Cat Poisoning - Symptoms and First Aid

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 23 January 2021
Update Date: 6 November 2024
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Cat Poisoning Symptoms
Video: Cat Poisoning Symptoms

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We all know that cats are very cautious as well as very curious, but like any living being, they can make mistakes or even be attacked. Due to these oversights and attacks, kittens can be poisoned.

If you are thinking about adopting or have a cat, the cat poisoning, symptoms and first aid it is an important topic that the guardian should be informed about as much as possible, as it can cause his/her death. That's why, at PeritoAnimal, we want to help you in this mission.

Main causes of poisoning in cats

As we indicated earlier, cats can be very careful, but they are extremely curious. This leads them to explore and try new things, which unfortunately don't always work out. Because of this, they often end up intoxicated, poisoned or injured somehow. However, thanks to the knowledge of the potential danger of some substances and some products, we can prevent this from happening, keeping them out of reach of our pets.


In case of poisoning or intoxication we cannot do much most of the time, but we can identify the symptoms in time and consult a veterinarian trusted as soon as possible. However, there are a few things we can try at home while the vet is on his way, and as long as he doesn't expressly say not to do any of that, which we'll explain later.

Some of the most common poisons and toxins that domestic cats often encounter are:

  • Medicines for humans (acetyl salicylic acid and paracetamol)
  • Food for humans (chocolate)
  • Insecticides (arsenic)
  • Cleaning products (bleach and soap)
  • Insecticides (some external antiparasitic products we spray on our pets and their environment)
  • poisonous insects
  • toxic plants

These products, animals and plants contain chemicals and enzymes that are toxic to cats and that their bodies cannot metabolize. We'll talk more about these products, their effects and how to treat them in the treatment section.


Symptoms of poisoning in cats

Symptoms of poisoning in cats, unfortunately, are very varied as they depend on the origin of the poisoning and the degree of intoxication. But below we show you the most common symptoms and signs of a poisoned cat:

  • Vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood
  • excessive salivation
  • cough and sneezes
  • gastric irritation
  • Irritation of the skin area that came into contact with the toxicant
  • breathing difficulty
  • Convulsions, tremors and involuntary muscle spasms
  • Depression
  • Dilated pupils
  • Weakness
  • Difficulty in coordination in the extremities due to neurological problems (ataxia)
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Frequent urination (to urinate often)

First Aid and How to Proceed with Cat Poisoning

In case of detecting any symptoms described above, we must act according to each situation. The most important thing is to call the veterinarian as soon as possible, stabilize the animal and collect as much information and a sample of the venom so that the veterinarian can help with more knowledge about the fact. It is recommended that you are not alone as, while contacting the vet, the other person can stabilize the cat. Remember that in cases like this every time is important.


The following steps are the most common for a poisoned cat:

