Beware, poison !

Kittens possess a natural safety mechanism that usually prevents them from being poisoned. That’s their instinct not to eat anything that they don’t recognise. Despite this, however, many kittens still get poisoned every year.

One reason for this is the sheer number of different poisons and chemicals to be found around the house and in nature. Kittens are often the victims of their natural and irrepressible inquisitiveness. They are too inclined to open a colourful bottle of cleaning liquid or eat poisoned bait if it smells interesting. They are also, paradoxically, at risk from their own cleanliness. If there’s something like paint or tar on their coat or paws, they are liable to ingest it as part of their normal grooming and this can have serious consequences.

The major problem if a kitten has eaten poison is that it can prove impossible to know what substance is involved. Symptoms can also vary widely. Most commonly, they are unusual tiredness, problems with blood circulation, the appearance of paralysis, shivering and cramps. Some poisons can also cause diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting but, surprisingly, in many cases poisoning does not lead a high temperature.

Every second counts

Of course you should minimise the risk of poisoning by keeping all cleaning liquids and medicine, paints and poisons of any kind away from your kitten’s reach. If your kitten does show signs of poisoning, however, you must take him to the vet immediately. The sooner you take action, the more chance there is that his life can be saved.

If you know what the poison is, you should take that to the vet as well so that he can identify the right antidote. Do not try to make your kitten vomit unless the vet advises you to. It can actually put him in even greater danger.

Fast and effective action, as with any injury is vital, so make sure you keep your vet’s telephone number easily to hand, just in case.