Don’t use antifreeze in garden water features
In the UK it appears that quite a lot of people add antifreeze to garden water features such as fountains. They do this in winter to stop the water freezing. It sounds like a good idea you might think but an estimated 50 cats a month in the UK are killed by drinking antifreeze from water features. It is as simple and as stark as that.
Is this water fountain safe for cats? Picture by Elliot Brown (modified)
Most of us are familiar with people deliberately poisoning cats with anti-freeze by putting it down outside where they know cats are roaming but I would doubt that many are aware of the mortal danger it presents to cats when this attractive tasting chemical is put in fountains.
I was shocked at the numbers. We know too that in the UK many cat owners allow their cats to roam. Cats often enter other people’s gardens. Non-cat owners should be alert to the distinct possibility that they may inadvertently poison their neighbour’s cat. Regrettably that may not worry some people.
There could not be a better reason for making it obligatory to add a bitterant to antifreeze to make it unpalatable to cats but this government refuses to entertain the idea indicating they are a callous lot who care little for animal welfare.