What to do if a cat eats rat poison

If a cat eats rat poison, it is necessary to induce vomiting immediately. You can choose readily available hydrogen peroxide as a vomiting agent, and administer it to the cat to induce vomiting. After vomiting, take the cat to the pet hospital as soon as possible for biochemical examination to determine if the internal organs such as the liver are damaged. Then, according to the type of rat poison the cat ate, conduct detoxification treatment. Generally, the treatment for cats poisoned involves intravenous fluid therapy, which not only accelerates the elimination of harmful substances but also effectively protects internal organs.

What are the symptoms of a cat eating rat poison?

After a cat eats rat poison, it may exhibit extreme depression, increased body temperature, loss of appetite, anemia, internal and external bleeding, and other symptoms. External bleeding may manifest as nosebleeds, vomiting blood, bloody urine, bloody stools or black stools. Internal bleeding occurs in the chest and abdomen, and may cause symptoms of difficulty breathing. Internal bleeding in the brain or spine may lead to neurological symptoms.

The cat may also experience bleeding in the joint cavity, subcutaneous and mucosal bleeding after eating rat poison. The toxicity of rat poison is very high, and a certain dose can lead to death in cats.

How long does it take for a cat to show symptoms after eating rat poison?

Usually, cats show symptoms half a day to a day after eating rat poison. The specific onset time depends on the dose ingested, the cat's size, the type of rat poison, and its toxicity. Some cats will show symptoms immediately or within a few hours after eating rat poison, and sometimes cats seem to be fine but show obvious abnormalities within 5-7 days. Additionally, even if a cat shows no apparent symptoms after eating rat poison, it should be taken seriously and sent to a pet hospital for vomiting within 6 hours. If accompanied by bleeding, the cat will need to be injected with vitamin K.

Precautions

When feeding cats, be sure to keep rat poison in places where the cat cannot reach to prevent accidental poisoning. Also, it is necessary to store household pesticides, insecticides, and other toxic substances properly.