Help! My cat just licked a tiny amount of Tea Tree Oil. Will she be okay?

[RandomKoolzip]

I hear that Tea Tree Oil is very poisonous...there's a few websites that claim that tiny amounts can kill a cat or even a sm,all child. I donm't know what I should do.

ANy suggestions?! My wife is freaking out right now, but the kitty seems okay.


HE'P!

[flamingyouth]

1. How much is small?

It can be toxic indeed. Is there an all-hours vet clinic you can call just to try to ease your minds? My book on these things says symptoms show up from 2 to 8 hours after ingestion (lethargy, vomiting, etc.).

I hope everything is okay. :hug:

[RandomKoolzip]

2. My wife was rubbing it on her foot while in bed....

Then she grazed the bedsheet with that foot. A minute or two later, my cat jumped on the bed and started licking that particular patch of the bedsheet.

Should we call a vet. I love my cat.....don't wanna see Carlotta die on me. She's too sweet. :cry:

[flamingyouth]

4. That's probably a very small amount.

But yeah, since you guys are so worried, you should call. You probably won't have to take her in but at least they can tell you what to do.

Good luck! Keep us posted! It's going to be okay. :hug:

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

6. Call a vet clinic and ask them.

One of my dogs ate a leaf off of a poinsettia. They told me to pour hydrogen peroxide down his throat to induce vomiting. Lovely, huh?

[JVS]

3. Go to a vet. DU is no place for medical questions

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

8. Good point. n/t

[RandomKoolzip]

21. I got your point dangling, bitch.

:hi:

[Susang]

5. RKZ

Call the Chicago Veternary Emergency Services at 3123 N. Clybourn. They can tell you what to do. I've used them before and they are amazingly helpful. I have their number posted on my desk just in case. The number is 773-281-7110.

From what I've read about Tea Tree Oil, it takes a few hours to make the cat sick, so keep an eye on her. Here was a site that I found that had great info: http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

Keep me posted, 'kay?

[RandomKoolzip]

9. Oh great!

I'm calling them right now. Thanks! :hug:

[Susang]

10. Then you can ignore the PM I just sent you

I just PMd you the same info. Good luck, I hope she's okay! :hug:

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

13. My best to Carlotta n/t

[Spinzonner]

7. Try Poison Control

They may question the fact that you're calling about a cat but you never know and they may get such calls and either refer you or give some information.

[Bouncy Ball]

11. Now I'm all worried about his cat!

:cry:

How is the cat???

[efhmc]

12. She will be fine but call a vet to make sure. Also, google a search to

see if cats are okay with this stuff while you wait. My guess is that your cat is a-okay,

[progmom]

14. any updates?

:kick:

[Janice325]

15. Yes, please let us know.

I hope she's okay.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

16. Um - what the deal, bro?

Kitty Ok?

[Zuni]

17. What is up with the cat?

I hope everything is ok....

[progmom]

18. any word?

[RandomKoolzip]

19. Okay...update!

So, Carlotta started acting strange. She grabbed a pair of my wife's pants and dragged them from the hamper and started chewing on them. Very odd. She looked stoned....This was while I was ON HOLD (!!!!) with animal poison control center.

APCC got back on the phone with me and said that I should get her some milk, about a teaspoon's-worth, which should help dilute the tea tree oil. I told her that the cat was acting oddly, but the symptoms I described were not the ones associated with tea tree oil poisoning. As we discovered later, Carlotta had been chewing on one of her catnip-laden cat toys before the tea tree-licking, which explained the pants-chewing behavior.

The lady at APCC then said that I should not make her vomit. Hey, no trouble there, lady.


Anyhow, I went to the 7-11 down the street, bought some milk (and some Kellogg's Corn Pops, but that's irrelevant), gave Carlotta a teaspoon's-worth, and laid out some water by the bedside, in case she got thirsty later in the night. And I stayed up with a Pauline Kael book (my favorite critic!), observing the cat's behvior. Sometime around 3 I fell asleep.

When I woke up this AM, the cat was very much alive. Frisky, in fact.


THANKS ALL Y'ALL for your concern. Youse guys is the bests!

[progmom]

23. Yay!!

:bounce:

Thanks, RKZ. I was getting worried.

[RandomKoolzip]

24. Me too.

When Carlotta started acting like the Courtney Love of the feline world, I was getting a bit alarmed. But she's fine now.

I guess it helps that she's an indoor cat and has never been sick in her three years on urf.

Mucho mucho relieved.

[flamingyouth]

27. So glad she's okay!

I woke up thinking about her this morning. :)

[RandomKoolzip]

28. That's so sweet!

Thanks. It's so good to know you have friends online!

[Susang]

20. Still waiting for an update

Don't leave us hanging, how's she doing?

[RandomKoolzip]

22. Check the post directly above yours.

:hi: Susan, you rule. Thanks for being concerned and thanks for that phone number.

[Susang]

26. Glad she's okay

And glad I could help. :hi:

[RandomKoolzip]

25. Update kick:

She's now sleeping on my lap. Shhhhh.


(Thanks everybody!)

[ronnykmarshall]

29. Good mews!

:silly: