Five Human Medications That Can Be Deadly To Cats

Human medications can kill cats

Our cats are our family members, which is why we want to ensure that they are always healthy. Because of this, it’s more than likely that we will give our cats a little bit of medication from time to time to help them feel better. It might seem fairly obvious to most that giving a cat a drug intended for a human is not the best of ideas, but it might come as a surprise that not all humans quite understand the potential ramifications of providing cats with human medication. You see, some human medications poison cats. It can cause them to stop breathing, it can cause their heart to stop, and it can cause them to die.

If you are a cat owner, you know that you have to talk to the vet before you give your cat anything that’s not intended for your cat. However, some cat owners listen to the advice of others when they say things like, “I gave my cat this and that, and it cleared him right up with no side effects,” and then issue medication to their cats that could kill them. Even if a medication does not seem toxic at first, it might be simply because of the health condition from which your cat might already suffer. At the end of the day, it’s a good idea never to give your cat a medication not prescribed by your cat’s vet. It’s not even a good idea to give your cat medication of his own left over from a previous injury or health issue. To be safe, never give your cat anything that the vet did not recommend for a very specific health reason. And always, always avoid giving your cat the following five medications; they are deadly to felines.

Acetaminophen

It might seem like it can’t possibly hurt to give a cat an aspirin – not even two, because you’re too responsible for that, right? But, it’s not a good idea. It’s not even remotely a good idea. It’s a much better idea to just leave the cat alone and not give it drugs – ever. Your cat could die if you give him this medication, and it’s just fact. Most animals don’t even begin to exhibit any signs or symptoms of something being wrong, either. It seems that even one pill could cause your cat to simply die after it is ingested, likely in his or her sleep as most animals tend to sleep pretty regularly. Do not ever give your cat aspirin if you want to manage his or her pain. Call the vet and let the vet prescribe something effective.

Antidepressants

Perhaps, like myself, you’re wondering why anyone would give their cat a dose of antidepressants, but people do strange and unexplainable things all the time. If you are considering giving your cat an antidepressant, we have to advise you against making a decision of this nature. It’s not good for the cat; it is toxic. Your cat will likely become very lethargic, vomit frequently and begin suffering some something called serotonin syndrome. His body temperature will rise significantly and his heart rate will increase. His blood pressure will rise and he will become disoriented and ill. If your cat ingests any of your antidepressants, call the vet immediately. Preferably from the car as you make your way to the vet to save his life.

Ritalin

The people that take this particular drug are prescribed it to handle their ADHD, and it’s not a good idea for cats. It has a negative health effect on those who do not actually even suffer from ADHD, so it won’t do any favors for your feline friend. The first thing that will happen is your cat’s heart rate will increase, he will become sick to his stomach and he will likely begin to seize. If he makes it through this, the cat will then die. Studies, according to PetMD, show that even a half a Ritalin pill can kill a cat almost immediately, and an entire pill is strong enough to kill a dog in minutes. If that’s not enough motivation to keep you from giving your cat’s medication such as this, I don’t know what is.

NSAIDs

These non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are terrible for cats. They will more than likely kill your cat since cats are so small to begin with but even if it does not kill your cat, it’s going to cause long-term health damage that will eventually kill your cat. Gastric ulcers are very common, stomach issues are always a problem and most cats will eventually begin to experience kidney and liver damage that leads to kidney or liver failure.

If you give a cat a large dose of this medication, chances are good that your cat will die almost immediately and that it will experience something called fatal gastric ulceration. If you believe that your cat has gotten into your NSAIDs or that your cat is ill in any way, you should get your cat to the vet right away to see what, if anything, can be done to save him.

Vitamin D Derivatives

Humans might take this particular medication to help with psoriasis, a skin condition that can affect kids and some animals. However, it’s not a good idea to use the solution or ointment on an animal with a skin condition. It is easily absorbed into the skin and can cause your cat to die almost immediately. Even the smallest amount of this particular drug is quite deadly to a small animal, especially a cat. Even if it is just on the skin, the human medication can be fatal for your cat. If your cat somehow ingests this medication, chances are good that he or she will not make it at all. If your cat gets into this at all, please call the vet right away and get your cat to the vet immediately to see what can be done to save his life before it is too late to do anything.

Photo by Getty Images

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