Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Household Poisons for Cats

Hello, and happy Tuesday! It's me, Lola, and I'm welcoming you back to another of our "Top Five" posts. In our last post, we discussed some tips on how to get your picky cat to eat. (Mommy said that was about me, but don't believe her!) Today we have another very important topic to discuss with you, household poisons.  Let's get into it! 

Lola and Lexy's Top Five Household Poisons for Cats

1. Plants

In 2019, 6.1%* of cases called into the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) were due to plants. The most severe cases for cats involved lily exposure. The smallest amount of pollen from a lily that lands on your cat's fur can be ingested. When they groom themselves, this can be fatal. Some other plants that are dangerous for your cat are Carnations, Chinese Jade, Daffodils, Tulips, Holly, Hosta, Philodendron, and Night Shade. (Go here for a more complete list.) 

If you love houseplants, why not grow a pot of catnip or African Violets? 

Photo via Getty Images

2. Medications

Over the counter (OTC) medications topped the list of pet ingested toxicants last year, making up 19.7% of calls to the hotline. Human prescription medications came in at number two at 17.2% of cases. 

Antidepressants, NSAIDs, Prescription ADD/ADHD medications, and over-the-counter cough, cold and allergy medications are serious threats to cats because we have difficulty metabolizing these drugs. If any of these are ingested we can experience severe neurological and cardiac consequences, seizures, tremors, liver failure, and possible death. One acetaminophen tablet can be fatal for a cat because it causes red blood cell damage. 

This can all be prevented by being extra cautious when you’re taking medication. Do a pill count to be sure none have dropped, and if you think you may have dropped a pill, search for it right away. Always keep medications out of your curious feline's reach and in a secured place. (Note: Many cats, like Lexy, can open a cabinet. Keep this in mind when you're storing your medications.)

3.  Household Cleaners

In 2019, Household Items comprised 7.7% of APCC cases. (That's a decrease from 8.6% in 2017.) Many cat owners don’t realize that some common household cleaners such as kitchen and bath, carpet, and toilet bowl cleaners can be harmful to cats. While contact with small amounts of these cleaners is not necessarily deadly, they can irritate your cat's digestive and respiratory systems. Toilet and drain cleaners can cause chemical burns. Oven cleaners, rust-removal agents, and lime-removal products are other corrosive agents that could be dangerous.

Photo via Tofu Kitty Club

Some precautions you can take include: 

• Closely follow the instructions on the labels
• Thoroughly wipe down surfaces after using cleaners
• Keeping cleaners locked in a cabinet that your cat can’t get into
• Purchasing non-toxic cleaners

Our mom started using more natural household cleaners a while ago. It’s not only better for us, but it’s also better for her (and the environment), too!

4.  Insecticides 

The APCC reported a decrease in insecticide exposures (5.1%) last year. That's good news for pets!  Following label directions and keeping your cat away from the product when you use it will help keep them safe. 

Any product containing organophosphates and large amounts of iron can lead to seizures, vomiting, bloody stool, liver, and heart issues. As an alternative, choose all natural, chemical free products. 

Wipe up any excess product immediately, and if you’re using insecticides in your yard keep your cat indoors so they will not come in contact with them. And as always, store all chemical products safely.

5.  People Food

Food was the third top reported toxin in 2019 at 12.1%. Even if your cat gives you the big, sad eyes when you're eating because they want a taste, it's probably better for them to just say no. Cats are not able to safely ingest all food that their people eat, so pet parents need be cautious. 

A few everyday foods that can be dangerous to your cat are: 

• Alcohol - causes vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, and tremors. A tablespoon, or even less, can put your cat into a coma and leads to death. A tipsy kitty is not cute or funny. 

• Caffeine (coffee, soda, tea, energy drinks) -  causes restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and muscle tremors.

Photo via CatsPro

• Dairy Products - cause diarrhea, vomiting, and an upset stomach because cats have difficulty digesting the lactose in dairy products. 

• Chocolate - Chocolate contains theobromine which is toxic to cats if it is consumed in large enough quantities. (Chocolate also contains caffeine.) Theobromine absorbs much more slowly in cats than it does in humans so even a small amount of chocolate can be toxic to a small cat. Chocolate toxicity can cause heart arrhythmias, muscle tremors, or seizures. 

• Onions and Garlic - can cause damage to your cat’s red blood cells and lead to anemia. Baby food made from meat is often seasoned with onion or garlic, so read the labels carefully if you feed these to your cat.

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If you think your cat has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, contact your veterinarian immediately. You can also use the Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435 or the 24 hour Pet Poison Hotline at 855-764-7661.

The thought of your cat ingesting a dangerous substance is scary, but a bit of knowledge and a few safety measures can prevent it. 

We hope you found this information helpful. This might be our last Top Five post of 2020. We're starting to wind down the year on the blog, and we're hoping to post some more fun posts in December. If you missed any of our Top Five posts over the year, you can catch up on them here. 

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What do you do at home to keep your cat away from potential poisons? Tell us in the comments. 

Lola and Lexy

*These numbers also include statistics for dogs