Cat: Poisoning

Since a cat is usually a very curious animal, it often happens that due to curiosity it consumes something that proves to be fatal at times. Cat poisoning can occur in many ways and from a lot of things, including a few objects of our daily use. So while keeping a cat at home, it is very important for the owner to get rid of a number of things, or at least they should keep these out of the way of their pet cats.

Here is a list of all those objects that can cause harm to your pet cat. Any domestic article that contains ammonia and bleach is harmful for cats. Cleaning fluids, disinfectants, drain cleaners, soaps, detergents, mothballs and matches are also harmful for cats. Garage items like gasoline, kerosene, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid and antifreeze are also dangerous for cats. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that usually attracts cats but these when consumed can cause a lot of damage to a cat. Agricultural products like insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides, fungicides, snail or slug bait, worm and mollusk toxicants and plant growth hormones are also injurious to cats. So are workshop supplies such as paints, paint thinners and removers, wood preservatives and mineral spirits. Medicines like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol and other similar products), diet pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, laxatives and rubbing alcohol. These should be stored carefully and out of reach of pets and should not be dropped on the ground as these can have adverse effects on cats. Other articles that should be kept away from cats are cosmetic products such as cosmetics deodorants, hair color, nail polish and remover, permanent wave lotion, suntan lotion, hair spray and perfumes. Scrapings from lead-based paint; contaminated food; water from toilet bowls if chemically treated can have hazardous effects on cats.

To protect a cat from any hazards the owner should be careful about storing the above mentioned products carefully. He/she should also exercise caution while disposing any of these products and should wipe up any kind of spills products promptly. The products should be stored in proper containers and kept out of reach of their pets. Pets are equivalent to small children and so should be treated with extra care. Their paws should be washed every time they spend time outside because they could have steppe on something poisonous and if their paws are not cleaned they themselves tend to lick it clean.

Garden plants that are dangerous for pets include Dieffenbachia, philodendron and caladium. These cause irritation in the throat and burn it. One should seek veterinary advice immediately in such cases. English ivy, iris, amaryllis, daffodil and tulip (especially the bulbs) cause gastric irritation and at times it leads to excitement of the central nervous system which finally leads to coma. Foxglove, lily of the valley, oleander, monkshood and larkspur affects the cardiovascular system and proves to be fatal for cats. Different species of yew trees are also dangerous as these affect the nervous system. Few kinds of gases can also prove to be deadly for cats. Some of them include ammonia, carbon monoxide, fumes from heating or cooking gas.

So when you are planning to have a pet cat keep in mind these things to protect your cat from any untoward incident.