  1. If our pet is very weak, almost faints or is unconscious, we should put it in a open, ventilated and lighted area. This allows us to better observe any other symptoms besides giving our friend fresh air. To lift it, we must be careful and do it so that it grips the entire body firmly. If you don't have an outdoor area in your house or apartment, the bathroom or kitchen is usually well lit and easily waterable.
  2. It's very important carefully remove the source of poisoning, if it manages to detect it, so that the animal is not even more intoxicated, as well as the humans who live with it.
  3. As soon as you get a good look at the cat, we must urgently call the veterinarian, who will certainly indicate how to proceed in this situation. The sooner you contact the professional, the more likely the feline will survive.
  4. We should identify the source of poisoning, if possible, as this will be one of the first things the vet will ask. Only then will it be possible to know if it will be necessary to induce the animal to vomit or not. Attention! We should not encourage vomiting just because we think it is the best solution to extract the poison. It should be remembered that if it is something that has been ingested for more than two hours, the act of vomiting will not help at all and will only weaken the cat.
  5. If the animal is unconscious, we should never try to make it swallow something to induce vomiting.This is the case of ingesting corrosive substances such as acidic and alkaline substances (bleach water, etc.) and petroleum derivatives (gasoline, kerosene, lighter liquid, etc.). Vomiting should not be induced in these situations as this can cause caustic burns and damage to the esophagus, throat and mouth.
  6. If you can identify the poison should give the veterinarian as much information as the name of the product, its active ingredient, potency, the approximate amount of what may have been ingested and how long ago the cat was poisoned, among other indications depending on the type of toxicant that produced the poisoning.
  7. We must not give him water, food, milk, oils or no other home remedy until we know for sure what poison was ingested and how to proceed, so it's better to wait for the vet's indications. This happens because if you do not know what is happening with the feline, any of these foods can produce an effect contrary to what we expect, thus worsening our friend's condition.
  8. If you want to give something to drink while waiting for the vet and the vet does not contraindicate it, then it is possible to give water or salt water using a syringe.
  9. If we decide that due to the origin of the poison we must make the cat vomit we must follow certain rules for inducing vomiting to avoid unnecessary damage during the process. These rules will be indicated later in this article.
  10. Although we can make the cat vomit, some of the poison has already been absorbed by the intestine, so, must try to slow the advance of this poison absorption. This is possible through activated charcoal, which we will explain how to use later.
  11. If the contamination happened by some powder or oily substance and it adhered to the animal's fur, we should shake it with an intense brushing in case it is dust or use a hand cleaning product that removes the oily substances. If you still cannot remove the toxicant from the fur, you should cut a piece of the fur, as it is better to eliminate it this way than to lament the deterioration of the animal's condition.
  12. If the cat is awake and stunned, and the vet won't tell us otherwise, it's a good idea to give it fresh water to drink, as many of the poisons cats tend to ingest affect the kidneys and liver. By giving you fresh water we reduce the impact on these organs a little bit. If you cannot drink it yourself, you can give the water through a syringe.
  13. Before going to the vet or before he arrives at your house, if possible, must keep a sample of the poison with which the cat was poisoned, along with the packaging, label, etc., that may be part of that poison. That way the veterinarian will have as much information as possible to help our friend.

Treatments to follow for various causes of cat poisoning

Here are treatments for the most common causes of feline poisoning, which we should only do if our veterinarian tells us to or if we really have no other option. Ideally, these measurements are carried out by a professional. Also check out the symptoms of poisoning in cats from the different toxics:

