“Curiosity killed the cat”. 

Surely you have heard or used this phrase thousands of times and like almost all popular expressions it is based on the truth. Whoever is lucky enough to enjoy the company of a cat every day knows that one of its characteristic traits is its infinite curiosity, an innate feline attribute that leads it to explore everything and sometimes to commit the imprudence of eating everything caught in its path, without taking into account the dangerous consequences that this can entail, including suffering a serious episode of poisoning that ends his life, in the case of not knowing how to detect it in time.

To prevent your cat from suffering from lethal poisoning,

We will teach you how to recognize the symptoms, the main causes, some of the most common poisons, how we should react and help our cat and the treatments to follow according to the substance that it has ingested. So don’t miss our post. Let’s start!

Types of poison or toxic substances

In most cases, these unfortunate feline poisonings usually occur within the home itself and the fundamental reason is that we are surrounded by chemical products for daily use, such as bleach, soaps, shampoos, foods, and even plants that contain toxic enzymes that our cat is not able to metabolize. These are just some of the  examples  that carry a high risk of poisoning:

• Cleaning products  that contain bleach and chlorine.
• Foods  such as raisins, grapes, chocolate or other sweets that contain caffeine.
• Insecticides or pesticides  with arsenic in their formulation.
• Poisonous plants  such as eucalyptus, corn or flax because they contain cyanide.
• Medications  such as paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid or vitamin complexes that contain vitamin A and D.
• Soaps and detergents  that contain caustic soda or other corrosive substances.
• Bites of some insects  such as the cantáridas.
• Sprays antiparásitos.

Main symptoms of poisoning

If we have been direct witnesses of the moment in which our cat has ingested a toxic substance, the speed with which it acts is essential. For this reason, the first thing to do is, on the one hand,  take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible so that he receives the necessary medical attention without waiting for the symptoms to appear and, on the other hand, be very clear about what product has been the cause of your intoxication, and if possible take a sample of it so that the doctor can provide you with the antidote immediately.

But if, on the contrary, we have not witnessed the toxic accident, we must pay attention to the following symptoms so that they give us clear clues as to what is happening to our dear mustachioed friend. Here we present some of them:

• Excessive salivation  or appearance of foam in the mouth.
• Dilated pupils.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Vomiting and diarrhea  accompanied by bleeding.
• Very thirsty and dehydrated.
• Irritated skin.
• Sneezing and coughing.
• Ataxia or lack of coordination and neurological problems.
• Seizures, tremors, or involuntary muscle spasms.
• Weakness that causes dizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness in our cat.
• Gastric problems and swollen belly.
• Inability to urinate.
• Depression and apathetic attitude, excessive sleep.

Some basic tips, first aid and medical treatments.

As we have already mentioned in previous paragraphs, the best thing to do, once we have detected that our cat is suffering from toxicity, is to call your emergency vet, follow their instructions and if it is serious and you cannot come home Transfer him to the clinic as soon as possible.

The best way to provide our help or to practice first aid on our cat will depend largely on the substance and amount ingested. We indicate some steps to follow,  while we wait for the arrival of the veterinarian :

• Do not give home remedies.  That is, neither milk nor oils, if we do not know for sure what has caused the poisoning. In any case, give him tap water or saline water, if the specialist so prescribes.
• Induce vomiting only if you can. As long as the toxic substance is not corrosive, it is not contraindicated by the veterinarian and if this solution serves to help reduce the advancement and absorption of the poison.
• Take him to a well-ventilated and well-lit place.  Especially if our cat is very weak or unconscious.
• If the product is stuck to your hair. We must shake off the polluting dust by brushing its fur intensely to remove any toxic remains from its body.
• Sodium nitrite.  In case of ingesting cyanide, the veterinarian and he alone would immediately administer sodium nitrate.
• Activated carbon and sodium sulfate.  This is the remedy that the veterinarian gives our cat, after inducing vomiting, if he has ingested antifreeze products.
• Intravenous calcium gluconate, magnesium hydroxide, or oral milk. Effective treatment if the ingested poison contains fluorine.

conclusion

Although poisoning in cats, either because they have accidentally ingested a product inside our home or because it has been provided by someone external and malicious, is unfortunately frequent, the most important thing is that we act quickly at the first suspicious sign that has and goes with him to the vet as soon as possible.  Time is money and in this case, it will be vital to saving our cat from certain and painful death.