Top Poisons for CATS – as reported to poison control centers 1-888-426-4435
All Poisons are not created equal. Some things that our pets get into are deadly or have the potential to be if consumed in quantity. Other items are just plain painful, irritating and noxious but usually your pet will survive.
Why take a chance in the place your pet resides daily? Check out this list and secure potential poisons where kids and pets can’t reach them.
In addition, if your pet gets into a personal drug stash, PLEASE let the vet know what the drug is. If you don’t know what the pet ingested, it can be difficult to counteract, true of any poison.
LILIES
The family of lily determines whether it is relatively harmless (usu. creating irritation or inflammation only) or potentially deadly. Deadly toxic lilies are of the family Liliaceae. Just a tiny portion of these plants can lead to kidney failure if ingested and not treated. Easter lily are especially problematic because they are often showcased inside the home. Cats chewing on leaves or stems, or even something as simple as grooming off fallen pollen after rubbing against the plant, could put them at high risk. Calla, Peace and Peruvian Lilies are of different families and are irritating, causing mouth and upper GI irritation and inflammation, but are not considered a deadly toxin.
Flea and Tick Products for DOGS
NEVER use a canine flea/tick product on your cat. Depending on the ingredients in the product, just a drop has the potential to kill a cat within hours, sometimes even though a pet survives there is lasting damage.
House-Hold Chemicals
General-purpose cleaners are relatively safe, but please keep curious cats away, until the product is dry. Concentrated products like toilet bowl cleaners, antifreeze, or pool chemicals can cause chemical burns or death.
Household Insecticides
If you must use insecticides on your indoor plants, make sure to keep your cat away from plants after application until the products have dried or settled. Try doing the application inside your shower stall or tub. Close the door, turn on the ventilation fan, and the tub can be hosed down afterwards.
Antidepressants
Cymbalta and Effexor topped the Pet Poison Helpline’s toxic antidepressants list several years back. They can cause severe neurological and cardiac effects..
Prescription ADD/ADHD Medications
These drugs, which are amphetamines, can cause tremors, heart problems, seizures and death in cats.
Cough, Cold and Allergy Medications
Many of these contain acetaminophen (a painkiller) and pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine (decongestants). Acetaminophen, the active drug in Tylenol is especially toxic to cats – it damages red blood cells and causes liver failure.
NSAIDS
Cats are more sensitive than dogs to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, carprofen and naproxen. Make sure all pills are inside a cabinet that can’t be opened easily by curious paws
Insoluble Calcium Oxalate Crystal Plants
Philodendron, dieffenbachia, and pothos can cause oral and upper Gastrointestinal irritation, foaming at the mouth, and inflammation when ingested.
Glow Sticks
Many cats enjoying playing with and gnawing on glow sticks and glow jewelry. These items contain dibutyl phthalate, a chemical that can leak out when punctured, causing pain, a foaming mouth, and potentially organ damage. It is bitter tasting and while most animals will refrain from consuming it once tasted, cats trying to remove the chemical from their fur will consume more this way.
sources: pet poison helpline, Encyclopedia Britannica