Conference misery::feline

    
    
    I think I solved most of Snoopy's motor-oil problem with the scissors
    last night (see Least Favorite Things Note) but I'm wondering 
    exactly what the signs of poisoning would be?  The Vet at 
    Animal Emergency Care in Acton said to look for any foaming or 
    frothing at the mouth and/or vomiting ('course I swear my kitties 
    vomit when cat food goes on sale, but who knows)
    
    I know when Henry was 'poisoned', he appeared extremely lethargic,
    wouldn't eat/drink anything and his breathing was very labored.
    Only at the very end, did he foam at the mouth.  I'd hate to wait
    until the last minute just because I didn't see a sign - In Snoopy's
    case, I know what happened so I'm extremely aware of his every 
    move and ready at a moment's notice to run to the Vet.  Usually, 
    though I wouldn't be quite so prepared since I presumably wouldn't
    know what happened.
    
    Adrienne
    

    Adrienne,
    
     I had a kitten that was covered in motor oil that Nancy Cross and I
    'found' when out walking. I know he ingested some of the motor oil.
    
    What I did to clean him, was I took regular salad (vegetable) oil, and
    rubbed it into the motor oil really really well, then I combed as much
    of it out as I could, which also helped work in the salad oil. Then I
    bathed him with Ivory clear doshwashing liquid, and it took the motor
    oil out like magic.
    
    However, I brought him to the vet the next day to have him checked out
    for the shelter, and he started running a temp. I ened up leaving him
    at the vet from Thursday thru MOnday. They said he was lethargic, and
    had to hook him up to an IV for fluids (8 week old kitten mind you) and
    he was having some nasty stools. (this is something yo might be able to
    watch for) They weren't sure if he would make it, but it weas mostly
    because of his age.
    
    If you cleaned him up real well, just keep an eye on him, and what he
    is or is not eating. Indy was real perky when I dropped him off, and
    went sick all of a sudden during the day. If he shows signs of being
    lethargic or dehydrated, get him to the vet. They have ways to handle
    theses things.
    
    Don't know if I helped, but I do know it wasn't fun worrying about him.
    
    Yonee

    
    Someone else suggested vegetable oil.  Apparently, it's compatible(?)
    with a cat's digestive system and while it doesn't necessarily 'cut'
    the motor oil like soap would, it basically dilutes it and allows you
    to get more out of their fur.  I think I caught Snoopy in time (for 
    his sake, but not for my furniture's sake).  I'm watching him 
    very carefully as he's my miracle kitty to begin with but he seems
    to be fine.  Eating, drinking, enjoying sleeping under the new 
    Xmas tree but that's to be expected.  I felt awful trimming his fur
    but it's long so it won't show too badly and I really was afraid 
    that even if I'd decided to take him to Animal Emergency Care, that
    he would have licked too much on the way there.  He certainly won't let
    me take his temperature so I'll just keep a close eye on him. 
    
    Thanks, 
    
    Adrienne
    

     I think the veggie oil does something to the motor oil, so that it
    tends to release from the fur easier. I was amazed at how well it
    worked on Indy. He was spotless after I was done, except for a little
    on his chheks that I missed because I was trying not to get water up
    his nose or in his eyes or ears. He was saturated from halfway up his
    body, under his chin. and all four legs! Poor little bean!
    
     Sounds like you caught it pretty early. We have no idea how long Indy
    was oily before we found him. He is in a great home now too!
    
