Cats are fussy eaters, so people assume they won’t touch anything harmful. Mostly that’s true. The trouble is everything else cats do: they lick their fur clean, brush past plants, drink from odd places and eat what they catch.
Their bodies make it worse. International Cat Care explains that a cat’s liver can’t break down some chemicals that people and dogs handle easily. So a dose that wouldn’t bother a dog can kill a cat, and anything on its coat ends up swallowed.
The worst offenders
| Lilies | Every part, even the pollen and the vase water. Kidney failure. |
|---|---|
| Painkillers | Paracetamol and ibuprofen. Never give a cat human medicine. |
| Dog flea drops | Many contain permethrin, which can kill a cat. |
| Antifreeze | Sweet-tasting, and a tiny amount is deadly. |
| Rat and slug poison | Cats eat poisoned mice, or the bait itself. |
Lilies: the one to remember
True lilies, the ones in bouquets (Easter, tiger, Asiatic, stargazer, daylilies), are among the most dangerous things a cat can meet. The US Food and Drug Administration says the whole plant is toxic: stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, even the water in the vase. A cat that brushes past and licks a little pollen off its fur can be poisoned.
The first signs are drooling, vomiting and not eating. Without treatment, the kidneys fail within three days. If a vet doesn’t start treatment within about 18 hours, the damage is usually permanent. If you have cats, the safest number of lilies in the house is none.
Other plants to keep away from cats include tulips, foxglove and philodendron, according to Cornell’s Feline Health Center.
Medicines
Painkillers are one of the most common ways cats get poisoned. Paracetamol is highly toxic to cats, and even a small dose can kill. Ibuprofen and aspirin are dangerous too. If a cat is in pain, call a vet. Never give it anything from your own cupboard, and don’t leave pills where a cat can get at them.
Flea treatments meant for dogs
Many dog flea drops contain permethrin. It’s safe for dogs and often deadly for cats. Cats get poisoned when someone uses the dog’s product on them by mistake, or when they curl up with a dog that’s just been treated. Signs are twitching, trembling and fits, usually within a few hours. If you have both, buy the dog a flea treatment without permethrin.
In the garage and the garden
- Antifreeze. It tastes sweet, and the smallest amount can cause kidney failure and death. Wipe up drips, and keep bottles closed.
- Rat poison and slug pellets. Cats eat poisoned mice and rats, or the bait itself. Street cats are most at risk. Ask neighbours and councils to use bait boxes cats can’t get into.
- Pool and cleaning chemicals, paint thinner. Store them shut and away.
- Essential oils. Diffusers and oils on the skin can harm cats, so keep them out of reach.
In the kitchen
Onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate and gum with xylitol are all on Cornell’s list. Most cats won’t eat them, but leftovers put out for street cats sometimes contain onion or garlic. Give them cat food instead. Here’s what to feed street cats.
If you think a cat has been poisoned
- Call a vet straight away. Don’t wait for signs. With lilies and antifreeze, hours matter.
- Don’t try to make the cat sick, and don’t give it milk or anything else, unless the vet tells you to.
- Take the packaging, or a piece of the plant, with you.
- If there’s something on its fur, stop it grooming. Wrap it in a towel.
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If you think a cat has been poisoned, call a vet now.
Snap the cats on your street with Island of Cats, so you notice when one stops turning up.
