Cat Poisoning - Looking After Your Cat 

Cat owners should be conscious of the types of items around the home that can poison a cat. Household chemicals, plants, trees and shrubs can all cause a feline to become ill. When you think your cat has ingested a poisonous item, it is helpful to your vet if you can identify what has made the cat sick. If your cat goes outdoors, sometimes it is impossible to know what the cat has ingested. Here are some typical plants and household chemicals that can make your cat ill.

There are certain plants, trees and shrubs that can cause your cat to vomit, become dehydrated and have diarrhea. Sometimes when a cat consumes a toxic plant, they can foam at the mouth or have excessive drooling followed by a desire to drink lots of water. Their mouth can become red and irritated. In uncommon cases, a cat can fall into a coma and die.

Plants inside your house can be a threat to your cat. Sometimes a cat does not even have to eat the plant, but can have exposure on their skin, causing irritations. Fig plants, chrysanthemums, poinsettias can all cause reactions in cats. Most of the time these three kinds of plants will just cause skin irritation. More extreme reactions such as staggering, swelling of the mouth and general weakness are caused by household plants such as Boston ivy, arrowhead vine, caladiums, elephant's ear, heart leaf, peace lily and dumb cane plants.

If your cat has eaten a great amount of amaryllis, ivy, azalea, spider mum and creeping Charlie plants or flowers, you can expect a more serious reaction. These plants, among others, can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors and heart and respiratory ailments. It will be necessary to go to your vet if you cat has ingested any toxic plants.

Outdoor plants can also be many of the same risks as some of the indoor plants. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, pain, and weakness, breathing difficulties and seizures and convulsions. Some of these plants and shrubs include larkspur, skunkweed, daffodils, foxglove, castor bean, almond plants, wild cherry, English holly, spinach, rhubarb, Jasmine, and pigweed. Other plants that can provoke your cat to experience hallucinations include marijuana, nutmeg, peyote, and morning glories.

Chemicals and cleaners found around the house are also cause for concern. Cats can ingest a toxic chemical and become very ill quickly. A common poison for cats is antifreeze. They like the taste and will lick it off of the garage floor from a puddle. Antifreeze can cause seizures and if enough is ingested, can kill a cat. Other common poisons found around the house are rat poisons, and insect sprays and treatments. If you treat your home with insecticides it is very important to keep your cat away from the treated area for several hours. In addition, if you spray the inside of your home, thoroughly wash the cat's food and water bowls to clean off any residue from the insecticide. Other common household items that can make a cat ill include bleach, alcohol, gasoline, turpentine, lead, acid, garbage waste and paint. Toads and salamanders can also cause cats to become very ill. If your cat eats a toad or salamander, it will be evident by excessive foaming at the mouth and drooling. Also, it is important to remember that if your cat eats a bird, insect or rat that has been infected by a poison, it is likely that your cat will become ill, as well.

If you have a hunch that your cat has been poisoned, it doesn't hurt to contact the National Animal Poison Control Center. They can help you decide what medical attention your cat needs to receive. They might suggest that you take your cat to a vet, who would most likely induce vomiting to get your pet to purge the toxins from his system. If your cat has not ingested the toxin, but has the substance on his fur or skin, your cat just needs to be washed in order to thoroughly cleanse the fur from residue. Toxins such as gasoline and turpentine can be difficult to get out but mineral oil and vegetable oil might do the trick. If a cat begins to seize, convulse or have trouble breathing, the toxin may have started to affect his nervous system. This is a very serious matter and must be treated as an emergency. If your cat displays these symptoms, take him to medical care immediately.