Rock salt, grit and domestic cats and dogs. A discussion.

Rock salt used in winter to melt icy sidewalks and roads is a danger to pets

It is that time of year when we have to discuss rock salt! Britain, today, is under the cosh of a deep-freeze; subzero temperatures and icy roads which have been and will be sprayed with rock salt by council workers. And I’m sure around the countryside there are cat and dog owners spreading rock …

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Reclining armchairs and sofas and riser recliners are a danger to kittens and puppies

Reclining chairs and couches are a danger to kittens and puppies

It’s that time of year i.e. Christmas, and people are more inclined to spend money on themselves and others. It’s a time when a caring cat caregiver might treat themselves to a new item of furniture such as a riser recliner or a reclining armchair so they can watch Christmas television in great comfort. …

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Call center worker allegedly got 200-300 complaints daily on Hartz flea treatment killing pets

Hartz flea treatment is allegedly killing a huge number of pets

This is another highly disturbing story about killing cats and dogs. It is sad and morbidly fascinating that when you search Twitter for tweets on ‘killing cats’ these sorts of stories pop up. Often it is a crazy individual who takes pleasure in torturing and killing domestic cats allowed outdoors. In this instance if …

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PBDE and decaBDE dust remains a health risk for domestic cats?

Fire retardants in sofas and FH?

I am revisiting feline hyperthyroidism (FH) which affects at least 10 percent of feline patients over 10 years of age. FH was unheard of until the 1970s. At that time veterinarians had no idea about it. There was a surge in FH cases which mirrored the use of PBDE (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers) fire retardants. …

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Cat swallowed a sewing needle

Cat swallows sewing needle

The video shows the removal of the sewing needle from the back of a cat’s mouth by a veterinarian. Hard to watch. Some of the comments indicate that I am not alone in that regard e.g., “someone tell me he’s okay. I can’t watch this.” The owner said: “I’m one of the owners, his …

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Hair bobbles (hair ties) are dangerous to cats as too often they like to ingest them

Nero and Lucy the vet who removed the hair ties. Eleven in all with an endoscope. Image: Westway Veterinary Group.

I’ve decided after a quick search on the Internet to declare to the world that hair bobbles are very dangerous objects from the domestic cat’s point of view. It’s a product which is very useful to humans but a product which is very dangerous to cats. A clash of two different worlds. This kind …

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Humble, slow-moving toad can poison cats with bufotoxin

Toads are poisonous to cats

Before I discuss bufotoxin, a particularly virulent poison otherwise known as ‘bufotalin’ carried by the humble toad (genus Bufo), I would like to quote a very brief extract from Dr. Desmond Morris’s book Catlore about substances poisonous to cats. A lot of poisons are inside the home because “we have thoughtlessly introduced [them] into …

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List of categories of products and sample of specific products containing phenol (carbolic acid) which is toxic to cats

Phenol aka carbolic acid is poisonous to domestic cats

I recently wrote about a cat poisoned by Germolene because this antiseptic product for humans contains phenol; otherwise known as carbolic acid. It is found naturally. I agreed with Adrian Paul whose cat, Felix, was poisoned by phenol to try and compile a list of products containing phenol or carbolic acid to help cat …

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