Buzz
According to data from Pet Poison Helpline (a U.S.-based animal poison control hotline), nearly 10% of calls involve questions about managing cat poisoning. The curious nature and grooming habits of cats can sometimes put them in dangerous situations. Some of the most common poisoning cases in cats include exposure to insecticides, human medications, toxic plants, and human foods containing chemicals that cats cannot metabolize. To treat a poisoned cat, start with step 1 below.
Steps
Helping Your Cat
Recognize the symptoms of poisoning. A cat may have been poisoned if it exhibits any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing
- Blue-tinged tongue and gums
- Panting
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Stomach irritation
- Coughing and sneezing
- Lethargy
- Drooling
- Seizures, tremors, or involuntary muscle twitching
- Weakness and potential unconsciousness
- Dilated pupils
- Frequent urination
- Dark-colored urine
- Shivering
Move the cat to a well-ventilated area. If your cat shows signs of suspected poisoning, collapses, becomes unconscious, or appears weak, immediately take it out of the area and bring it to a well-lit, airy space.
- Wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid direct contact with the poison. Sick or injured cats are more likely to bite or scratch due to discomfort and fear.
- When cats feel unwell or stressed, their first instinct is to hide. If your cat is poisoned and you need to monitor its symptoms, ensure it doesn’t hide out of sight. Gently but firmly pick up the cat and place it in a safe room. A kitchen or bathroom is ideal as you may need access to water.
- If you spot the poisonous substance, carefully remove it from the reach of people or pets.
Call a veterinarian immediately. An experienced veterinarian or an animal poison control hotline can help you stay calm and provide clear instructions on what to do or suggest antidotes for your cat. Remember, the chances of saving your cat’s life are always higher if you contact a vet right away. This should be your first step after securing the cat.
- If you’re in the U.S., you can also call the Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) or the ASPCA Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435).
- Animal poison control hotlines are not government-funded like human poison control lines, so a service fee may apply.
Initial First Aid
Identify the poison, if possible. This step will help determine whether inducing vomiting is appropriate. If you see the chemical’s packaging, note the following details: brand name, active ingredients, and concentration. Also, try to estimate how much the cat may have ingested (is the container new? How much is missing?).
- Your first contacts should be the veterinarian, animal poison control, and the product manufacturer.
- If you have internet access, search for the active ingredients of the product. Use search terms like: Is [product name] toxic to cats?
- Some products can be ingested without harm, and if you confirm this, no further action is needed. If it’s a toxin, your next step is deciding whether to induce vomiting.
Avoid home remedies unless instructed. Do not give your cat food, milk, water, salt, oil, or apply any other home remedies unless you know the type of poison ingested and the appropriate first aid or medication. Your cat’s condition could worsen if you use these remedies without guidance from a veterinarian or poison control center.
- Veterinarians or hotline staff have the knowledge and skills to determine the correct course of action and treatment for cat poisoning.
Consult a veterinarian or support staff before inducing vomiting in your cat. Never attempt to make your cat vomit without professional guidance from a vet or an animal poison control hotline. Certain toxins, especially corrosive acids, can cause more harm if vomited. Only induce vomiting if:
- The toxin was ingested within the last 2 hours. Beyond this time, the poison is likely absorbed, making vomiting ineffective.
- The cat is conscious and able to swallow. Never force anything into the mouth of an unconscious, drowsy, or seizing cat.
- The toxin is NOT an acid, strong alkali, or petroleum-based product.
- You are certain of the type of poison ingested.
Know how to handle acids, alkalis, and petroleum products. Acids, alkalis, and petroleum products cause corrosive burns. Even if ingested, you MUST NOT induce vomiting, as these chemicals can damage the esophagus, throat, and mouth on their way back up.
- Strong acids and alkalis are found in household items like rust removers, glass etching solutions, and cleaning agents like bleach. Petroleum products include lighter fluid, gasoline, and kerosene.
- As mentioned, do not induce vomiting in these cases. Instead, try giving your cat whole milk or raw egg. If the cat won’t drink on its own, use a child’s syringe to administer 100 ml of milk. Milk dilutes and neutralizes acids or alkalis. Raw eggs work similarly.
Induce vomiting if instructed. You’ll need 3% hydrogen peroxide (DO NOT use higher concentrations found in hair dye or perm kits) and a small teaspoon or child’s syringe. A syringe is easier to use. Follow these steps:
- The dosage is 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 5 lbs (2.3 kg) of the cat’s body weight, administered orally. An average cat weighs about 10 lbs, so you’ll need 10 ml (2 teaspoons). Repeat after 10 minutes, up to 3 doses.
- Hold the cat firmly and gently insert the syringe into its mouth, behind the upper canine teeth. Press the plunger and administer small amounts (about 1 ml) onto the cat’s tongue. Allow the cat to swallow slowly. Do not squirt the entire dose at once, as the cat may inhale the peroxide into its lungs.
Use activated charcoal. After inducing vomiting, your goal is to reduce the absorption of toxins in the digestive tract. Activated charcoal is needed for this. The dosage is 1 g of dry powder per 1 lb of the cat’s weight. An average cat will need about 10 g.
- Mix the activated charcoal powder with the least amount of water to form a paste and syringe it into the cat’s mouth. Repeat every 2-3 hours, up to 4 doses.
Caring for Your Cat
Check your cat’s fur for toxins. If there’s poison on your cat’s fur, it may ingest it while grooming, leading to poisoning. If the toxin is in powder form, brush it off thoroughly. For sticky substances like tar or oil, you may need to use a hand cleaner like Swarfega Hand Cleaner (commonly used by mechanics) to rub into the fur. Soak the cat in warm water for 10 minutes to remove any residue, then rinse thoroughly.
- As a last resort, use scissors to trim heavily contaminated fur that’s difficult to clean. Better safe than sorry!
Encourage your cat to drink water. Many toxins harm the liver, kidneys, or both. To reduce the risk of internal organ damage from toxin absorption, ensure your cat drinks plenty of water. If the cat refuses to drink on its own, use a syringe to administer water into its mouth. Give small amounts, about 1 ml at a time, to help the cat swallow.
- An average cat needs about 250 ml of water daily, so don’t hesitate to syringe this amount if necessary!
Collect samples of the suspected poison. Keep the label, packaging, and container of the product to provide all necessary information to the veterinarian or poison control hotline. Your efforts could help other cat owners (and their cats!) in similar situations.
Take your cat to the veterinarian. Your cat needs a professional check-up to ensure it’s fully recovered. The vet can confirm that all toxins have been neutralized and that there are no long-term concerns.
Advice
- The recommended dosage of activated charcoal for acute poisoning is 2-8 g/kg of body weight, administered every 6-8 hours for 3-5 days. Activated charcoal can be mixed with water and given to the cat using a syringe or stomach tube.
- Kaolin/pectin: 1-2 g/kg of the cat’s weight, administered every 6 hours for 7 days.
- In any case, seeking medical assistance from a veterinarian or an animal poison control hotline is the best course of action.
- You can dilute milk with water in a 50/50 ratio or use it undiluted to mitigate the effects of certain toxins mentioned above. A dosage of 10-15 ml/kg of body weight or an amount the cat can comfortably swallow is appropriate.
- 3% hydrogen peroxide: 2-4 ml/kg of body weight, administered immediately after ingestion of certain toxins.
