Due to their inquisitive nature and obsession with cleanliness, cats often put themselves in dangerous situations. The most common poisons they come into contact with are insecticides, human medicines, poisonous plants and human foods that contain substances they cannot metabolize. To cure a poisoned cat, start reading this article.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Help the Cat
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms of poisoning
A cat may have been poisoned if they have any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Blue tongue or gums
- Wheezing
- Vomiting and / or diarrhea
- Gastric irritation
- Coughing and sneezing
- Depression
- Abundant salivation
- Seizures, tremors or involuntary muscle contractions
- Weakness and potential unconsciousness
- Dilated pupils
- Frequent urinating
- Dark colored urine
- Chills
Step 2. Take your cat to a well-ventilated area
If you suspect poisoning and the cat is lying down, unconscious or weak, move it immediately and take it to a well-ventilated and lighted place.
- Wear long sleeves and / or gloves to protect yourself from poison. Sick and injured cats tend to bite and scratch as they are upset and scared.
- When the cat is unwell or anxious, its first instinct is to hide. If the cat has been poisoned you will need to monitor its symptoms, so you should not allow it to hide in some corner. Gently but firmly, pick up the cat and take him to a safe room. The kitchen or bathroom would be ideal, since you will need water.
- If the poison is still within reach, carefully remove it to prevent other animals or children from coming into contact with it.
Step 3. Call the vet right away
This is the first thing to do after securing the cat.
- An experienced vet will help you calm down and will be able to give you clear instructions on what to do or what antidote to give your cat. Remember that the sooner you call the vet, the higher the chances of the cat surviving.
- For some years the veterinary toxicological assistance (ATV) telephone service has been active in Italy at 011/2470194; is an initiative of Purina, in collaboration with ANMVI and SCIVAC.
Part 2 of 3: Provide First Aid
Step 1. If possible, identify the poison
This way you can tell if you need to make the cat vomit or not. If you have access to the package, write down this information: name, active ingredients and strength. Also, try to figure out how much the cat consumed (was it a new package? How much is missing?).
- The first people you should contact are your veterinarian, the veterinary toxicology helpline, and the company that produced the poison.
- If you have internet access, look for active ingredients. You could search using this phrase: "Is [Product Name] toxic to cats?"
- Some products are safe to ingest, and if that's the case, that's all you need to do. If the substance is poisonous, the next step is to determine whether you should make the cat vomit or not.
Step 2. Do not try to cure the cat unless you have been given specific instructions
Do not give him food, water, milk, salt, oil, or other home remedies unless you know what poison he has ingested and what medicines are needed to counteract it. Using medicines or other remedies without a veterinarian's consent could make the situation worse.
The vet has the knowledge and skills to determine what to do or what to give to your cat. You are not wasting time, you are behaving like a rational person
Step 3. Do not make the cat vomit unless specifically instructed to do so
Do not do anything to the cat without instructions from the veterinarian. Some poisons (especially corrosive acids) can do further damage if vomiting is induced. Make him throw up only if:
- The poison was ingested within the previous two hours. The poison left in the stomach for over two hours will already have been absorbed into the blood, so inducing vomiting is useless.
- The cat is conscious and able to swallow.
- The poison is NOT acidic, highly alkaline or petroleum derivative.
- You are 100% sure that the poison was ingested.
Step 4. You need to know how to handle acids, alkalis and petroleum derivatives
Acids, alkalis and petroleum derivatives can cause caustic sunburn. Regardless of when they were consumed, Not induce vomiting because it would damage the esophagus, throat and mouth.
- Powerful acids and alkalis are found in products to remove rust, white spirit and detergents such as bleach. Petroleum derivatives include lighter fluid, gasoline and kerosene.
- As mentioned, don't make your cat vomit, but encourage him to drink whole milk, or eat a raw egg. If he doesn't drink of his own accord, then use a syringe (no needle) to dose up to 100ml of milk and gently get the cat to drink. It will help dilute the acid or alkali and neutralize it. Raw egg has the same function.
Step 5. If you need to make your cat vomit, follow a proper protocol
You will need a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (DO NOT use the concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution found in the packages to make the dye or perm), and a teaspoon or a syringe without a needle. It will be easier to use the syringe to inject the peroxide into the cat's mouth. Here's what you should know:
- The dose of 3% hydrogen peroxide is 5 ml (one teaspoon) every 2 kg, orally. On average a cat weighs around 4kg, so you will need around 10ml (2 tsp). Repeat the operation every 10 minutes, a maximum of three times.
- To administer the solution to the cat, hold it still and gently insert the syringe into the mouth, behind the teeth of the upper arch. Inject 1 ml of the solution into the cat's tongue at a time. Give him time to swallow and never inject the dose at once as it may fill his mouth and cause the peroxide to end up in his lungs.
Step 6. Use activated charcoal
After making him vomit, your aim is to reduce the absorption of the poison that has already passed into the intestine. For this you will need activated charcoal. The dose is one gram of powder per 450 g of weight. A medium-sized cat will therefore need about 10 grams.
Dissolve the powder in as little water as possible, to form a fluid cream, and inject it with a syringe into the cat's mouth. Repeat the operation with the same dose every 2-3 hours, 4 times
Part 3 of 3: Taking Care of the Cat
Step 1. Once the crisis is over, check the coat to see if there is any contamination
If there is poison on the mantle, where it comes to clean itself, it could swallow it and become intoxicated again. If the contaminant is a powder, brush it off. If it's sticky, like tar or oil, you may need a specific cleaner (such as those used by mechanics) to wash the coat and then rinse it thoroughly with water.
As a last resort, cut the dirtiest fur with scissors or shears. Better an ugly cat than a dead cat - then the fur will grow back
Step 2. Get him to drink
Many poisons are harmful to the liver, kidneys, or both. To reduce the risk of organ damage due to the absorbed poison, the cat must drink a lot. If he doesn't do this spontaneously, use the syringe to inject water into his mouth. Always remember to inject 1ml at a time and have it swallow before moving on.
An average cat needs 250 ml of water a day, so don't worry about filling that syringe several times
Step 3. Take a sample of the potential poison
Include all labels, boxes, and bottles so the vet has all the information they need. Your efforts could help other cat owners (and cats themselves!) In similar situations in the future.
Step 4. Take the cat to the vet
Your cat needs to be checked by a vet to make sure she is okay. Your vet can make sure that you have got rid of all the poison and that there are no long-term problems.
Advice
- The dose of activated carbon for severe poisonings is 2-8 g / kg of weight every 6/8 hours for 3-5 days. The dose can be dissolved in water and is administered with a syringe or gastric tube.
- Kaolin / pectin: 1-2 g / kg of weight every 6 hours for 5-7 days.
- 3% hydrogen peroxide: 2-4 ml / kg of weight immediately after ingestion of poisonous substances.
- Milk can be mixed with water for 50%, or administered alone to neutralize certain poisons, as already mentioned. A dose of 10-15 ml / kg of weight or how much the animal can consume is fine.
- In any case, the best thing to do is to ask for the help of a veterinarian immediately.
