Do you have any experience with cat poisoning?

I hope the answer to that one is no! But if you do, could you please share it here in this thread?

I published an article about What to do if you think your cat ingested poison and I thought it would be a good idea to enlist the "TCS Beehive Brain", i.e. our collective experience and knowledge to add to that.

So, have you ever suspected that your cat was poisoned?

If so, what did you do? How did it end? What lessons can you share with the community?

Fortunately being indoor cats they've never had to experience it.

I never keep house plants either, just silk ones incase one of them is a poison to them. And l never have Lillies in the house because l know if a cat brushes against the pollen and licks it's fur it's a danger.

I've read so many cases though where people have put anti freeze down and cats have lapped it up and died in agony

I will only add about accidental poisoning; for example, sometimes Ritz will be 'off' her food.  As recently as last month she threw up four times in 36 hours.  (And no, Dr. Vet, it wasn't 'bad meat'.)  I thought maybe she ate a bug she shouldn't have.  She is an indoor cat, but sometimes bugs/worms get in through cracks or on me. 

In the article perhaps you could address what 'common' bugs are poisonous. I know black widow spiders are not a food source (Ritz!), but how about daddy long legs?

Like Rosiemac, I am very careful about flowers.  I make potpourri and dried flower wreaths; both are out of reach of Ritz.  But when I first adopted Ritz I searched for the answer to this question and couldn't find a definite answer:  does drying flowers change the chemical composition such that they are no longer poisonous, e.g., lilies, hydrangeas. There doesn't seem to be a correlation between what flowers dry well and are those same flowers poisonous (hydrangeas dry well, roses too; lily flowers, no).

Thanks.

I-think-the-average-person,does-not-realize,that-some-people-foods,and-people-products-are-toxic-to-kitties.Or-that-some-plants/flowers,are-toxic-to-kitties,even-some-cleaning-products.I-think,education,is-the-key,making-them-aware.

Some-posts-I-read,I-can-almost-tell,its-because-of-what-they-feed,but-some-posts,make-me-wonder,if-its-because-the-kitty-got-into-something,the-person-may-not-be-aware-of,that-is-toxic.

Granted,some-are-real-medical-issues/diseases,and-need-to-be-treated-by-a-vet,but-I-think,people-need-to-rule-out,the-possibility,they-got-into-something.

Foods-that-are-toxic-to-kitties.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1&aid=1029

Plants/Flowers-that-are-toxic-to-kitties.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1411&aid=1552

Insecticides-that-are-toxic-to-kittes,and-yes,this-is-the-stuff,also,that-they-put-on-the-lawns.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1411&aid=2250

Too-many-times,the-post-just-screams-to-us,take-the-kitty-to-the-vet-or-ER.....like....right.....now.

People-are-not-aware,of-when-the-kitty-needs-to-be-seen-immediately,or-at-least-the-following-morning.

When-the-kitty-needs-to-be-seen-by-a-vet.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2144&aid=2896

throwing-up/diarea

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2122&aid=264

And-lastly,people-should-have-the-vet-and-ER-phone-number-handy,in-case-of-an-emergency,so-they-don't-wast-time,looking-for-it,and,the-poison-hotline.

http://www.peteducation.com/emergency.cfm?tab=4

I haven't got any direct experience with poisons in cats.  I do know that not a lot of people know that lilies are poisonous to cats, I had to tell a florist that she had to stop saying that they were fine around cats I've done it a couple of times now, needless to say they don't appreciate it when they have a shop full of customers and then when you see them putting lilies back and change the flowers.

I know I've read on here that there is a poison hotline you can ring in the US, maybe that might be worthwhile popping in, I dont know if we have anything like that here, I would just ring my vet if I thought my two had ate something they shouldn't of.

And I to have read about cats and anti freeze so horrible, I had to read it in Blaines cousins facebook status how people said to get rid of a cat out of there garden there was a couple of us said about unharmful ways of doing it and there was a couple mentioned anti freeze and there was something else mixed in with food and I think they said starfish.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Hot Line

1-888-426-4435

Keep it by your phone. When you have this number right in front of you at all times, it really helps you remember what to do if your cat has eaten something poisonous. Instead of panicking, which won't help, you remember "oh yes, call the Poison Control Hot Line". This is especially important when it is in off hours.

They have a huge database of products, poisonous and not and what to do for them. There is always a vet and a toxicology specialist available.

There is a $65 fee for the call. Worth every penny.

No experience here, thankfully. Though I have heard horror stories! Hopefully this thread and the article will help people, in both prevention and saving!!

I lost my Napoleon to poison 6 years ago. he had the bad luck to be the innocent victim of a dispute between neighbours - one person put rat poison int he drinking water of a neighbour's sheep. I knew he was poisoned when he came home frothing at the mouth and wobbly on his back legs. I rushed him to the vet, where he had vitamin K injections, but he died that night of lung haemorrhage. At the time we did not know what the poison was and I went all round everyone to see if I could find what I thought would be accidental usage where a cat could get to it. So this is probably not much help, except for the actual symptoms..

