Cleaners with powerful odors that promise results should alert pet owners, particularly cat owners, to danger, experts say. The ingredients that make disinfectants effective make them toxic for companion animals: alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, chemical compounds that contain the word “phenol,” etc.
Common signs in animals exposed to chlorine-based bleach include hypersalivation, vomiting, lethargy and inappetence. Oral and tongue ulceration occurs in some cases. Less common effects include diarrhoea, polydipsia and respiratory distress. Severe toxicity is rare (Coppock et al, 1988).
Cleaning products containing bleach
Bleach can also be incredibly harmful to our much-loved pets if ingested because of the chlorine content. 'If you have to use bleach make sure to rinse the area with plenty of water and allow it to dry,' says Deyan. 'Keep your pet away until it is completely dry.
Cats are particularly attracted to bleach.
It smells very similar to chlorine. Its characteristic odor is like that of animal pee. When the cat perceives this smell, it feels threatened and feels the need to mark the territory. This is the case with all substances containing sodium hypochlorite.
Although this response may seem harmless enough, if your cat rubs in bleach and then licks it off they are essentially ingesting an irritant poison (sodium hypochlorite). Bleach disinfects surfaces because its superpower is breaking down proteins present in viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Swallowing or licking household cleaners can cause vomiting, trouble breathing or swallowing, or tissue damage. Pets can also become sick if they lick their fur or paws after walking through or coming in contact with a wet cleaning product.
Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (AHP): This non-toxic, pet-safe disinfectant contains surfactants, compounds that acts as detergents and foaming agents. AHP is a more stable than the traditional hydrogen peroxide. Dish Soap: This tried-and-true cleaner disinfects without causing harm to pets.
Clean Furniture with Baking Soda
This is a great natural cleaning solution that is safe to use around your cats and ideal for keeping your home fresh and odour-free. It works by breaking down bad smells naturally. Just sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the fabric and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
Physically scrub all non-porous surfaces of the room using a hand-held scrub brush or clean rag. Rinse surfaces with clean water. If a drain is present, use a squeegee to remove standing water. If no drain is present, use a clean mop to remove any standing water.
Chloroxylenol is the antibacterial in dettol that acts to kill germs and reduces inflammation. Chloroxylenol makes dettol an effective household disinfectant. It is particularly harmful to cats as they are unable to eliminate toxins in the body following digestion.
If you're wondering if vinegar is safe for cats, the answer is yes, it is safe to use as a cleanser in cat households to clean everyday messes without dangerous chemicals.
NEVER ever use household human antiseptics (eg Dettol), disinfectants or wound creams (eg Savlon) on cats as they cause further damage and are often toxic if licked.
Use a vinegar and warm water solution on wood, ceramic tile, linoleum or vinyl flooring. Since cats are so low to the ground, using a non-toxic cleaner on floors is especially important. If you're using a carpet steam cleaner, use a water and vinegar solution (one part water to one part vinegar) in the reservoir.
Toilet & Sink Cleaners
Common bathroom cleaning products, such as Lysol or Scrubbing Bubbles, can contain phenols or ammonia that are toxic to your pets if they drink out of the toilet bowl or sink.
Things to Avoid. Don't be tempted to use bleach. Ammonia-based or bleach cleaners can smell like cat pee (to a cat) so they may mistake it for their own pee and can be attracted for a repeat performance!
Is Baking Soda Toxic to Cats? The short answer is yes, it can be. Due to their smaller body size, just 1–2 teaspoons of baking soda ingested can be dangerous for a cat. While it is not toxic in nature, cat parents should still use caution keeping baking soda around the house in accessible areas.
2) Household cleaners: Most general-purpose cleaners (Windex, 409) are fairly safe, but concentrated products such as toilet bowl or drain cleaners can cause chemical burns.
Citric acid is found in citrus fruits. As such, acetic and citric acid-based cleaning products can be generally considered quite safe to use around pets.
No. First off, let's address the elephant in the room: if you've seen shrill warnings on social media about petting your cat or letting your dog lick you after applying hand sanitizer, it's time to come back down to earth. Yes, there are ingredients in hand sanitizer that can be toxic to your pets.
Is Dettol dangerous to pets? Dettol contains phenol chloroxylenol, which is dangerous for all animals but especially cats, because felines are unable to eliminate toxins following ingestion, according to vets at Erina Heights Vet Hospital in Gosford.
Do you know that Dettol is poisonous to cat? This is because it contains phenols that cannot be metabolized by cats. Dettol should not be used anywhere near cats as even the fumes can be toxic to them.
Wash the litter box with soap and water. Mix 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular Bleach2 per gallon of water and fill the litter box with the bleach solution, let stand for 5 minutes. Thoroughly rinse the litter box and air dry.
Cleaning the area thoroughly with vinegar first and then applying an enzyme treatment will break down and evaporate the uric acid and your home will be free of cat odors. Vinegar and enzyme cleaners work on all surfaces: hardwood floors, carpets, mattresses.