Keep cats away from snow globes, Cats Protection warns
Consuming ethlylene glycol can cause cats to suffer kidney failure or death.
Cats Protection has warned cat owners to keep their pets away from snow globes this Christmas.
The charity says that the liquid in the ornaments, which are attractive to cats, can be lethal if ingested.
Snow globes contain ethylene glycol, also known as anti-freeze, which is used to create the effect of snow falling. However, if ingested by cats, it can cause kidney failure and death.
Cats may consume ethylene glycol either from drinking it directly or licking it off their fur when grooming.
Even the slightest crack can cause ethylene glycol to seep out of a snow globe and Cats Protection is asking cat owners to place snow globes far away from their pets.
Ethylene glycol is also found in car screenwashes and de-icer sprays, and so motorists are also asked to be vigilant. Motorists should clean up any spillages after use or consider using options without anti-freeze.
Spillages of anti-freeze can often cause the death of outdoor cats, as with the case of Nelson.
After going outside on a cold day, Nelson returned to his home seeming unstable. He lost his footing when he ran in the kitchen and landed on his left side.
Following his fall, Nelson was clearly struggling to get back up. He appeared to be in shock, with his eyes wide open and his pupils large.
Nelson was carried to the sofa where he fell asleep, but he did not appear to be any better when he woke up. On veterinary advice, Nelson was rushed into surgery.
He went into acute renal failure and later had to be euthanised.
Alison Richards, chief veterinary officer for Cats Protection, said: “We would urge everyone to take great care with any products containing anti-freeze. It is so devastating to lose a pet, especially when it can be so easily avoided.
“Store anti-freeze products well away from cats and supervise your cat if they want to play with any other sorts of Christmas decorations so that they don’t swallow or get injured by glass, metal or plastic.”
Image © Cats Protection
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
