As owners we all spend a lot of time worrying about our pets, whether that be how much exercise they are doing, if they are showing any signs of illness, or what they are eating that maybe they shouldn’t be! Unknown to a lot of people, there are a host of potentially toxic household items that can be frequently found at home with our pets. Some of these are more important to know than others, and if you have any of these at home it may be worth either making sure they are stored well out of your pet’s reach, however it may be worth even removing them from your home completely!
Below I will run through some of the household items that have the potential to be toxic to cats, the possible signs you can see if your cat has been exposed to them, and what you should do next. All of these are dependent on the scale of exposure, for example how much your cat has eaten of a certain substance, and the amount of time that has passed since exposure, however if you are at all worried about your cat then you should contact your local veterinarian as soon as you can.
- Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol)
- Anti-inflammatories (e.g. Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and Aspirin)
- Lilies
- Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)
- Prescription medications
- Rodenticides (rodent poison)
- Alphachloralose
- Anticoagulant rodenticides (e.g. Brodifacoum, Difenacoum, and Warfarin)
- Slug pellets (Metaldehyde)
Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol)
Ethylene glycol is a compound usually found in car screen-washes to prevent it freezing, and is usually brightly coloured and sweet tasting, however when it is processed in the kidneys it forms toxic breakdown products which can cause severe kidney injury. Most commonly this is ingested by licking it up off of the roads after cars have been filled up, and can also be licked off of paws in smaller amounts. If you have any suspicion that your pet has ingested ethylene glycol, it is urgent that you take them to your local veterinarian, as this can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys that may be fatal for your pet.
Clinical signs associated with ethylene glycol ingestion occurs in stages, initially (up to 12 hours after ingestion) your pet may show vomiting, appear to be drunk, become weak, or start convulsing. After 12-24 hours your pet may have an increased breathing and heart rate, but can also fall into a coma or have further convulsions at this point, and after 24 hours your pet is likely to suffer severe kidney damage and go into kidney failure, and may be showing signs of abdominal pain, an increase in drinking, and either an increase in urination or none at all.
If your pet is seen soon after ingestion then your local veterinarian will try and remove as much ethylene glycol from your pet’s system, start supportive treatment to reduce the likelihood of damage to the kidneys and manage any convulsions, however if kidney damage has already started then the prognosis is poor.
Anti-inflammatories (e.g. Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and Aspirin)
These medications are frequently used as pain killers and anti-inflammatories for humans, however dogs and cats are extremely sensitive to these medications and ingestion of them can result in damage to the stomach and kidneys. These should always be stored in places that your pet cannot get to, as the resulting kidney damage can be life-threatening.
The damaging effects begin within two hours of ingesting these medications, usually starting with vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or discomfort, and restlessness, before progressing to vomiting with fresh or digested blood (which looks like coffee grounds), diarrhoea, ulceration of the stomach and damage to the kidneys.
Due to the possibility of significant damage to a number of organs, if you have any suspicion of your pet ingesting any of these medications, or similar medications, then you should contact your local veterinarian and have your pet seen. Initially they will try and empty your pet’s stomach, then provide treatments that will support your pet and try to prevent the damaging effects to the stomach and kidneys.
Lilies
Lilies are commonly found in homes as decorative plants, and whilst they look pretty they are surprisingly dangerous to cats. All parts of the plant are toxic to your cat’s kidneys, and so ingestion of any part of the plant can cause life-threatening kidney injury, including the pollen and flowers. Because of how toxic lilies are to cats, it is highly recommended that you do not bring them into your home if there is any risk of your cat being exposed to them.
If your cat eats any part of a lily plant then they may show signs of vomiting, diarrhoea, and impending kidney failure, which can involve increased or decreased thirst, and a painful abdomen. The onset of these signs is usually within 2-6 hours.
Due to the rapid onset and severity of the kidney injury they are likely to face, it is vital that you take your cat to you local veterinarian so their stomach can be emptied, they can be started on a high rate of fluids to help flush through their kidneys and prevent long lasting damage, and so that any other supportive treatments needed can be provided.
Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)
Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is a pain relief medication used very frequently in humans, and can be very commonly found in households. Cats are extremely sensitive to paracetamol, and even a small dose and cause issues with the liver and red blood cells.
