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How To Treat A Poisoned Cat

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
How To Treat A Poisoned Cat

There are different factors that can cause cat poisoning. For example, there are some plants or foods that shouldn't be given to cats because their digestive system isn't adapted to digest them. Poisoning can also be due to ingesting some toxic household product, such as bleach or other cleaning products.

If you think that your cat has been poisoned, at OneHowTo.com we'll give you some simple tips about how to treat a poisoned cat, helping your pet recover as quickly as possible.

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First aid for a poisoned cat

If you suspect that your cat has been poisoned, it's important to know some basic first aid to help it feel better and recover faster. Bear in mind that cats being poisoned may occur because they lick something in the house that has been sprayed with products such as bleach, pesticides, ammonia and so on. There are also some toxic plants as well as foods that can poison a cat.

In the case of poisoning, it's important that you take your pet to a well-ventilated place, to give it air and help the drowsiness produced by the poison to pass. When a cat is ill, it has a tendency to hide and curl up somewhere in the house, so you must find it and bring it to a well-ventilated area.

It's crucial that if you think your cat has been poisoned, you immediately call a veterinarian who will instruct you how to proceed. First of all, only give the cat medication prescribed by the vet. Bear in mind that, depending on the poisoned substance it has ingested, will indicate how you should proceed.

One of the most difficult issues when cats have been poisoned is whether or not it's feasible for them to vomit. Generally, it's advisable to make the cat vomit to ensure that it gets rid of the poison. However, if you're not sure what it has been poisoned with and there's a chance that it was a chemical, take it to the vet immediately, because vomiting could make matters worse.

However, if your cat has been poisoned with food or a plant, you can make it vomit to get rid of the toxic substance. To make a cat vomit, put some salt and mix it in a glass of water, then have your animal drink it, causing it to vomit. It's important to repeat this 2 or 3 times to ensure that it expels all of the poison.

The next thing to do when treating a poisoned cat is to try to prevent the poison from being absorbed by the body. To do this, you'll need to give your cat charcoal tablets (you can buy them at a pharmacy). To calculate the indicated dose, use 1 gram of charcoal powder for every half kilo of your pet's weight (0.08 stones). Dissolve the powder in a little water and give it to your cat orally. You can use a syringe if you see it's difficult for it to swallow.

After doing this, it's important that you give the cat plenty of water because toxins can damage the liver or kidneys. If the cat doesn't voluntarily drink the water, use a syringe.

When your cat has improved, you'll need to eliminate all traces of the poison that may still remain in its body. For example, if it has been poisoned by a plant and its fur has been saturated with the substance, it's important that you clean the cat's body to remove all of the poison. In extreme cases, you can cut its hair to make sure that the cat won't become ill again.

How To Treat A Poisoned Cat - First aid for a poisoned cat

Symptoms of a poisoned cat

In order to use the first aid steps that we discussed in the previous section, it's important to recognize the Symptoms of a poisoned cat. In any case, if you notice that your cat is worsening or is acting abnormally; contact your vet to know how to proceed.

The Symptoms of a poisoned cat:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Constant vomiting or diarrhoea
  • Coughing and sneezing
  • Appears listless and depressed
  • Has excessive saliva
  • Trembles, has seizures or muscle spasms
  • Has dilated pupils
  • Difficulty walking

You can also consult our article on how to know if your cat is sick to know if your friend is feeling under the weather.

How To Treat A Poisoned Cat - Symptoms of a poisoned cat

What can poison a cat

As we mentioned above, a number of plants and foods that you have around the house, can cause your cat to be poisoned if it comes into contact with them. Therefore, it's important to know what these products are and to keep them away from your cat.

  • Toxic plants include: apple, eucalyptus and apricot trees, poinsettia, marijuana, sago palms, tulips, lilies, azaleas, begonias, ivy and dieffenbachia.
  • Toxic foods include: onions, garlic, apple, apricot and nectarine seeds, chocolate, milk, potato, tomato and avocado. In this article we'll detail what foods are toxic for cats.
How To Treat A Poisoned Cat - What can poison a cat

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