    Yonee (who hates to see kittens looked at as expendables :-( )
    

    In general I would always watch my kitties for the following, but
    it would especially apply in the case of poisoning.  If you notice
    any of the following you'd better call the vet.
    * Unable to stand, wobbles, loses balance, lack of coordination.
    * Pupils don't dilate or constrict, or do so separate from each other
      (sign of head trauma)
    * bloating, change from a nice firm stool :')
    * the foaming, drooling
    * lethargy beyond the usual nap!
    * irritablility, change in behavour
    * obvious convulsions
    
    I had a neighbor whose dog died from ingesting antifreeze.  One of the 
    signs was his sleeping alot. You have to be careful at this time
    of year also because of some of the plants we bring into the house.
    Poinsetta, CHristmas Cactus are just a couple of them.  I think 
    Paperwhites or some such bulb that we force can be deadly also.
    Karen 

    
    Wobbles!  I forgot about that one but it was definitely one of the 
    signs with Henry.  I would have figured it out if I'd seen Snoopy
    wobbling but it's nice to have a list - feels like all the bases 
    are covered.  
    
    (Wobbles is my three-footed kitty's nickname because people kept
    trying to call her gimpy or stumpy or other less-appealing names
    so I came up with something 'cuter')
    
    Adrienne
    

    we do have a keyword POISEN (or some such spelling).
    
    Do a SHO KEY/FULL PO* at the NOTES> prompt.
    
    Deb

    I remember the archived version of Feline has some good notes
    on poisons - especially poisonous plants but I can't remember which
    note reply has the really extensive list of poisonous plants. Do an
    Add Entry WRO10C::FELINE_V1, and then follow Deb's directions in
    the previous note (669.7). 
    
    Unfortuantely, I don't think it references other poisonous materials.
    Pat

    Question,  I know that pointsetta's are poisonous to cats but what
    about the water that the christmas tree sits in.  I caught Blackie
    drinking the water from the tree stand yesterday and shoed him away
    before he could ingest alot of the water.  I was just wondering with
    the sap, etc from the stump of the tree if it could harm my kitty at
    all.  I am also going to call the vets office and see what they say.
    
    
    Liz

    We don't take any changes and always put aluminum foil over the top
    of the tree stand so the kitties can't get at it!!
    
    Sandy

    If you do not put anthing in the water to keep the tree fresh, just
    plain water.. it won't hurt them!  But a lot of people put powdered
    tree fresh stuff in it, and I don't know about that!  When I was a kid
    we use to cut out tree at my grandparents house during Thanksgiving
    weekend, and take it down New Years Day... the dogs ALWAYS drank from
    the tree stand, we would put out fresh water in their bowls, but it was
    more fun for them to drink from the tree, and they never had any ill
    effects from it!
    
    M-L

    
    I read in the garden section of the newspaper that this is a myth.
    Poinstetta's are not poisonous.
    
    

    
    Well, I'm sure I and mine are not going to test it one way or the
    other...
    
    len.
    

    
    I've searched this note file for poisonous plants, I can't find
    anything.  I also tried V1 but remote node is unknown.
    
    Does anyone have a list of poisonous plants they could send me?
    
    I'm grasping at anything here.
    
    The week before last I took Sundance in for what I thought was mites.
    It turned out to be a bacterial ear infection 'both ears'.  He was
    put on antibiotics, two different ear drops, 1 in the am and the other
    at nite for 3 weeks.  After a few days he wasn't really eating so we
    went back to the vet, she took him off the pills but kept him on the
    drops.  
    
    Yesterday morning, he didn't really seem like he wanted to eat.  When
    I got home last nite, the food was gone, but I found puke in about 6
    different places, and he had the runs.  He would also go off under a
    chair or in a corner and let out this heart renching cry like he was
    in pain. I noticed he kept heaving.  
    Back to the Vets. She checked him for any blockage...none.  She gave 
    him an IV injection so he wouldn't dehidrate and back home we went.
    
    After being home for about 45 min.  he started heaving again.  I
    freaked, there was blood.  Back to the vet.  She said the blood could
    be from all the heaving and from checking him for any blockage.  She
    checked him out again and gave him an injection to settle his stomach.
    She also said this would make him sleepy.  Back home we go.  She said
    if he did throw up again during the night to bring him in this morning
    and they would do x-rays and blood work.   He did throw up but it was
    only foam.   His stool was hard again so that seemed to be a good sign.
    I brought his litter box into my bedroom and kept him with me with the
    door closed all nite, so I could keep an eye on him.
    
