Cat PoisonsLeaving poisons lying around can be fatal to kitty. There’s an old saying that starts “Curiosity killed the cat”. Cats are curious about anything in their environment. This means you may have to treat kitty like a young child. You do this by keeping anything that might be dangerous away from your cat. Place them out of reach of kitty or into cupboards that kitty can’t get into.Poisons that can Kill Kitty- Any rodent killers will also be dangerous for kitty. These include rat, roach and mouse killers.- Gardening compounds used to control pests should be stored away. This includes insecticides; slug and snail bait, ant killers, and weed killers. - Commercial painting products including paint, paint thinners, and turpentine. - Corrosives need to be stored away. These include household cleaners, drain decloggers, and chemical solvents. - Gasoline, kerosene, and antifreeze. Antifreeze has a sweet smell that will attract kitty to it to lick some up. If you spill any of these items, make sure you clean them up thoroughly. - Don’t leave garbage out in the open. It can contain spoiled food or bone splinters. - Keep medicine in a medicine cabinet. Tylenol will kill kitty. Only give kitty medicine that the vet has approved and in the dosages recommended. - Chocolate should never be given to cats. Caffeine is also not good for kitty so don’t let her have coffee or cola products. - A large number of household and garden plants are poisonous to kitty. You need to familiarize yourself with which are good and which are poisonous, particularly plants in the home. Avoid lilies, oleanders and yew at all costs. Treating Kitty for PoisonsAfter evaluating the situation you need to determine whether to try to induce vomiting or not.
Do Not induce vomiting if kitty:
What you will need to do is to try to coat kitty’s digestive track in hopes of expelling it faster and thus either delay or prevent kitty’s system from absorbing the substance. If you determine that none of the above poisons apply, you will need to try to induce vomiting. The most effective method to induce vomiting is to use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Give kitty one teaspoon every 10 minutes until she vomits - to a maximum of 3 doses. If hydrogen peroxide is not available, place ¼ teaspoon of salt on the back of kitty’s tongue or use 1 teaspoon of Ipecac syrup for every 10 lbs of kitty’s weight. Again if you aren’t sure what to do or can’t get kitty to vomit, get her to the vet as soon as possible.
Finally if the poison is on kitty’s fur or skin, wash it off as soon as possible so kitty won’t lick it off trying to clean herself. Use soap and water in a lukewarm bath.
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