The Dangers For Cats Lurking In Your Garage

The garage may seem like a safe and secure place for your cat to be, whether it acts as a temporary shelter or is just accessible. However, garages can potentially hide dangerous contaminants that can put your cat's health at risk. Read on to learn more about this substance and what you can do to protect your cat from it:

Why Antifreeze is Dangerous for Cats

Antifreeze is commonly used in cars across the country, but it poses an extreme hazard to cats. Antifreeze wouldn't be safe for anyone to consume, but for cats, it's particularly harmful to the kidneys.

When a cat consume antifreeze, the body attempts to filter it out to prevent it from causing severe blood toxicity. Unfortunately, between the exposure to the toxic antifreeze and the fact that the body essentially goes into overdrive trying to rid itself of it, the kidneys become damaged as a result. They can develop severe scar tissue or go into outright failure in a matter of days after being exposed to antifreeze.

How Cats Come Into Contact with Antifreeze

Cats can encounter antifreeze in a variety of ways. It's possible to leave a bottle of antifreeze in your garage that isn't correctly sealed, that could get knocked over by a cat. Antifreeze bottles also often have residue remaining on them that could leave a trace amount on a cat's body if the cat rubs up against the bottle.

More likely than not, however, antifreeze is encountered due to it leaking out of cars after they've been parked and turned off. If a cat encounters a pool of antifreeze, they may mistake it for water and drink it outright.

What To Do If Your Cat Is Exposed

If you think your cat has been exposed to antifreeze, you should visit a veterinarian immediately. Time is of the essence, as a veterinarian can take steps to prevent the kidneys from being damaged by the antifreeze. Without help, your kitty could potentially go into kidney failure immediately or years down the road due to the scar tissue developed from the antifreeze.

Using antifreeze is a necessity for those who live in cold climates, but it's important to protect your cat from it. If you must use antifreeze, keep your cat inside your house with the garage securely closed at all times. Clean up any spills of antifreeze you find and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your cat after adding antifreeze to your car. Doing so can help to protect your cat from severe bodily harm.

Contact a vet office like Animal House Veterinary Hospital for more information and assistance. 

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