What to do if your cat is poisoned?

Poisoning in cats can happen at any time, and every pet owner has likely encountered such problems at least once. Our pets are very curious, so they often snatch objects from the floor or ground that they find interesting. Dog hunters (people who literally aim to kill as many dogs as possible) often take advantage of this by scattering tempting poisoned bait. Today, we'll explore the main causes and symptoms of poisoning in cats and provide comprehensive recommendations on what to do in this case.

Recognizing poisoning in a cat isn't easy. But if you don't, you could say goodbye to your pet forever. Poisoning isn't harmless, and complications don't always occur (the liver is often affected, and hepatitis may develop). And it certainly won't disappear on its own.

Types of poisoning

• Dietary toxins are ingested through food or water, entering the animal's digestive tract. The poisons penetrate the mucous membranes into the bloodstream, which then carries the contaminants to the organs and tissues.
• Non-foodborne. In this case, toxic substances enter not through the digestive tract, but through the skin, lungs (inhaled), and mucous membranes.

Causes of poisoning

Sometimes cat poisoning is the pet's fault, but humans also play a significant role in the deterioration of a cat's condition. Let's look at what can lead to cat poisoning.

Leftover food

Sometimes food spoils in a bowl if owners don't refrigerate it but leave it out in a place accessible to the pet all day. Or a cat might find spoiled food on the table or in the trash—though this isn't typical for felines, their curiosity sometimes gets the better of them, and they can't resist a delicacy from the trash. Spoiled food is the most common cause of poisoning in cats.

Food picked up from the street can also be a similar cause if your pet is an outdoor walker.

Rat poison poisoning

In cities, rodents are often poisoned with rat poison. Its anticoagulant works by disrupting the blood clotting of those who ingest it. The anticoagulant accumulates (cumulates), so death occurs gradually rather than immediately. Even the slightest wound, any ruptured blood vessel, leads to uncontrollable bleeding, which ultimately results in the death of the animal.

Rat poison poisoning in cats can occur not only from ingesting rat poison bait, but also from eating a poisoned rodent such as a mouse or rat. The symptoms are specific. Knowing them makes rat poison poisoning in cats easy to recognize. Prompt treatment can save your pet from a slow and agonizing (and very painful) death.

Medicines

Yes, pets are often poisoned due to the fault of their owners, who thoughtlessly administer medications to their beloved four-legged friend. Overdoses are dangerous, but some medications are simply prohibited for animals! And we must not forget this. Therefore, do not self-medicate. Be sure to consult a veterinarian, who will determine exactly what is safe to give your pet, the correct dosage, and how many times a day.

Don't self-diagnose just because a few symptoms are similar. By making a mistake in diagnosis and then choosing medications yourself, you risk killing your pet with your own hands. Drug poisoning in cats is very dangerous! The consequences for the animal are often irreversible (damage to the heart, kidneys, digestive tract, and brain).

Poisonous plants

Most animals intuitively know which herbs are safe to eat and which are not. However, sometimes, out of pure curiosity, a pet starts eating houseplants. These are often unsafe, causing poisoning in cats. A caring owner always thinks about the well-being and safety of their pets. If necessary, they will read up on each houseplant and remove any poisonous or potentially harmful plants.

Household chemicals

There are countless cases of owners failing to thoroughly rinse detergents from dishes. Or leaving bottles, boxes, and other chemicals on the floor where animals can easily approach, sniff, lick, and chew them. Clean the bathtub with bleach, make sure your cat or dog can't get into the room, and ensure good ventilation. Poisoning in cats can occur not only through ingestion of the toxin. The poison can be absorbed through the skin, mucous membranes, or inhaled.

Other reasons

Symptoms of poisoning

Symptoms of poisoning in cats may not always be very obvious or noticeable. It all depends on the quantity and quality of the poison, how long it lasts, and how it enters the animal. But it's still possible to suspect something is wrong.

The most common signs of poisoning in cats are:

• Vomit.
• Diarrhea.
• My mouth is watering.
• Convulsions and tremors; with severe damage to the nervous system, there may also be paralysis (including the respiratory system or heart muscle).
• Breathing is shallow, very frequent.
• The animal won't necessarily be lethargic. Sometimes, on the contrary, it'll be overly active, even overexcited.

