Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.
Antifreeze and other chemicals containing ethylene glycol, such as hydraulic fluids, de-icing products, motor oil, paints, solvents, and wood stains, are toxic to cats and other animals. . A small spoonful of antifreeze can kill a cat, and most cats will not survive unless they are treated within 6 hours.
Antifreeze Poisoning
Early signs of antifreeze poisoning include vomiting, dizziness, lack of coordination, excessive urination, hypothermia, excessive thirst, and seizures. Unfortunately, the cat’s condition seems to improve after 12 hours, which may cause the owner to think they are cured.
They may dehydrate and suffocate more quickly, but are more likely to develop kidney damage, coma, and death after 12 hours.
Keeping Olga Safe
I don’t let Olga out or allow her to explore my garage, where most of my toxic chemicals are stored, so she’s more likely to be exposed to ethylene glycol than an outdoor cat. However, I am always careful where I store household cleaners and other hazardous products.
Olga can open doors and cabinets, and I don’t keep anything toxic in the bathrooms because she likes to open cabinets every now and then. Although cats do not like sweet treats, they are attracted to the aroma of antifreeze.
They can get sick from licking their feet after walking on an antifreeze spill in the garage or sipping from a container with ethylene glycol. It’s hard to understand why someone would intentionally poison a cat, but it happens more often than you think.
Punishing the Cat
A few years ago, I was visiting a friend when I heard people screaming outside. When we went out to investigate, we learned that one of the neighbors had left a tray of antifreeze outside to kill a stray cat.
Some of the residents of the apartment became attached to the cat and often fed him, and they wanted to kill, or at least wound, the man who killed him. They knocked on the murderer’s door and shouted, but he was either in class or hiding inside.
He was never hurt or killed by an angry mob, but one of the cat lovers contacted the editor-in-chief of the local university. The cat killer was a journalist until he killed the cat, and I’m glad the editor decided that unethical employees don’t make the best writers. I understand that feral cats annoy people and kill wildlife, but many humane measures can keep them away.
Animal Cruelty Laws
In the United States, killing a cat is a felony and can result in fines of up to $5,000 or 2 years in prison. Each state imposes different penalties, but some legislatures are working to establish an animal cruelty registry modeled after sex offender registries.
Increasing fines and prison terms for offenders may reduce the number of antifreeze deaths, but they won’t convince me to allow Olga to explore the outdoors. I’m paranoid enough about dropping a chunk of onion or garlic on the floor when I’m making dinner, and I don’t want to worry about someone else hurting or killing my cat.
Keeping your cat indoors may seem selfish because they can’t explore the environment and hunt small animals, but it protects them from toxins, parasites, cars, and cruel people.
