Rodenticide Poisoning (Rat Bait Poisoning)
The most common way that cats will develop rat bait poisoning is from hunting and subsequently ingesting poisoned mice and rats. For this reason even if the poison is kept well out of reach of cats they are not safe from it. Cats will very rarely eat the poison directly however with very inquisitive cats this occasionally can occasionally occur.
The majority of available rat and mouse bait products in Australia belong to the anticoagulant rodenticide group of chemicals. This group of chemicals can be split into two groups:
| 1st Generation Anti-coagulants: |
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| 2nd Generation Anti-coagulants: |
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Symptoms of Rat Bait Poisoning
Anti-coagulant poisons work by interfering with the clotting mechanisms in the blood and therefore cause animals to bleed. This may be obvious, for example bleeding from the anus or blood in the urine, but more commonly the bleeding is internal and cannot be seen. The length of time from ingestion to the onset of symptoms can vary considerably depending on how large the dose ingested was and whether the animal has had continuous access to the poison over a period of time. Symptoms of rat bait poisoning may occur up to 2-4 days after the poison is ingested.
Most cats are weak and lethargic. They may have pale or white gums. They may have shallow respiration or laboured breathing and possibly a cough if there has been bleeding in the lungs.
Treatment of Rat Bait Poisoning
Treatment options for rat bait poisoning will depend on the time that has elapsed since the cat ate the poisoned rodent or bait. If you know exactly when the rodent or bait was eaten, it is important to take your cat straight to the veterinary hospital as soon as possible. In these cases the cat will be given an injection to make them vomit and hence remove most of the poison from the stomach. Cats do not respond to these injections as reliably as dogs and thus attempts to induce vomiting may not be successful.
In most cases of rat bait poisoning in the cat, the time the poison was ingested is unknown and the cat is already showing symptoms. In these cases treatment can be much more complicated. The antidote for Anticoagulant Rodenticides is Vitamin K and it is important that the circulating levels of vitamin K in the body are elevated as quickly as possible. Vitamin K tablets will need to be given to the cat by mouth for up to 6 weeks depending on the type of rat bait eaten. The second generation rodenticides persist in the body for a longer period of time than the first generation rodenticides and therefore require long treatment times.
If the bleeding has been going on for some time or is particularly severe a poisoned cat may become severely anaemic. If this is the case the cat may have to be hospitalised, put on an intravenous drip and possibly also be given a blood transfusion.
Non-anticoagulant Rodenticides
There is another group of rodenticides that contain Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) and are called Quintox. This group has a different mode of action. This poison acts by mobilizing stores of calcium from the bone and causing abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood stream.
SYMPTOMS of this type of poison are usually quite non-specific and include loss of appetite, depression, vomiting and weakness.
TREATMENT when the time of ingestion is known is the same as described above, but once the cat is showing signs of poisoning they require immediate hospitalisation and intensive treatment with intravenous fluids, diuretics and drugs to try to reduce the calcium levels in the blood.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided on this page does not replace the advice of your veterinarian. If you are concerned about your cat’s health in any way, we strongly recommend you seek veterinary advice.
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