The cooler temperatures of autumn may drive rodent pests into residential homes, causing home owners to seek elimination methods for the pests. The ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) reminds pet owners to be cautious when using rodenticides to eradicate problems with rats, mice and other rodents.
Common ingredients in rodenticides include anticoagulants, which interfere with the blood clotting process, according to the APCC. Names of these ingredients include warfarin, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, diphacinone and difethialone. Some rodenticides also contain inactive ingredients added to attract the rodents — and these ingredients can also attract your cat or dog.
“If a pet ingests a rodenticide, potentially serious or even life-threatening problems can result, which may include bleeding, seizures or damage to the kidneys and other vital organs,” says Steve Hansen, DVM, and senior vice president of the ASPCA APPC. He urges pet owners to place rodenticides in areas that are completely inaccessible to cats and dogs.
If you believe your cat has ingested a rodenticide, you contact your veterinarian or call the ASPCA APCC at (888) 426-4435 immediately. Be sure to have the packaging from the rodenticide available so you can identify the product’s ingredients.
For more information about the ASPCA APPC, visit the organization’s website.