What are the Top 10 Cat Poisons? Why are these things poisonous?

So now you have a pet cat or an emotional support cat of your very own! We at Emotional Pet Support have an article dedicated just for you! Read on about the top 10 cat poisons you need to have your cat avoid so that you can keep it safe and healthy:

1. Lilies:

The variety of lily determines whether it is relatively harmless or potentially deadly. Non-toxic varieties include the Calla, Peace and Peruvian, and typically cause irritation of the upper GI tract. Toxic lilies — including the Tiger, Asiatic, Stargazer, Casablanca, Rubrum, Day, Japanese Show and Easter lily — can prove deadly for your cat. Just a tiny amount of any portion of these plants can cause kidney failure.

2. Household cleaners:

General-purpose cleaners are relatively safe, but concentrated products like drain or toilet bowl cleaners can cause chemical burns. Also, we do recommend going natural and organic with your pet products.

3. Flea/tick spot-on products for dogs:

Never use a canine flea/tick product on your cat. There is a reason why those particular products are designed for dogs and not for cats. Depending on the ingredients in the product, just a drop has the potential to kill a cat within hours.

4. Antidepressants:

Cymbalta and Effexor topped Pet Poison Helpline’s toxic antidepressants list in 2013. For some reason, cats are drawn to these medications, which can cause severe neurologic and cardiac effects. These may be good for you to take at times, but these are poisons for cats!

5. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs):

Cats are known to be more sensitive than dogs to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen. And because of their high sensitivity, veterinary-specific NSAIDs should be used with extreme caution, if used at all. According to the Pet Health Network, some signs of this poisoning include lethargy, anemia, high thirst and urine rates, melena, vomiting/diarrhea, blood in the stool, etc.

6. Prescription ADD/ADHD medications:

Just as with dogs, these drugs, which are amphetamines, can cause tremors, heart problems, seizures and death in cats.

7. Over-the-counter cough, cold and allergy medications:

Many of these preparations contain acetaminophen (a painkiller) and pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine (decongestants). Acetaminophen is especially toxic to cats – it damages red blood cells and causes liver failure.

8. Plants containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals:

Peace lilies, philodendron, and pothos can cause oral and upper GI irritation, foaming at the mouth and inflammation when ingested by cats.

9. Household insecticides:

If you use insecticides on your indoor plants, make sure you keep your emotional support cat away from those plants after applied insecticides have dried or settled.

10. Glow sticks and glow jewelry:

Many cats enjoying gnawing on glow sticks and glow jewelry. These items contain dibutyl phthalate, a chemical that can leak out of the glow stick and burn your cat’s fur or tongue.