What household items are potentially dangerous for cats?

THE cats They have a reputation for being curious, observant, agile and hunters by nature. However, in the midst of this desire to discover these new things that appear before their eyes inside the house, felines could be confronted with elements potentially harmful to their health. In the worst case, several factors could cause your death.

The problem is that these items are usually found in most homes and some go unnoticed. They are kept in pantries, on furniture and are used daily for cooking, cleaning, pain relief or decorating.

Poisoning in cats can occur in different ways. One of them is the direct ingestion of the toxic element, but this can also occur through skin absorption or inhalation.

Here, two specialists explain to La Tercera what are the common elements in homes that could pose a threat to your kitten’s well-being.

Although some people think that occasionally giving your cat a little homemade food could be a good way to pamper him, the reality is that there are certain foods that have no positive effect on his health, quite the contrary.

Amélie Pérez, veterinary doctor (@amelie.veterinaria ), says that one of the foods that should be banned for cats is onion because of the harmful consequences this causes for them. “May cause hemolytic anemia” said.

And what about chicken meat and bones? Their ingestion produces intestinal obstructions, which require emergency surgery. At the same time, it is possible to cause tooth fractures.

Caffeinated drinks, like tea and coffee, are also on the list. “If a cat drinks it, their blood pressure can increase. He also shows gastrointestinal signs, such as diarrhea and vomiting,” explains veterinarian Claudia Morales (@vetfelina.cl ).

On the other hand, the chocolate It contains a compound called theobromine which has a stimulating effect on the cat’s nervous system. Although humans metabolize this substance quickly, the same does not happen in a kitten because little accumulates in its body. Morales points out that the higher the amount of cocoa in chocolate, the more toxic the consequences could be.

Diarrhea, vomiting, kidney or neurological damage are some of the signs that occur in a cat if it consumes chocolate.

Even beloved plants that add a unique touch to the home could pose a threat to our four-legged friend’s health. Many of them cause serious gastrointestinal effects, according to specialists.

Those who are perhaps among the most dangerous are the lilies : They can cause acute kidney disease and be life-threatening. The plant in general is toxic, including its petals, leaves and pollen, so if a cat ingests pollen, it could already pose a danger.

“Some countries even warn on their packaging that this plant is toxic to cats. This doesn’t exist in Chile,” Morales says.

With the Schefflera You must also choose not to have them or leave them where felines don’t have access to them. The veterinarian warns that “when it comes into contact with the cat’s saliva, it generates oxalate crystals and causes erosion throughout the digestive system. It does not have fatal consequences, but cats have a very bad time when they eat it.

Pérez adds that the list of toxic flowers includes lilacs, tulips, hydrangeas, poppies and Christmas flowers . And compared to other plants, we must pay attention to ficus, marijuana, philodendron and monstera.

“Cats just need to eat its leaves to notice vomiting, weakness or lack of appetite,” he warns.

It is common that, for cases where we seek to relieve a certain type of pain, we leave paracetamol on the furniture to find it easily. According to experts, a small dose could harm cats.

Pérez mentions that it has effects on the liver, mucous membranes and skin turn yellow (jaundice), in addition to vomiting and weakness. “Without treatment, death occurs quickly. Generally speaking, it is recommended that all medications be in a safe place, out of reach of animals.

He minoxidil It is a medicine used to stimulate hair growth, and although it is not so common that it is present in every home, its presence is very risky if there is a feline nearby. In fact, it could only be affected by accidental exposure.

“This generates severe hypotension and other cardiac and respiratory symptoms. In the worst case, it results in death. The most common poisoning occurs when cats lick or directly rub their guardians’ hair. “This is how they ingest the product” explains Pérez.

Cats are very sensitive to products intended to combat insects and pests . Those that contain pyrethroids, in particular, can be very dangerous, causing neurological damage and even death.

Pérez emphasizes that even the flea products For dogs, they are toxic when used on felines, since some are based on pyrethroids. “If you put an anti-flea pipette on a kitten intended for dogs, it is very likely that it will die” he comments.

Morales warns that among the harmful elements that go unnoticed in all rooms of the house are pieces of thread, wool, ribbons and colets . These types of objects can be very visually appealing to a cat, and while playing with them, they could ingest them on purpose or accidentally. Once you consume them, they lodge in your stomach or intestine.

“It is common to receive emergency treatment for kittens who have swallowed wires. These form intestinal obstructions called linear foreign bodies, which must be removed by emergency surgery. Often they also play with threads that have needles, they swallow them and the needles stick into the palate or pierce part of the gastrointestinal tract, which can also be fatal,” adds Pérez.

One of the difficulties of these situations is that, according to specialists, the signs indicating that the cat has ingested these elements can be noticed hours or days later. Added to this is the fact that they can be scattered or hidden in various places, making it more difficult to control the feline so that it does not eat them.

If possible poisoning is suspected but it is not obvious, changes in behavior could mask the answer. For this reason, it is essential to know how the feline normally behaves: if it receives its guardian when it arrives at home, if it asks for food or if it vocalizes.

“The first sign of discomfort may be that you are more depressed or less active,” says Morales. Another indication is that its guardian offers it different stimuli, such as playing or giving churu, and the cat avoids them. If he doesn’t respond as usual, his paws and other body parts should be checked.

Pérez says that when the damage is gastrointestinal, cats suffer from vomiting and diarrhea; If kidney damage occurs, they may be very thirsty and urinate excessively. . “Other toxins cause neurological problems, such as ataxia (lack of coordination when walking), seizures and hypersalivation. Some cause cardiac and respiratory damage,” he adds.

Whether the symptoms are obvious or not, specialists agree that the first thing to do if you suspect this is to take it to a veterinary emergency as quickly as possible: The first hours are decisive in saving a kitten’s life, since certain toxins act quickly.

“The sooner we act, the more likely our cat will improve.” If you see that he has eaten something that he should not have, you should immediately consult the veterinarian,” explains Pérez.

Then he concludes: “We must always remember that prevention is better than regret. We must keep our cats away from objects that are harmful to them.