I have been extremely lucky in that I have never had to deal with cat poisoning. I do have a list of what is and what is not poisonous to cats and to dogs on hand. My cats are indoor only, except for the ferals, of course. I have never kept live plants and don't like getting flowers :lol3: because I don't want the cats eating and chewing on them. Even if I put them up high, they try to find a way to get at them.

There was one time when Perla licked a treat off of the counter that I had just bleached. :shame: She ran around the house frothing for a few minutes. The vet said to keep an eye on her but that she should be fine as it was not like she ingested any amount to cause her harm. She recovered quickly from that and was fine minutes later. I am careful now about how and when I use cleaning products, very careful.

-_aj_- said:

I know I've read on here that there is a poison hotline you can ring in the US, maybe that might be worthwhile popping in, I dont know if we have anything like that here, I would just ring my vet if I thought my two had ate something they shouldn't of.

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There doesn't seem to be a UK hotline for pet owners, just for vets themselves. Veterinary Poisons Information Service

Pet Owners

If you think your pet has been poisoned please contact your local veterinary practice straight away. If you do not have a vet then follow this link for contact details of your closest practice.

Click to expand...

jcat said:

There doesn't seem to be a UK hotline for pet owners, just for vets themselves. Veterinary Poisons Information Service

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I thought that was the case

Jenny, I do remember Napoleon's story. That was heartbreaking

We actually have a detailed article with a list of foods that are toxic to cats. Some of these are fast acting while others are not toxic per se, but pose serious health risks in the long run - ]

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/common-foods-that-are-harmful-to-cats

Anne said:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/common-foods-that-are-harmful-to-cats

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Great article. I just emailed this on to my mother this morning as her neighbor has been feeding her cat milk on a daily basis. So my mother, in thinking this was a good idea, started giving Oliver milk too. She then called me early this morning to say that Oli has had terrible diarrhea this week. I asked her what has possible changed in his diet or could she think of anything new he might have gotten into. She told me about the milk. I sent the article to her and she then sent it to her neighbor who said that her cat has had diarrhea too and the vet put the cat on a prescription diet!!!!!! Never asked the lady in the first place as to what she was offering her cat to eat/drink. AS I ROLL MY EYE!!!!!

otto said:

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Hot Line

1-888-426-4435

Keep it by your phone. When you have this number right in front of you at all times, it really helps you remember what to do if your cat has eaten something poisonous. Instead of panicking, which won't help, you remember "oh yes, call the Poison Control Hot Line". This is especially important when it is in off hours.

They have a huge database of products, poisonous and not and what to do for them. There is always a vet and a toxicology specialist available.

There is a $65 fee for the call. Worth every penny.

Click to expand...

Thank you Otto for posting that number. I've only had to call it once but it was worth every penny. Hoot (as usual) had gotten into the bathroom storage closet. She managed to get into some toothpaste. I immediately called the hotline. As it turned out, the ingredients in the toothpaste were not poisonous to Hoot but it did make her vomit and I won't go into the litter box mess. But yes, knowing she was going to be okay was well worth the $ IMO.

Ritz said:

Like Rosiemac, I am very careful about flowers.  I make potpourri and dried flower wreaths; both are out of reach of Ritz.  But when I first adopted Ritz I searched for the answer to this question and couldn't find a definite answer:  does drying flowers change the chemical composition such that they are no longer poisonous, e.g., lilies, hydrangeas. There doesn't seem to be a correlation between what flowers dry well and are those same flowers poisonous (hydrangeas dry well, roses too; lily flowers, no).

Thanks.

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I wanted to add on this - as far as dried flowers are concerned, ragwort is very poisonous to horses, and fortunately they seem to know this and rarely eat it in the field. But it does sometimes get cut and included in hay, and it remains poisonous when dried, causing irreversible liver damage.

As many of you know, I lost my Napoleon to poison 5 years ago. He drank water from a sheep trough that had been deliberately poisoned by a neighbour to get her own back on the farmer. It was a terrible episode. I knew he had been poisoned the moment he came home - he was frothing and wobbly. Despite immediate vet treatment and an injection of vitamin K, he died that night.

I would think dried flowers would be even more poisonous, as the toxins would be concentrated. Either way, a plant that is toxic to a cat is going to be toxic whether fresh or dry.

And a cat determined to get into something, will get into it

.

otto said:

I would think dried flowers would be even more poisonous, as the toxins would be concentrated. Either way, a plant that is toxic to a cat is going to be toxic whether fresh or dry.

And a cat determined to get into something, will get into it

.

Mine 10411.JPG

• otto
• Jan 27, 2013

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:lol3: Great picture. Family and friends know not to get me flowers, live or dried, because no matter how high or out of reach I think they are the cats find a way.

Thanks Otto.  Good point about concentration of toxin.

And great picture!

Thanks. That was a dried flower arrangement made for me by a friend, but while beautiful and artistic, as you can see, I was unable to keep it in the house. Queen Eva said MINE from the moment I took it out of the box. :lol3:

I too keep no plants, and if given flowers, though that mostly never happens any more, they go right out to the porch.