I accidentally put Dog Flea Medicine on my cat – is this an emergency? Sadly, the answer is yes dog flea medication contains Permethrin which is highly toxic to cats.
Some people may be tempted to save money by putting dog flea treatment on a cat or may not even realise it is an issue. You may even put it on by complete mistake, if you do try not to panic, as long as your cat is treated quickly it can be safely resolved and will not affect your cat’s health.
Permethrin is generally used as an insecticide and is found in some flea spot-on products made for dogs, however, for cats, exposure to concentrated permethrin can result in serious illness and death.
Help! I Accidentally Put Dog Flea Medicine On My Cat
What should I do if I believe my cat has been exposed to Permethrin?
If you think you may have applied a flea product containing permethrin you need to contact your vet IMMEDIATELY. The same applies if you think your cat has been in contact with a treated dog.
What shall I do if my Veterinarian is closed?
If your Veterinary Surgery is not open 24 hours they will have a dedicated out of hours/emergency provider. You will be able to find out who this is by calling your normal Vets telephone number and listening to the answerphone message or by visiting their website.
When calling the emergency number let them know over the phone that you have accidentally put dog flea medicine on a cat. You will most likely need to pay an increased fee to see an emergency Vet but fast treatment is essential for Permethrin poisoning. DO NOT wait until your normal Veterinarian reopens.
What are the signs of permethrin poisoning in cats?
The chemical in dog flea medicine affects the cat’s nervous system, causing:
- Tremors
- Shaking
- Twitching
- Oversensitivity to touch and sound
- Walking as though drunk
In severe cases:
- seizures or fits
Less commonly cats may have trouble breathing and may even become blind.
Can cats recover from permethrin poisoning?
If veterinary treatment is received promptly, the majority of cats will thankfully make a full recovery.
More severely affected cats, especially those suffering from fits that are hard to control, unfortunately, have a poorer prognosis and sadly may die or be put to sleep.
Why can permethrin be used in products for dogs but not for cats?
Cats lack certain proteins (enzymes) in their liver that break down some chemicals into harmless forms, which means that the chemicals can accumulate in the cat’s body and cause serious illness.
It’s this difference in drug metabolism that means we should never assume a product that’s safe for dogs is also safe for cats.
How are cats poisoned by dog flea treatment contain Permethrin?
Most commonly this is through owners using a dog flea product on their cat by mistake. This could be because they assume that the product for dogs is simply a stronger version of that for cats, and a smaller quantity is needed. This isn’t the case and even a very small amount of permethrin can make a cat very unwell.
Poisoning can also happen through contact with a dog that has recently been treated by a spot-on product containing permethrin. The cat may rub against the dog, or even sit on the same furniture, and the permethrin can be transferred to its coat and then be poisoned.
Permethrin is sometimes impregnated in clothing to deter ticks, mosquitoes and flies, and though there is no evidence to show that cats have been poisoned through exposure, if there is a specific concern it’s always best to contact the manufacturer of the product.
How can we prevent cats suffering from permethrin poisoning?
Fortunately, most cases of permethrin poisoning are preventable.
- Never use a dog product on a cat.
- Ensure flea treatments are solely designed for cats. Take extra care when choosing from a shop where dog and cat treatments may be displayed together.
- Be careful when shopping online. Many descriptions don’t include active ingredients and warning logos or signs aren’t always prominently displayed on webpages.
- Always read product descriptions and take note of warnings
- If you have both dogs and cats in your home, use treatment for the dogs that don’t contain permethrin.
- If dogs are treated with a product containing permethrin, they should be kept away from cats for 72 hours.
- If you have any concerns about a product, contact your vet for advice.
- Whenever permethrin poisoning is known or suspected, it’s important to let the manufacturer know, as well as the local drug regulatory authorities (your vet can help with this). Unless cases of poisoning are reported, the scale of the problem can’t be determined.
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What flea medicine is safe for my cat?
Buy a product which is specifically made for cats, not any other animal. The safest products will be purchased through your Vets as they will go through vigorous testing to ensure they are safe.
Always check the ingredients to ensure it does not contain Permetherin.
There are many recommendations across the internet for ‘natural flea treatments’ while you are of course free to use these, be aware they may not be too effective. Getting rid of a flea infestation within your home can also be very costly if it gets out of control!
Next: Find out if indoor cats need flea treatment.
This page was created as part of a press release from ISFM