Diagnosing Toxicity in Cats

The Pet Spa at Soap.Club, a leading supplier of premium quality natural pet shampoo, based out of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, is sponsoring a pet owner awareness campaign regarding common toxins, foods, and plants that are poisonous to cats, in an effort to promote understanding and reduce feline fatalities caused by poisoning.

All homes contain a variety of everyday items and substances that can be dangerous or even fatal if ingested by cats. Cats are extremely inquisitive and that trait combined with an ability to get into almost any space places cats at a high risk of accidental poisoning. Jack Widmer, manager of the Pet Spa at Soap.Club advises pet parents to be “as vigilant at poison-proofing their home for a cat as they would for a child.”

Toxicity in a cat is often difficult to diagnose, most cat poisonings are accidental yet almost all are life-threatening and require immediate veterinary attention. There are, however, warning signs; symptoms of toxicity are vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain, blood in the stool or urine, and an inability to uriniate. Identification of toxins and early diagnosis can save the pet’s life.

Foods

There are human foods that can have a multiplicity of adverse affects on a feline and should be avoided, they include: chocolate, chives, caffeine, onions, tomatoes, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, and yeast dough. Food poisoning is another common cause of cat toxicity. Indoor cats usually get food poisoning by eating tainted food that has been improperly stored or is out of date. Outdoor cats risk contracting food poisoning by eating garbage or by catching and eating an animal that has ingested poison.

Plants

There are ordinary plants found in the home and garden that are dangerous if consumed by a cat. Lilies, tulips, chrysanthemum, rhododendron, azalea, aloe, poinsettia and mistletoe are some of the common plants that they should be kept away from.

Chemicals

The risks of accidental poisoning can be greatly reduced by storing deadly chemicals where they cannot be easily accessed and consumed by an inquisitive cat, or knocked over and spilled onto his coat. Surface cleaners, detergents, liquid drain cleaners, disinfectants, auto fluids, insecticides, fertilizers, and weed killers should always be stored in a lockable cabinet which should never be left open when not attended.

Oral ingestion of a toxic substance is the most common route into a cat’s system, but toxin intake can also take place via direct contact with a cat’s skin. Mr. Widmer states, “A regular pet bathing regime is a good preventative measure to ensure an animal’s continual good health by removing foreign toxins that they can pick-up on their coat and fur.” One excellent option is to invest in natural pet shampoo in order to avoid the negative effects of many commercial pet products. “The proprietary formulation of The Pet Spa Hypoallergenic Pet Shampoo and Conditioner is 100% biodegradable and rich in vitamins and antioxidants, there are no toxic chemicals that dry out the pet’s skin and coat as found in commercial pet products, making it a logical addition to any Pet Health Management System,” says Widmer.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) provides an online resource; The Animal Poison Control Center to address any animal poison-related emergency 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Pet owners should consider keeping the hotline telephone number to the APCC easily accessible in case of emergency.

Those interested in learning more of the health benefits of natural hypoallergenic pet products can visit Soap.Club online. The Pet Spa natural cat shampoo is currently available on Amazon, where it has attracted a significant level of positive reviews from customers hailing its effectiveness.