In cats the main clinical signs are associated with the damage to the red blood cells which prevents from carrying oxygen around the body effectively, and whilst liver damage is still possible it is much less common. The main clinical signs in cats include depression and weakness, vomiting, brown gums, a high heart and breathing rate, difficulty breathing and feeling cold.
It is critical that you take your pet to your local veterinarian as soon as you suspect they have eaten paracetamol, as there is an antidote that can be used to help reduce the damage it causes, as well as supportive treatment to help them through the side effects. Being seen immediately is essential to giving your cat the best chance of surviving paracetamol toxicity, as the effects are severe and have a very fast onset.
Prescription medications
At home we often have a variety of medications for our own health conditions, however if our pets accidentally gain access to these then that can cause an issue. Whilst not all medications will be harmful to our pets, it is definitely not worth taking the risk if you suspect they have eaten some of them, as we can see based on some of the other toxins on this list, so taking the details of the medications and how many you think your pet has ingested to your local veterinarian is highly recommended. They will most likely need to contact a poisons helpline to work out what the main risks of the medication are for your pet, and if any specific treatments are necessary for your pet.
Rodenticides (rodent poison)
There are two main types of rodent poison that are available in preparations to be used at home, and whilst it is unusual for your cat to eat these by themselves, if they eat a rodent that has consumed a large amount of these products then they can have second-hand poisoning. If you are using any of these products then it can be very important to look out for signs of toxicity in your cat.
Alphachloralose
Alphachloralose can be very harmful to your cat as it interacts with the neurological system (mainly the brain), and can cause life threatening clinical signs.
The signs of onset are usually 1-2 hours after exposure, initially you may see hyperactivity or your pet walking as though they are drunk (commonly termed ataxia – as though they don’t know where their legs are), followed by producing lots of saliva, becoming drowsy or weak, shallow breathing, and in severe cases falling into a coma or having convulsions.
As these clinical signs are so severe, you should take your pet to your local veterinarian immediately if you suspect they have eaten any type of poison, and it is very useful if you bring information about the poison (for example the box it came in or a label) when you bring them in. Your local veterinarian will focus on removing the poison from your pet’s system as soon as possible, in addition to trying to control the consequences of the poison (e.g. giving medications to manage convulsions, and cooling or warming your pet as appropriate).
Anticoagulant rodenticides (e.g. Brodifacoum, Difenacoum, and Warfarin)
Anticoagulant rodent poisons can also be very harmful to your pet, and it works by preventing the normal blood clotting pathways from working, and can lead to your pet spontaneously bleeding internally.
The signs that your pet is suffering from eating this type of poison may not become evident for 5-7 days after ingestion, and the main signs they will present with include lethargy, becoming tired very quickly compared with normal when exercising, difficulty breathing, pale gums, signs of bleeding (this can include nose bleeds and large bruises appearing under the skin).
This can be life-threatening so again, if you have any suspicion of your pet eating one of these then you should bring them to your local veterinarian immediately. Similarly to the alphachloralose poisons, if recently ingested your veterinarian will focus on removing as much of the poison from your pet’s system first, and will then try to prevent as much bleeding as possible, in some cases blood transfusions may be necessary to help your pet survive this type of poisoning.
Slug pellets (Metaldehyde)
Metaldehyde is a common ingredient in slug pellets that you might sprinkle on your garden to prevent your plants being eaten but unwanted visitors, and in cats and dogs it is thought to work in the brain, leading to severe side effects in a short amount of time (often within 30 minutes).
The common effects of ingestion of metaldehyde include exaggerated movements, muscle spasms or rigidity, tremors and twitching, convulsions, and difficulty breathing.
Because the clinical signs are so extreme and occur very shortly after ingestion, it is vital that you get your pet to your local veterinarian as soon as possible, as they made need to administer medications to control the muscle spasms and convulsions to prevent your pet from injuring themselves and overheating.
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list, however these cover the most dangerous toxins likely to be found at home. If you are suspicious of something else your cat has eaten, there are various resources that you can use to check if your cat needs to be seen, however a quick call to your local veterinarian is another good way to check if you should be concerned.
Other resources you can look at include:
The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is an organisation that provides support for both owners and veterinarians regarding the poisons and toxins that animals may be exposed to, and they offer free information online but you can also call them for further information.
The ASPCA also offers a poison helpline service and their website includes a huge amount of helpful information for pet owners about a variety of topics.