Tis’ the season for freezing temperatures in many areas and we have to keep our cars running in the cold. Because of this we often use antifreeze to keep the engine running, but it’s important to be extremely careful. You see, cats are often attracted to the sweet scent of this product. If you spill your antifreeze on your driveway or leave the bottle within reach a stray or outdoor kitty could ingest it and this can be fatal.
Signs And Symptoms Of Antifreeze Ingestion In Cats
If you are worried that your cat has ingested antifreeze, take them to the vet immediately. Here are some signs you’ll see…
- Vomiting
- Drunk-like behavior (lack of coordination)
- Seizures
- Lethargy/Depression
- Kidney Failure (usually fatal at this point)
We recently heard a tragic story of a kitty who passed of renal failure after ingesting antifreeze. This was a feral kitty who was TNR’d back into his community of cats where he was happy. He was being cared for and fed, but accidents can happen when cats are outdoors. Somehow he got into antifreeze and ingested it. A whole community is now grieving his loss and this is often avoidable if we take caution.
How To Keep Your Antifreeze From Affecting Cats
- Check your car to be sure you don’t have a leak in the coolant system.
- Store the bottle in a secure location that cannot be reached.
- If you have antifreeze in your garage, secure your garage door so stray cats cannot get in.
- If you spill it, wash and wipe it up immediately.
Obviously you will want to keep your cats indoors, if possible, because cats that are outside will be at a much higher risk than indoor kitties. However, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for a neighborhood or feral cat passing because of my negligence in this matter.
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