    He's at the vet right now.  I'm to call at 11 to see what they have
    found.  Everytime the phone here rings and I see it's an outside call
    and I panic.
    
    I did buy him some new treats, but don't have the box any longer. If
    I need to I will go back to where I bought them and check the contents.
    
    I also got him a rabits foot.  I didn't get it in a pet store, so I'm
    wondering if this wasn't treated with something.
    
    When I dropped him off this morning, I also brought his stool, cloth
    with the blood and the rabits foot. 
    
    I have this big angle wing begonia, and I noticed this morning he was
    rubbing up against it and smelling it.  That is the reason I asked
    about the poisonous plants.
    
    Sorry for the rambling but I lost my siamese to a urinary blockage and
    I can't think or imagine losing Sundance.  Especially if it was my
    stupidity.
    
    Ann
    

    
    Sundance is doing much better.  It was the rabbits foot.  He had 
    chewed a piece off and had some tiny pieces 'about the size of a 
    pencil tip lead' in his intestines.  The vet found these in the
    x-rays.  I had also moved this past weekend so not to traumatize
    Sundance any more than he was I boarded him their for the weedend.
    I brought him home Monday and he is eating like his hoover little 
    self.
    
    Ann
    

    That's great news,
    
    Karen
    

From:http://www.zmall.com/pet_talk/cat-faqs/health-care.html#greenhouse_plants

Go there...alot of great cat care tips! Copies without permission!

Household plants

   Gives a rash after contact: chrysanthemum; creeping fig; weeping
   fig; pot mum; spider mum. 
   Irritating; the mouth gets swollen; tongue pain; sore lips --
   potentially fatal, these plants have large calcium oxalate crystals
   and when chewed, esophageal swelling may result, resulting in
   death unless an immediate tracheotomy is done: Arrowhead vine;
   Boston ivy; caladium; dumbcane (highly fatal); Emerald Duke;
   heart leaf (philodendrum); Marble Queen; majesty; neththyis;
   parlor ivy; pathos; red princess; saddle leaf (philodendron); split leaf
   (philodendron). 
   Generally toxic; wide variety of poisons; usually cause vomiting,
   abdominal pain, cramps; some cause tremors, heart and
   respiratory and/or kidney problems (difficult for you to interpret):
   Amaryllis; azalea; bird of paradise; crown of thorns; elephant ears;
   glocal ivy; heart ivy; ivy; Jerusalem cherry; needlepoint ivy; pot
   mum; ripple ivy; spider mum; umbrella plant. 

Outdoor plants

   Vomiting and diarrhea in some cases: Delphinium; daffodil; castor
   bean; Indian turnip; skunk cabbage; poke weed; bittersweet; ground
   cherry; foxglove; larkspur; Indian tobacco; wisteria; soap berry. 
   Poisonous and may produce vomiting, abdominal pain, sometimes
   diarrhea: horse chestnut/buckeye; rain tree/monkey pod; American
   yew; English yew; Western yew; English holly; privet; mock orange;
   bird of paradise bush; apricot & almond; peach & cherry; wild
   cherry; Japanese plum; balsam pear; black locust. 
   Various toxic effects: rhubarb; spinach; sunburned potatoes; loco
   weed; lupine; Halogeton; buttercup; nightshade; poison hemlock; pig
   weed; water hemlock; mushrooms; moonseed; May apple;
   Dutchman's breeches; Angel's trumpet; jasmine; matrimony vine. 
   Hallucinogens: marijuana; morning glory; nutmeg; periwinkle;
   peyote; loco weed. 
   Convulsions: china berry; coriaria; moonweed; nux vomica; water
   hemlock. 

Non-Poisonous Plants

So what plants can cats nibble on with abandon? 

