By Pam Bergeron Registered Veterinary Technician Animal Emergency Clinic Southeast Houston, TX Most of us think of our pets as family members. We certainly need to treat them as children when it comes to protecting them from harm. Cats are less likely than dogs to become poisoned on their own. Their cautious nature usually protects them. They will readily eat garbage that contains spoiled food with toxic molds, grain based rodent poisons and anything within their reach in the yard, especially when they are puppies.
Most dogs quickly ingest human medications that are accidentally dropped on the floor.
Unfortunately, many human medications are metabolized quite differently in an animal's system and become toxic. Anti-freeze in very small amounts causes kidney failure for both cats and dogs. Dogs will eat rat and mice bait like candy. Cats, on the other hand, are poisoned by eating the poisoned rats. Organophosphates are very toxic to cats.