd missed this post previously Some excellent advice, thank you for posting Amber..

[kado]

Thanks for posting that amber.

jane

[charliebubs]

Thanks Amber - that's really useful to know.

I was wondering about slug pellets the other day, but I have bought some that say "child and pet friendly" on the front - so that should be okay. I'll check the label for that ingredient when I get home anyway.

[Donna]

A good useful post - one other product I have recently learnt that is very toxic to cats are products for rabbit fleas/ticks etc.