Questions About Cats And Sunscreen

[iheartlife]

My sister applied aerosol sunscreen to my nephew inside a room where my cats eat and spend a lot of time. I’ve read that suncreen is toxic to cats due to zinc oxide and salicylates. I emptied the food/water bowls and washed them in case any sunscreen floated down into the bowls. I have hardwood floors and wood paneling with some brickwork. I have no idea where the suncreen landed on the walls/floor after it was sprayed, but the whole room smells strongly of it. I took a wet wash cloth to the areas I could feel were slick with sunscreen to try to dilute it, but the still feel slippery after washing and drying them. How concerned do I need to be about this? I’ve tried to dilute where I can tell there is suncreen, but I’m not sure if it came off since it’s supposed to be waterproof and I don’t know where all in the room it came into contact with. If the cats come into contact with it, how bad will it hurt them? Do I need to tbouroghly clean the whole room or would they be okay if they laid down where there was suncreen and it got in their fur and they groomed it off later? I don’t know how toxic sunscreen is so I don’t know how worried I need to be if it gets on their fur and they groom it off. Do I need to keep them out of the room and thoroughly clean all the surfaces or would they be okay if they accidentally ingested small amounts if it gets on their fur and they lick it off when grooming? What do I need to do?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I think you've done as much as you can, would it be possible to open the windows to help air it out?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

From what little I was able to find, they are probably going to be ok. There MAY be some vomiting or diarrhea, but they are not likely to ingest enough to do more than that. I would, as Furballsmom suggests, air the room out thoroughly.

There is "waterproof" and there's "WATERPROOF." Sunscreen is more the first type. It doesn't rinse off easily, but you have been scrubbing, which should rid you of all but trace amounts.