  • Arsenic: Arsenic is present in insecticides, pesticides and poisons for pests and rodents. The most common symptoms in this case are acute diarrhea, which may present with blood, in addition to depression, weak pulse, general weakness and cardiovascular collapse. These symptoms occur due to the acute inflammation caused by arsenic in various internal organs such as the liver or kidneys. In this case, if the venom was ingested within two hours by the cat, the urgent treatment is to induce vomiting, followed by oral administration of activated charcoal and, after an hour or two, gastric protectors such as pectin or kaolin should be administered.
  • Shampoo, soap or detergent: In these cases the symptoms are milder and easier to treat. Many of these products contain caustic soda and other corrosive substances, so vomiting should never be induced. Symptoms are dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea. If it is a small amount ingested and the veterinarian does not tell us otherwise, a good way to help the cat's body and treat this poisoning is to give water to the pussy.
  • Medicines for humans: It is a great danger that is always around without us realizing it, as we tend to think that they are well guarded. In addition, the problem is not only this confidence that we have, but sometimes the lack of knowledge, and we end up giving them some of these medicines to reduce fever or calm other symptoms. This is a big mistake, since most of these medications are not made for dogs or cats, and although I give them the minimum dose or the one indicated for children, this way we can intoxicate our companions. That is why, never medicate your pet without consulting a veterinarian. Also, we should know that most of these drugs are eliminated by the liver after they are metabolized, but the cats cannot metabolize adequately many medications or vitamins. Below we show the most common medicines for us but which damage the health of our cats seriously and can even cause their death:
  1. Acetyl salicylic acid (Aspirin): As we know, it is a very common analgesic and antipyretic. But in cats it has a very negative effect, such as vomiting (sometimes with blood), hyperthermia, rapid breathing, depression and death.
  2. Acetaminophen: It is an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic widely used by humans that is very effective. But again, it's a deadly weapon for cats. It damages the liver, darkens its gums, produces salivation, rapid breathing, depression, dark urine and can result in the animal's death.
  3. Vitamin A: We usually have vitamin complexes at home for times when we want to avoid colds or other common illnesses. These vitamin complexes include Vitamin A. Furthermore, this vitamin can be found in some food supplements and in some foods such as raw liver, which are sometimes a target for cats' curiosity. Excess of this vitamin causes drowsiness, anorexia, stiff neck and joints, intestinal obstruction, weight loss in felines, in addition to awkward positions such as sitting on the hind legs but raising the front legs or lying down but leaving it all. the weight on the extremities without actually relaxing.
  4. D vitamin: This vitamin can be found in vitamin complexes, but also in rodenticides and in some foods. Hypervitaminosis D produces anorexia, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, polydipsia (extreme thirst) and polyuria (very frequent and abundant urination). This happens due to kidney and hemorrhagic damage that happens in the digestive and respiratory tract.
  • Tar: Tar included several products such as cresol, creosote and phenols. Found in home disinfectants and other products. Poisoning in the case of cats by these products usually occurs by absorption through their skin, although it can also happen by ingestion. This intoxication causes nervous system stimulation, heart weakness and liver damage, the most visible symptoms being jaundice weakness (yellow coloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to increased bilirubin), loss of coordination, excessive rest and even the state of coma and depending on the level of poisoning can cause death. There is no specific treatment. In case it has been ingested recently, it is possible to administer saline and charcoal solutions, followed by egg whites to soften the corrosive effects of the poison.
  • Cyanide: Found in plants, rodent poisons and fertilizers, among others. In the case of cats, cyanide poisoning occurs most often from ingesting plants that contain cyanide compounds, such as reeds, apple leaves, corn, linseed, sorghum and eucalyptus. Symptoms in a cat poisoned with this substance usually appear 10 to 15 minutes after ingestion and we can see an increase in arousal that quickly develops into breathing difficulties, which can end up in suffocation. The treatment to be followed by the veterinarian is the immediate administration of sodium nitrite.
  • Ethylene glycol: It is used as an antifreeze in the cooling circuits of internal combustion engines and is commonly known as a car antifreeze. The flavor of this compound is sweet, something that attracts an animal even more and leads them to consume it. But, felines do not distinguish the sweet taste, in the case of cats it does not occur very often and sometimes they ingest this substance. Symptoms appear very quickly after ingestion and may give the feeling that our cat is drunk. Symptoms are vomiting, neurological signs, lethargy, loss of balance and ataxia (difficulty coordinating due to neurological problems). What should be done in these cases is to induce vomiting and give activated charcoal followed by sodium sulfate between one and two hours after having ingested the poison.
  • Fluorine: Fluoride is used in rat poisons, human oral cleaning products (toothpaste and mouthwash) and environmental acaricides. Because fluoride is toxic to dogs and cats we should never use our toothpaste to wash their mouths. Special toothpastes are sold for them that do not have fluoride. Symptoms are gastroenteritis, nervous signs, increased heart rate and depending on the level of poisoning including death. In case of severe poisoning, calcium gluconate should be immediately administered intravenously or magnesium hydroxide or milk orally so that these substances join with the fluorine ions.
  • Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a chemical belonging to methylxanthines. In humans it does not produce any harmful effects, since we have enzymes that can metabolize theobromine and convert it into other safer elements. On the other hand, cats don't have these enzymes, which causes a small amount to intoxicate them. So, it's a human food that we can love and that's why we often give it to our pet as a prize and this is a huge mistake. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually appear between six to twelve hours after ingestion. The main symptoms and signs are constant thirst, vomiting, salivation, diarrhea, restlessness and a swollen belly. After a while, symptoms progress and hyperactivity, tremors, frequent urination, tachycardia, bradycardia, respiratory distress, heart and respiratory failure appear. The first aid treatment in this case is, as soon as you notice the ingestion, induce the cat to vomit and give activated charcoal orally. If chocolate ingestion has taken place after two hours or more, vomiting will not be very helpful as the stomach digestion process has already taken place. Therefore, we must take the intoxicated cat directly to the veterinarian so that he can immediately treat the symptoms with the appropriate material.
  • Raisins and grapes: This case of poisoning is not very common, but it still happens. It happens more in dogs than in cats. It is known that the toxic dose in dogs is 32g of raisins per kg of body weight and 11 to 30mg per kg of body weight in the case of grapes. Therefore, knowing this estimate, we know that for a cat the toxic doses will always be smaller amounts. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, extreme weakness in thirst, dehydration, inability to produce urine, and finally kidney failure, which can lead to death. As first aid you should induce vomiting in your pet and then take him to the veterinarian where, in addition to other necessary things, urination will be induced through intravenous fluid therapy.
  • Alcohol: In this case of animal poisoning, the most common alcohols are ethanol (alcoholic beverages, disinfectant alcohol, fermentation mass and elixirs), methanol (cleaning products such as windshield wipers) and isopropyl alcohol (disinfectant alcohol and pet flea aerosols made with alcohol). Isopropyl alcohol has twice the toxicity of ethanol. The toxic dose is between 4 to 8 ml per kg. This type of toxin is not only absorbed through ingestion but also through absorption through the skin. Cats are especially sensitive to these alcohols, so we should avoid rubbing them with flea agents that are not suitable for cats and that contain alcohol. Symptoms appear within the first half hour to an hour of intoxication. There are vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, disorientation, tremors, difficulty breathing and in the most serious cases, due to this respiratory failure, it ends up causing the animal's death. As first aid, you must ventilate the cat, that is, move the animal to the outside place without being directly in the sun, and if alcohol ingestion happened recently, induce vomiting. Don't give him activated carbon, since in this case it will have no effect. Then go to the veterinarian to see and act as needed.
  • Chlorine and bleach: Household cleaning products and those used for swimming pools contain bleach e. therefore. contain chlorine. Sometimes we see that our pets like to drink water from the cleaning bucket that contains these mixed products, drink freshly treated pool water and bathe in it. Symptoms are vomiting, dizziness, salivation, anorexia, diarrhea and depression. As first aid, we should administer milk or milk with water to our cat as a syringe in a well, slowly and let it drink by itself. We must never induce vomiting, it will vomit by itself and causing even more vomiting will make it weak and damage the digestive tract, this is because the bleach and chlorine are stomach corrosive. Activated charcoal should not be given as this will have no effect. In case you have not ingested it, and the poisoning has happened through the skin, you should bathe the cat with a mild shampoo for cats and rinse with plenty of water so that no remains are left. Finally, he must go to the veterinarian for a check up.
  • Insecticides: Insecticides include products that contain carbamates, chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, permethrins or pyrethroids and organophosphates, all of which are toxic to our pet. Signs of poisoning in this case are frequent urination, excessive salivation, difficulty breathing, cramps, ataxia and seizures. In this case, first aid will be the administration of activated charcoal followed by induction of vomiting with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Either way, the indication is to take him to a veterinarian.

