Why it is dangerous to cats
Antifreeze, the coolant in a car, can contain ethylene glycol. In the body it turns into substances that damage the kidneys quickly and badly. It is enough for a cat to drink from a puddle under a car or in a garage, or to walk through one and lick the liquid off its paws and coat.
At first the cat can look as if it were drunk: it wobbles, vomits and drinks a lot. Later it may seem better, while the kidneys are being damaged. Time matters a great deal here: a vet can only help if the cat is brought in as early as possible.
If your cat may have licked antifreeze or got it on its paws, contact a vet or an emergency clinic straight away, even if it seems well. Take the packaging with you.
What to watch out for
- The first signs, wobbliness, vomiting and thirst, can appear quickly.
- The cat can seem to recover while the danger has not passed.
- The kidneys are damaged within a short time, and later the cat may stop urinating.
- A puddle under a car is dangerous even if the cat only wets its paws in it.
- Keep antifreeze tightly closed, and clean up any spill straight away.
The forms it comes in
The same substance can turn up in different places.
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Puddle under a car
DangerousLeaked coolant stays on the ground, and a cat can drink it or step in it.
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Liquid on the paws or coat
DangerousThe cat swallows it while grooming.
What it can cause
Signs that can appear after eating it. Each page explains what to look out for and when to hurry to a vet.