Your cat’s curious nature is likely one of the things you love most about them. However, this same characteristic can get many cats into trouble. In fact, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) receives almost 250,000 calls every year from pet parents who suspect their cats and dogs have ingested a toxic substance. That’s far too many close calls, and every pet’s life lost due to accidental poisoning is too many. So, in honor of Poison Prevention Awareness Month, we wanted to educate cat parents on the possible household toxins that may be lurking around their homes.
Household Toxins That Could Harm Your Cat
When it comes to your cat’s health, prevention is always better than treatment. Not only could 10 minutes of identifying and locking up potential poisons prevent your cat from getting sick, but it could also save their life.
Check out these feline toxins then download your own toxins guide to keep handy on your fridge or to share on social.
1. Antifreeze
While most people know that antifreeze is toxic for cats and dogs, many are surprised to learn how little of this substance can harm their cat. It only takes an eighth of a teaspoon per pound of your cat’s weight for antifreeze to be fatal to your cat. For kittens and small cats, this can mean walking through a small puddle of antifreeze beneath a car.
Over the past two decades, many states have passed laws that require antifreeze makers to add a bittering agent to their products to deter cats and dogs from lapping up the sweet substance. Most antifreeze manufacturers have also agreed to add a bitter substance to their products sold in the U.S. However, this doesn’t protect cats that accidentally come in contact with the substance.
How to protect your cat:
Always clean up antifreeze and coolant spills and drips
Dispose of empty coolant containers in waste bins with secure lids
Store coolant containers in locked cabinets or in areas where your cat cannot access
2. Coffee Grounds
Most people struggle to make it through the morning without a cup of coffee. Additionally, we all agree that most cats are spunky enough without coffee. This may make you wonder why coffee grounds wound up on our list. Cats are highly susceptible to caffeine toxicity, and coffee grounds are one of the most common culprits due to their high concentration of caffeine.
How to protect your cat:
Dispose of your coffee grounds in a covered waste bin
When composting your coffee grounds, be sure your bin is cat-proofed
3. Plants
Both indoor and garden plants can be potentially dangerous to an unsuspecting cat. And while bringing blooms indoors during spring seems like a real treat for humans, your spring bouquet may put your cat at risk. In fact, many of the most beautiful spring blooms are the most dangerous for your feline friends, including:
Lilies
Hyacinth
Daffodils
Tulips
Cyclamen
While it’s easy to identify many of these spring flowers and avoid bringing them home, many common potted plants and landscaping wonders are also extremely toxic to cats. The most dangerous include:
Sago palms
Azaleas
Oleander
Castor bean
Kalanchoe
Pothos
Schefflera
How to protect your cat:
Cats tend to eat more vegetation when they’re lacking something in their diet or are dehydrated. So, feed your cat a balanced diet and provide plenty of water.
Check the ASPCA’s Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List before bringing a plant or bouquet home
Avoid letting your cat wander outdoors unsupervised
4. Fabric Softener Sheets
Dryer sheets contain cationic chemicals. These chemicals are what make these sheets so effective at reducing static in your laundry. Fabric sheets are also made from synthetic materials that do not breakdown in your cat’s digestive system. The combination of these properties can lead to digestive blockage, mouth ulcers, GI tract issues, and even damage to the nervous system, lungs, and kidneys.
How to protect your cat:
Keep the laundry room door closed
Skip the dryer sheet when washing your cat’s bedding
Store dry sheets in a secure cabinet
Opt for natural dryer sheets when possible
5. Essential Oils
While essential oils are dangerous for all cats, some cats are born without a specific enzyme that allows them to process gluconuridation compounds. Gluconuridations include phenols, which are extremely common in essential oils. When this enzyme isn’t present, exposure to essential oils can lead to liver failure.
The most dangerous essential oils include:
Cinnamon oil
Citrus oil
Clove oil
Eucalyptus oil
Pennyroyal oil
Peppermint oil
Pine oils
Sweet Birch
Tea Tree oil
Wintergreen
Ylang Ylang
How to protect your cat:
Do not apply essential oils to your cat’s coat
Never allow your cat to ingest essential oils
Avoid using oil diffusers in the same room as your cat
6. Dishwasher & Laundry Detergents
Household cleaners like dish and laundry detergents are commonplace. And while these cleaners offer a convenient way to keep your home free of dust, dirt, and grime, these products can be serious concerns for cat owners. Ingesting detergents can lead to gastrointestinal issues for cats. Additionally, most cats who ingest cleaners or detergents also wind up with secondary respiratory issues caused by inhaling while trying to purge their stomachs.
How to protect your cat:
Keep all cleaners locked away from your cat
Avoid letting your cat walk across freshly sprayed surfaces
7. Nicotine
Every year, thousands of pet owners call the Pet Poison Hotline because their pets have ingested nicotine from e-cigarettes, and many vets report a sharp rise in nicotine poisoning in their pet patients.
What makes e-cigarettes so dangerous for our feline friends? The concentration of nicotine that is packed into such compact cartridges makes it easier for cats to get a huge dose of nicotine in one bite. Of course, the danger is multiplied when you take into account a package of multiple cartridges or a liquid refill container.
Nicotine toxicity can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and an elevated heart rate. High levels of nicotine ingestion can lead to trouble breathing, tremors, seizures, coma, or heart failure.
How to protect your pet:
Never leave cartridges or e-cigarettes lying with paw’s reach
Have a designated storage system for any e-smokers
8. Pennies
Just one to two pennies can lead to zinc poisoning for any unfortunate cat that swallows a few coins. Zinc poisoning can cause your cat to vomit, suffer from diarrhea, depression, and lack of appetite. More seriously, zinc poisoning can also result in anemia or organ damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, or pancreas.
How to protect your cat:
Always supervise your cat around coins
Do not allow your cat to play with small metal objects
Diaper rash medications often contain high levels of zinc–keep them away from your kitty
9. Over-the-Counter Medications & Prescriptions
Accidental ingestion of their owners’ medications continues to be a leading cause of toxicity in cats. Surprisingly enough, pet medications are also often the culprit in cat poisonings. This is because many are flavored to be more palatable for the pets that have to take them.
The severity of poisoning and its effects on the cat depends on the medication and how much of the medicine the cat ingests.
Some of the most common OTC & prescription medications that get cats into trouble include:
Acetaminophen
Aspirin
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Sleep aids
Cholesterol medication
Antidepressants
How to protect your cat:
Keep all medications (including pet meds) in a secure location
Ask houseguests to keep their medications in a location where your cat cannot access them
Do not leave medication bottles open
Thoroughly pick up any medications that spill
Protect Your Cat from Potential Poisons
While potential poisoning is a very serious and scary topic, protecting your cat is easy. Due diligence and observation are key to keeping your kitty safe, healthy, and out of trouble. Should you ever worry that your cat has consumed something poisonous, contact your vet immediately or the Pet Poison Hotline (800-213-6680).