Now it's worth telling you what specific symptoms of rat poisoning in cats will tell you that your whiskered friend urgently needs veterinary help. If the animal vomit If your pet has bloody diarrhea (but the mucus is almost bloodless and very pale), their abdomen is painful to the touch and feels bloated, they are moaning, weak, and their temperature has risen, then it's almost certainly rat poisoning. However, it's worth remembering that some infectious diseases have very similar symptoms. In any case, you won't be able to cope without a veterinarian. Only specific treatment (antidote for poisoning, serum for viral diseases) can save your pet's life.

Dog hunters

It's impossible not to mention dog hunters who use the antibacterial drug isoniazid as a poison to poison cats.It's also used to prevent or treat tuberculosis in humans. It has numerous side effects, primarily affecting the nervous system in overdose. This is why it's used to poison animals. Moreover, expensive and tempting cuts of meat are used as bait to definitely pique the animal's interest.

Death is agonizing and painful. It begins with a change in behavior: the pet becomes very agitated, pacing in circles, but its gait is very unsteady. Whiskers begin vomiting, bleeding. Foaming occurs at the mouth. Breathing slows significantly, leading to depression. The animal becomes constantly sleepy and barely moves. Eventually, a coma sets in, and the poisoned four-legged friend dies.

Treatment

So, your cat has been poisoned—what should you do in this situation? How should you treat it? Any treatment for a poisoned cat should begin with determining the cause. You'll agree that if the poison was absorbed through the lungs or skin, gastric lavage is useless. Detoxification therapy is necessary, and an antidote is essential. To avoid problems determining the cause of poisoning in cats, make your home safe and do not leave your pet alone if there's even the slightest chance they'll eat or lick anything.

So, let's go over the most common treatment regimens for poisoned cats.

Treating a cat with food poisoning

Detailed recommendations for treating a cat with food poisoning:

• If the toxin entered through the digestive tract, the first step is to flush out the poison. A gastric lavage is essential. You can't do this at home; a gastric tube is needed. The volume of water used for lavage can be up to 10 liters. However, don't pour this amount all at once; rather, in 300-500 ml increments. Before inserting the tube, give a tablespoon of crushed charcoal and wait a short time for the charcoal to absorb the toxin. Then, perform a gastric lavage. The crushed charcoal is given again, but mixed with water to form a paste.
• Antiemetics should not be given because vomiting clears the gastrointestinal tract of any nasty substances and prevents them from being absorbed into the bloodstream (there's a risk of vomit ending up in the trachea). If you're sure your cat has ingested something suspicious, you'll need to induce vomiting. To do this, prepare a solution: a tablespoon of salt per glass of warm water (not cold, but warm to trigger the gag reflex). Pour this water into your cat's mouth.
• However, it's important to understand that diarrhea and vomiting, along with toxic substances, also remove water from the body. If the animal vomits constantly, dehydration will develop.

For vomiting and diarrhea, special saline solutions (a powder dissolved in boiled cold water) are essential. These are given in very small amounts. About a teaspoon for cats, but frequently—every 10-15 minutes. This is done to restore the water-salt balance. However, if you give a large volume of fluid at once, the pet will vomit again.

• Toxins must be "bound." To do this, administer activated charcoal (one tablet per 10 kilograms of body weight). For best results, administer it no later than two hours after consuming the poor-quality food.
• If the pet is severely weakened, a glucose drip will be required. Cardiac medications may be administered if cardiac function is suspected to be weakening. If respiratory function is impaired, medications that stimulate the respiratory center (such as atropine, cititone, and their analogs) are administered. Diuretics are given to speed up the elimination of toxins.

Treating a cat with non-food poisoning

If the cat's poisoning was not caused by food, the treatment plan will be different:

• If you've been bitten by an insect, the first step is to apply something very cold, even a piece of ice. This will constrict the blood vessels, preventing the venom from spreading throughout the body. This will buy you time until you can get to the vet. Cold therapy can last for 6-8 hours, but that doesn't mean you have to wait that long. The sooner you seek help, the better your pet's chances of survival.
• If your dog or cat has been bitten by a snake, you should rinse the wound under running water. Suctioning out the toxins may not be possible; they will quickly spread through the body through the capillaries and reach the heart. A tourniquet can only be applied to the extremities, but there's very little time to administer an antidote (if the snake is venomous). Cold is also essential (a compress will help, as will a bottle or heating pad filled with ice or very cold water). On-site, a doctor will administer a novocaine block and adrenaline to the bite site. Then, a serum neutralizing the snake venom is administered. Heparin, which thins the blood, prevents clotting and blood clots, is also administered.

