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Home/Guides/What to Do If Your Cat Ate Something Toxic

What to Do If Your Cat Ate Something Toxic

If your cat may have eaten, licked, inhaled, or groomed a toxic substance, act quickly. Cats are especially sensitive to lilies, essential oils, some medications, and many household products, so do not wait for symptoms when the exposure is known or suspected.

Immediate steps

  1. Move your cat away from the item and prevent more licking, chewing, or grooming.
  2. Save the label, bottle, packaging, bouquet card, or a photo of the plant or product.
  3. Estimate the amount and note the time of exposure.
  4. Watch for vomiting, drooling, tremors, weakness, trouble breathing, or hiding.
  5. Call a veterinarian or poison helpline immediately for lilies, essential oils, medications, pesticides, or unknown substances.

Call urgently when

Call urgently if your cat was exposed to a lily, essential oil, human medicine, toxic houseplant, cleaner, pesticide, or an unknown substance, or if your cat has vomiting, tremors, trouble breathing, weakness, seizures, collapse, or major urination changes.