Cats and kittens are curious by nature, which makes them unpredictable. You never know what your cat might get into, and as such you need to be prepared. There are a lot of products you keep around your home that could be toxic for your cat, and you need to make sure they stay out of reach from your curious kitty.

Permethrin products are particularly toxic to cats. In fact, they are lethal. Permethrin can be found in topical flea treatments such as K9 Advantix, and pesticides such as Stingray wasp and hornet freeze, Precor 2000, and Tengard. Cats lack certain liver enzymes, and because of this they have a harder time processing toxic chemicals once ingested. Any products that contain permethrin need to be kept away from your cat. Fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides can all pose danger to your cat. Other toxins, such as rat and mouse poisons should also be put away, as these toxins may affect your cat’s nervous system if ingested and can cause internal bleeding and reduce blood clotting.

Help Keep Your Cat Safe from Harmful Items in the Home

Your cat is easily swayed by enticing flavors and aromas, which can also encourage her to swallow or ingest medications as well as some automotive products. Any medication, whether for animals or humans, should be kept away from your cat. She could easily swallow too much and overdose. Automotive products such as windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze, brake fluid, fix a flat as well as other tire sealants, and de-icer all contain ethylene glycol, a substance that is both toxic and tasty to your little kitty. Ethylene glycol can also be found in certain interior paints, primers, caulks, and floor adhesives, just to name a few. Many cleaning products may also contain enticing scents that make your kitty sick, so you should consider locking up any cabinets that contain these items.

Beyond medications and toxic chemicals, there are other things you need to do to keep your kitty safe. Certain plants can cause diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, tremors, or organ failure for the heart, kidneys, liver, or respiratory system. These plants include aloe vera, azaleas, ferns, mistletoe, daffodils, and birds of paradise, just to name a few. Lilies, snake plants, and philodendrons may cause mouth swelling as well as your cat to stagger or collapse after ingestion. Figs, poinsettias, and chrysanthemums may give your cat a rash. If you are thinking about keeping plants around your home, you should make sure they are kitty friendly.

There are a variety of household items that can make kitty sick, and as such you need to be prepared. Keep the poison control center number by your phone, and be ready to describe the items your kitty ingested when you phone them. It helps to keep all products in their original containers for that reason. Also, your vet can also answer any questions you may have regarding products around your house, and keep in mind that many things can make your kitty sick. Even if you try your best, your cat could pick something up from self-grooming or from a prey animal she caught earlier that day. The best you can do to keep her safe is to be prepared with phone numbers and information. And because so many things can make kitty sick, a safe rule to keep in mind is to just let your kitty eat and play with things that she was designed to eat and play with.

Tags: cats, k9 advantix, kittens, safety

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 at 4:14 pm and is filed under General, Guides, Prevention. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.