Watch the video about things we have around the house that pose threats to cats if we're not careful:

Advice on dose and oral administration

  • vomiting induction: We should get a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (hydrogen peroxide) and a baby syringe to administer the solution orally. We should never use solutions that have higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, like some hair care products, as this will further harm the cat rather than help it. To prepare this solution and administer it, you must know that the dose of 3% hydrogen peroxide is 5 ml (coffee spoon) for every 2.25 kg of body weight and it is administered orally. For an average cat of 4.5 kg you need about 10 ml (2 scoops of coffee). Repeat the process every 10 minutes for a maximum of 3 doses. You can administer this oral solution soon after poisoning, use 2 to 4 ml per kg of body weight of this 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
  • Effective way for the cat to swallow the oral solution: Insert the syringe between the cat's teeth and tongue so that it is easier to introduce the liquid and easier to swallow. In addition, we should never introduce all the liquid at once, but 1 ml at a time and wait for it to swallow and pour another 1 ml again.
  • Activated charcoal: The normal dose is 1 g of powder for every half a kilo of the cat's body weight. An average cat requires about 10 g.We must dissolve the activated charcoal in the smallest possible volume of water to form a kind of thick paste and use the syringe to administer it orally. Repeat this dose every 2 to 3 hours for a total of 4 doses. In the case of severe poisoning, the dose is 3 to 8 g per kilogram of body weight once every 6 or 8 hours for 3 to 5 days. This dose can be mixed with water and administered with an oral syringe or stomach tube. Activated charcoal is sold as a liquid already diluted in water, as a powder or in tablets that can also be dissolved.
  • pectin or kaolin: Must be administered by the veterinarian. The recommended dose is 1g to 2g per kg of body weight every 6 hours for 5 or 7 days.
  • Mixture of milk with water: The use of milk in cases of cat poisoning is very restricted, so it's good to pay close attention to this. We can give milk or a 50% dilution of milk with water when we want it to act on certain poisons, such as fluoride, so that the passage through the body is less harmful. The appropriate dose is 10 to 15 ml per kilo of body weight or whatever the animal can consume.
  • Sodium nitrite: must be administered by the veterinarian. 10g in 100 ml of distilled water or an isotonic saline solution should be administered at a dose of 20 mg per kg of body weight of the animal affected by cyanide.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.