To start with, you can assume anything with square stems (in
cross-section) and opposite leaves is OK. That's the hallmark of the mint
family, which includes catnip, _Nepeta_ and _Coleus_. Catnip can be
grown in a bright window in the winter, but the cats may knock it off the
sill. Coleus is easy, and kind of bright and cheerful with its colored leaves.
Swedish Ivy, _Plectranthus_, is also in this family and incredibly easy to
grow. Good hanging basket plant. Tolerates kitty-nibbles well. 

   Tulips are OK, daffodils and lily of the valley are not. 
   Miniature roses. 
   Cyclamens, the genus _Cyclamen_, seem to be OK. 
   African violet, Saintpaulia; Hanging African Violet (=Flame Violet),
   Episcia; gloxinia, Sinningia; goldfish plant, Hypoestes; and lipstick
   vine, Aeschynanthus are all members of the african violet family,
   the Gesneriaceae. 
   All the cacti are fine -- but not all succulents are cactus. Make
   sure it has spines like a prickly pear or an old-man cactus. There
   are some look-alike foolers that are not good to eat! (But they don't
   have spines). (One cactus, Lophophora (peyote) will get you
   arrested.) 
   Airplane plant, also called spider plant, Chlorophytum, is pretty
   commonly available and easy to grow. They come in solid green or
   green and white striped leaves, usually grown in hanging baskets. 
   Wax begonias, Begonia semperflorens are easy and non-toxic.
   These are the little begonias you see in shady areas outside now in
   the north; in the southern states, they're often grown as winter
   outdoor plants. The other begonia species are OK too, but tougher to
   grow. 
   Sweet potatoes, Ipomoea, if you can find some that haven't been
   treated to prevent sprouting! Looks like common philodendron at
   first glance. 
   Shrimp plant, Beleperone guttata. 
   Prayer plant, Maranta (needs humidity). 
   Burn plant, Aloe vera. 
   Grape ivy, Cissus (several different leaf shapes). 
   Asparagus fern, Asparagus (several species). 
   If you've got the humidity, any of the true ferns are OK, including
   maidenhair, Adaiantum, Boston fern (lots of variants!) Nephrolepis,
   Victorian Table Fern, Pteris... 
   Wandering jew, Zebrina, and its close relatives that are often called
   "Moses in the boat" -- the flowers are in a pair of boat-shaped
   bracts. 
   Impatiens, or patience plant, Impatiens. 
   Common geranium, Pelargonium, in any of the many leaf forms
   and scents. 
   AVOID anything with a milky juice or colored sap. Almost
   guaranteed toxic (wild lettuce and dandelion are the two major
   exceptions). 
   Poinsettas: Many books continue to indicate that poinsettias are
   poisonous to animals and children. The Ohio State University
   conducted some tests and confirms that they are NOT poisonous to
   children or animals. The furor was because of a story about a child
   who ate a bunch of poinsettia leaves and died. According to
   Norsworthy's 1993 Feline Practice (thanks to Kay Klier), eating
   leaves will give a cat an upset stomach and maybe some diarrhea
   that can be cured with Kaopectate. 

Chemical substances

   Strychnine, Sodium fluoroacetate, Phosphorus, Zinc Phosphide:
   rat/mouse/mole/roach poisons, rodents killed by same. Phosphorus
   is also found in fireworks, matches, matchboxes, and fertilizer. 
   Arsenic, Metaldehyde, Lead: slug/snail bait; some ant poisons, weed
   killers and insecticides; arsenic is a common impurity found in
   many chemicals. Commercial paints, linoleum, batteries are
   sources of lead. 
   Warfarin (Decon; Pindone): grain feeds used as rat/mouse poison,
   Also used as a prescription anti-coagulant for humans, various
   brand names, such as coumadin. The animal bleeds to death.
   Vitamin-K is antidote: look for purplish spots on white of eyes and
   gums (at this point animal is VERY sick). 
   Antifreeze (ethylene glycol): from cars. Wash down any from your
   driveway as this is "good tasting" but highly toxic to most animals. 
   Organophosphates and Carbamates (Dichlorvos, Ectoral,
   Malathion, Sevin (in high percentages) etc), Chlorinated
   Hydrocarbons (Chloradane, Toxaphene, Lindane, Methoxychlor:
   flea/parasite treatments, insecticides. 
   Petroleum products: gasoline, kerosene, turpentine. 
   Corrosives (acid and alkali): household cleaners; drain decloggers;
   commercial solvents. 
   Many household cleaning products. Pine-oil products are very
   toxic and should be avoided or rinsed thoroughly (bleach is a better
   alternative). In particular, avoid items containing Phenol. 
   Garbage (food poisoning): carrion; decomposing foods; animal
   manure. 
   People Medicines: antihistamines, pain relievers (esp. aspirin),
   sleeping pills, diet pills, heart preparations and vitamins. Anything
   smelling of wintergreen or having methyl salicylate as an
   ingredient. Tylenol (acetominophen) will kill cats. 