If the poison was absorbed through the skin, the cat should be thoroughly washed with copious amounts of water. If the pet was poisoned by organophosphorus compounds, the antidote dipyridoxime (a 15% solution administered subcutaneously) must be administered. A 0.1% solution of atropine should be administered subcutaneously beforehand. Your veterinarian will know the correct dosage; do not self-medicate! These are strong medications. Overdoing it can cause further harm to your pet.

• If alkali comes into contact with your skin, neutralize it with an acid (vinegar, citric acid), or neutralize an acid with a solution of baking soda or soap. Just be sure to rinse the substance off your skin and fur with plenty of water first.
• If a dog or cat has inhaled toxic fumes, it needs plenty of fresh air. Ideally, take it outside. It's advisable to induce vomiting and give it laxative, just to be sure.

Heavy metal poisoning must be “treated” with an antidote – sodium thiosulfate, which is administered intravenously. All this should only be done by a veterinarian! No self-medication!

First aid for cats with isoniazid poisoning

If a cat is poisoned by isoniazid, what to do:

• Cleanse the digestive tract. Don't delay. Induce vomiting (with saline solution or vegetable oil), and administer laxatives. This is necessary to prevent toxins from being absorbed and taking effect.
• Be sure to give activated charcoal or other adsorbents (white clay, magnesia, etc.) both before and after vomiting. This will help significantly reduce the concentration of poison in the body.
• The antidote is a simple vitamin B6, pyridoxine. It can be purchased at any pharmacy without a prescription. If you have a four-legged, whiskered friend at home and unfriendly neighbors, it's best to keep this vitamin in your medicine cabinet, just in case.
• Corvalol will also help; it's essential for the heart. 3 drops for every 4 kilograms.
• Keep your pet well-hydrated while the veterinarian you've called rushes to your home. You can give water, but milk diluted with water is better. It will bind the poison better (those who work with paints know that after inhaling fumes, you should drink milk immediately to feel better).

Treating a cat poisoned by rat poison

If a cat is poisoned with rat poison, immediate action is necessary. Gastric lavage, inducing vomiting, and possibly a laxative or enema are also recommended. The antidote is vitamin K (Vikasol, for example), and iron-containing drugs are also prescribed to help the blood clot.

In any case, a visit to the veterinarian is essential! Even if you think your pet is feeling better after first aid, you need professional help! Neutralizing toxins is often very difficult.

Intravenous injections (IVs) are also required. A large number of medications are prescribed. You won't be able to administer everything required for a full recovery on your own. You need to know the doses, concentrations, and injection sites. What's being administered for what purpose. An error of even one percent in the drug concentration can be fatal for your pet. And if you administer more than is recommended (based on the animal's weight and condition), you could say goodbye to your pet forever. So don't delay; contact a clinic or request a house call! Many clinics are now open 24 hours a day.

Preventing poisoning in cats

Prevention of poisoning in cats should be a top priority for pet owners!

Self-treatment

Don't self-medicate. Keep all medications as far away from your pets as possible. They shouldn't even be able to touch them. Some human medications are fatal to pets. Aspirin and other medications containing aspirin are dangerous for cats.

Walking and chemicals

Keep household chemicals away from your pets. When cleaning and washing, make sure there's adequate ventilation and that your pets are isolated to prevent them from inhaling or licking chemicals. Be careful when walking, especially in the woods. Don't let your pet off the leash. Not only can they eat poisonous plants, but they can also be bitten by insects or snakes.

If you take your cat or dog with you to the dacha, after treating your garden beds with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals, do not allow your pets to run or lie on the treated plants.

Don't allow your pet to eat mice or rats. Even live rodents can be poisoned (if you notice squeaking pests staggering, falling, or appearing disoriented, they're poisoned). Once eaten, all the poison will end up in your pet's stomach.

Are you renovating your home? Try to prevent your pets from breathing in paint fumes, dust, and other nasty stuff. You'll protect yourself with respirators, but your pets will be exposed to the same. If possible, consider boarding your pet with friends or relatives until the risk of poisoning subsides.

The right approach to nutrition

Remove food from the bowl as soon as your dog or cat is full. Don't use detergents when washing it. Regular baking soda is sufficient. It removes everything easily and, most importantly, is safe. And always be careful what you feed. No spoiled food or cheap, low-quality food. After poisoning, feed only the following day, light foods (primarily broths). No fatty or meaty foods, as their stomach won't be able to handle them. Water is essential. Your pet may not eat, but they must drink.

Any questions? You can ask our website's staff veterinarian in the comments below, who will answer them as quickly as possible.

Read also:

• What to do if a cat bites you and your hand swells
• Duphalac for cats
• Serenia for cats