Poisoned cat what to do at home

Symptoms of poisoning in cats are manifold, but only a few of them can manifest. Common signs of poisoning in cats:

Symptoms and treatment of poisoning in cats

Poisoning in a domestic cat is not an uncommon occurrence. No one is immune – not a cat that constantly walks on the street, or a pet that has never seen what is happening outside the apartment door. Poisoning in a cat is accompanied by clear symptoms, and the treatment must begin immediately, as soon as they appear. You must know what to do in case of poisoning – give first aid at home or go to the veterinary clinic urgently.

Food poisoning in cats

There are many reasons why a cat can be poisoned, and they are all different. Sometimes poisoning in a cat can occur due to its curiosity, and sometimes – due to inattention, inexperience or negligence of the owner.

• spoiled food that has been in the bowl for a long time, especially in a warm room;
• food scraps that the cat may have snatched from the garbage can;
• food that people drop in the street;
• Feeding substandard ready-to-eat food that is sold loose and it is not known who made it and when;
• food that has not been stored in the proper conditions;
• Human food that contains dyes, food additives and spices.

The notion that cats like slightly spoiled food is wrong. Cats that eat garbage can food often die from poisoning.

How to help a cat with poisoning

Contributor(s): Melissa Nelson, DVM, PhD. Dr. Nelson is a veterinarian in Minnesota. She specializes in companion animals and large animals and has over 18 years of experience as a veterinarian in a rural clinic. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1998.

According to statistics, about 10% of phone calls to veterinarians are due to suspected feline poisoning. Because of their own curiosity and love of constantly licking their fur, cats sometimes get into very dangerous situations. The most common causes of poisoning are insecticides, human drugs and food containing chemicals that cats cannot digest. To treat your cat for poisoning, read the recommendations in this article.

The primary actions are.

• difficulty breathing;
• bluish tongue and gums;
• shortness of breath;
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea;
• stomach irritation;
• coughing and sneezing;
• depressed state;
• increased salivation;
• seizures, convulsions or involuntary muscle twitching;
• weakness and loss of consciousness;
• dilated pupils;
• frequent urination;
• dark color of urine;
• trembling. [1] X Source of information

• Wear long-sleeved clothing and/or gloves beforehand. to protect your hands from contact with the poison. In addition, sick and injured cats tend to bite and scratch because they are upset and frightened.
• When a cat isn't feeling well or is nervous, it instinctively seeks to hide. If your cat is poisoned, you should keep a close eye on her symptoms so they don't cause her to cower somewhere inaccessible. Gently but firmly take the cat in your arms and take it to a safe room. A kitchen or bathroom is best for this purpose, as you will have access to the water you will need there.
• If the source of the poisoning is in a particular area, take precaution to keep that area clear of other pets and people. [2] X Source of Information

What signs indicate food poisoning

Symptoms of food poisoning in cats can be obvious and not so obvious. The clear symptoms speak for themselves and are difficult to confuse with anything. The owner can give first aid to the animal at home, before going to the vet.

Overt symptoms

It is very easy to recognize poisoning by the obvious signs. This offers the advantage of being able to help immediately and begin treatment by consulting with a veterinarian. What symptoms indicate intoxication:

1. Vomiting is usually frothy, with bits of undigested food.
2. There may be repeated diarrhea as well as a single liquid stool. The stools are greenish, foamy, and have an unpleasant, uncharacteristic odor. There may be blood or blood streaks in the stools.
3. Seizures and convulsions usually indicate intoxication by poisons, most commonly rat poisons.
4. Increased salivation indicates nausea and is also one of the signs of ingestion of household chemicals.

In rare cases, these symptoms may indicate other, more serious illnesses. As a rule, they are identified by a prolonged malaise with an intensification of all symptoms.

Implicit symptoms

Implicit symptoms in a pet can be difficult to discern or fit a large number of diseases. It is difficult to assume from them alone that a cat has poisoning, but the latent symptoms rarely go alone, and a correct diagnosis can be made from the overall picture. Especially if you know what preceded the malaise.

• Increased temperature and chills;
• dilated pupils;
• shortness of breath, rapid shallow breathing;
• tachycardia or bradycardia;
• refusal of food and/or drink;
• discoloration of mucous tissues;
• Ataxia – impaired coordination of movements.

Treatment of the affected cat

Are you sure that the cat is poisoned, or only suspect that the cat is poisoned. What is the first thing to do? You can start by giving your pet first aid at home. Successful treatment of your pet depends on how quickly emergency measures were taken to save her. There are several factors that exacerbate the effects and contribute to the rapid unfolding of the disease pattern:

1. The tender age of the kitten. Despite the high adaptive capacity of the young body, the baby does not yet have its own immunity, so other, less harmless diseases (infection or virus) can cling to it. Poisoning in a kitten is severe.
2. Weak immunity does not allow the body to fight back.
3. Exhaustion. With domestic cats, this usually does not happen, but outdoor animals are highly susceptible to the damaging factor.
4. Chronic diseases. Pedigree cats with delicate stomachs and chronic diseases can easily be poisoned, especially poor quality food. This also includes those who are allergic. Poisoning itself in cats with such features is more severe.

If your furry pet falls into the risk group, it is better not to self-treat, and go to the vet as soon as possible. Even if the ailment does not seem serious, in small, elderly, weakened, sick individuals, things can change at any second.

Emergency measures and flushing at home

If the vet is not available in the next few hours, first aid to the pet should be given at home. It is advisable to find out what poisonous substance caused the reaction. When it is clear what caused the acute condition, the source of intoxication should be removed if possible in order to avoid further deterioration of health.

The next point is gastric lavage. It can be performed in almost all cases. The exception is situations where the disease is caused by ingestion of acid and alkali – so you can provide the cat with a more severe burn of the esophagus. Alkaline is neutralized by an acidic environment (i.e. the pet should be given water with citric acid), and acid is neutralized by baking soda (give the animal a soda solution through a syringe).

Prevention of poisoning

Preventing poisoning in a cat is easier if she is constantly at home, under the supervision of the owner. You only need to follow these recommendations:

• Do not feed the pet expired meat or minced meat;
• Remove plants from the house that can cause poisoning;
• Remove any leftovers from his bowl at the end of his meal;
• Keep household chemicals out of pets' reach;
• Do not spray toxic substances in the cat's presence;
• Do not use human medications to treat your pet
• don't exceed the dosage of flea and tick repellent drops and wear a cat collar after applying them.

What to feed a cat after poisoning

After vomiting has stopped, you need to keep the cat on a starvation diet for about 12 hours. Drinking should not be restricted. Then light food is gradually introduced. The first thing you can offer the cat after poisoning is some wet diet food. Meals should be fractional, so as not to give a heavy load on the stomach. Food is given a little at a time, but more often than usual. The recovery period after food poisoning is 5-7 days. After that, you can transfer the cat to the usual food.

Symptoms of poisoning in pets can not be left unattended, otherwise the pet will die. If the cat suddenly felt ill, it is better to take him to the veterinary clinic immediately. Assistance rendered in time is a guarantee that the pet will recover.

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