Food

Chocolate: theobromine, which is found in chocolate is toxic to cats. The
darker and more bitter the chocolate is, the more theobromine it has.
More information can be found in the Summer 1992 edition of Cat Life. 

Caffeine: can cause problems for your cat. Do not feed it coffee, Coco Cola,
or other foods containing caffeine. 

Household medications

(From Norsworthy, 1993:) 

Medications that cats should NEVER be given: 

   Acetominophen (=tylenol, paracetemol) (1 tablet can be fatal to an
   adult cat) 
   Benzocaine (the topical anaesthetic) (available in spray and cream
   forms--- Lanacaine and several hemhherrhoid preparations have
   lots of benzocaine) 
   Benzyl alcohol 
   Chlorinated hydrocarbons (like lindane, chlordane, etc.) 
   Hexachlorophene (found in pHiso-Hex soap, among others) 
   Methylene Blue (used to be used for urinary infections, many cats
   cannot tolerate it) 
   Phenazopyridine (used in combination with sulfa as AzoGantrisin:
   fine for humans, deadly for cats) 
   Phenytoin (=Dilantin) often used for seizures in other species 
   Phosphate enemas (including Fleet (tm) enemas): may be fatal 

Medications that can be used in certain cats with restrictions, and ONLY
on the advice of a vet 

   Aspirin: but not more than 1 baby aspirin (1/4 regular tablet) in 3
   days! 
   Chloramphenicol: generally safe at doses of less than 50-100 mg
   2x/day 
   Griseofulvin (=fulvicin) 
   Lidocaine: another topical anaesthetic 
   Megestrol acetate (Ovaban, Megace) may cause behavioral
   changes, breast cancer, diabetes. Extremely useful for some
   conditions, so use needs to be monitored. 
   Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents (things like ibuprofen)--
   tend to cause perforated ulcers. Banamine and aspirin are the best
   tolerated of this class of drugs 
   Pepto-bismol: too high in salicylates 
   Smooth muscle relaxants (like Lomotil): strange behavior 
   Tetracycline: may cause fever, diarrhea, depression; better
   antibiotics available 
   Thiacetarsamide (Caparsolate) used to treat heartworm in dogs 
   Thiamylal sodium (Biotal) used for brief surgeries. Animals become
   sensitized after repeat exposures. If you change vets, be SURE to
   get your records so that the new vet can tell if this drug has been
   used previously. 
   Urinary acidifiers; be careful of dosage. 

From the same URL:

Poinsettias

Poinsettias - those beautiful red-leaved Christmas plants. Almost as
attractive to your cat as they are to you. Are they a hazard to your furry
friend? 

Many published lists (from CFA, CATS Magazine, etc.) continue to indicate
that poinsettias are poisonous to cats (as well as children and other animals).
Studies by Ohio State University have shown that they are not poisonous, but
eating the leaves can give your cat an upset stomach, and possibly diarrhea. 

The bottom line: Go ahead and decorate with poinsettias - but if you have a
cat who is a leaf nibbler, it might be wise to keep them out of Kitty's reach as
much as possible.