Danger of giving cats painkillers

IT is very easily done ... your cat comes in having had a scrape and you think “Ouch! That looks sore. Where are the painkillers?”

Searching through the kitchen drawers you find some paracetamol. You presume that it is safe – after all, it is the most popular painkiller in the world?

Wrong. Paracetamol, even in very small quantities, is very dangerous for cats so please don’t be tempted.

When we take paracetamol we have an enzyme in our bodies that breaks it down once it has done its job. Cats do not have that enzyme so they are not able to break down paracetamol safely and so very dangerous toxic compounds are rapidly formed in their body . This causes irreversible damage to their red blood vessels and causes a syndrome called methaemaglobinaemia’ where the tongue and gums turn chocolate brown and this, together with liver damage, is very sadly invariably fatal.

Many over the counter medications contain paracetamol so it’s best practice to make sure your cat cannot access any human medicines in the house. Just like with children, make sure all medication is locked away in cabinets out of reach of wandering paws.

Medicines that contain paracetamol include some cold and flu remedies, liquid medication such as Calpol. Just to make life more confusing, the Americans call Paracetamol “Acetaminophen” so be extra careful of any medicines that did not originate from the UK.

Call your vet immediately, whatever the time of day or night if you realise that your cat has had paracetamol. Donaldson’s Vets emergency service is available round the clock. No dose of paracetamol is too small to cause problems in a cat. Quick action is paramount to the health of your cat.

Vets have access to lots of different painkillers that are safe to use for cats so always contact your vet for advice rather than risk selfprescribing something that might be fatal.