How to Recognize Poisoning in Cats and What to Do When This Happens

Posted by The Cat Hospital of Kamloops on May 19th, 2021

Save your cat’s life by immediately recognizing the signs of poisoning. Although you might try to keep your cat safe at home, outdoor cats might find themselves roaming around and ingesting things that they shouldn’t such as chemical cleaners.

Many chemicals and toxins, when ingested, act quickly. That means you have a small window of time to notice the symptoms and take your cat to Kamloops veterinarians for emergency treatment.

Watch out for the usual signs of poisoning such as diarrhea and vomiting. Your cat may also be salivating excessively and having trouble breathing. Check the skin of your pet and look for signs of inflammation or irritation. Tremors, behavioral changes, fever, sneezing, and coughing are also some signs to watch out for.

Poisoning doesn’t only happen when cats ingest chemicals or toxins. Some foods that are safe for humans might not be safe for them such as chocolate, xylitol, garlic, onions, and alcohol. If your cat accidentally ate these foods, make sure you take your cat to veterinarians in Kamloops.

Don’t just treat your cat on your own. It’s best to go to a cat hospital such as The Cat Hospital and talk to the veterinarians in Kamloops there. They will first diagnose the problem and determine what kind of poison has been ingested before administering the right treatment.

For cats that have ingested antifreeze, your vet might recommend giving ethanol.  Cats will also undergo water therapy to encourage the natural removal of the toxin from the body.

If your cat is suffering from tremors or has seizures, using muscle relaxants and anti-seizure treatments will be administered. It’s also important to go to Kamloops veterinarians promptly so that they can induce vomiting and the cat will expel most of the toxins ingested. If the poison that has been ingested is corrosive, the vet can use activated charcoal to neutralize the poison.

Talk to your vet about what to do in case this happens. It’s important to have an emergency vet clinic to go to for these instances.

You would want to keep toxic chemicals in your home away from the reach of your pets as well. Try to use eco-friendly cleaning products instead such as ionized water rather than corrosive chemicals. That way, the chances of your cat ingesting poison are lower.

Keep them away from the reach of your pets as well. Remember that cats are expert climbers, so they can easily rummage through cabinets. Make sure all your cleaning products are tightly closed. If you are cleaning surfaces, put the cat in a different room first to avoid licking surfaces.

Have an emergency protocol in place. It also helps to have first-aid poison control in your home just in case something like this happens.

Adam Carey is the author of this article. For more details about Kamloops Vet please visit our website: thecathospital.ca